Grey water

[kandoma]

I'm prepairing the boat for another extended trip. The holding tank for the toilett is fitted now. What is worldwide the standard for grey water ? (I'm a little bit out of touch). Several people have warned me, not to connect the grey water from the sink to the holding tank. But I have no place to install a second tank.

Questions:

In Turkey, grey water and showering in the cockpit is not allowed (locals get money if they catch you). Are there other countries (USA?) doing the same ?

Has anybody connected sucessfully the kitchen sink to the (single) holding tank and has no smell ? (waterlock ?)

Peter


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[Ships_Cat]

I have looked after bigger new vessels under construction where the grey water from bathrooms and galley goes straight into a tank with the black water. U traps under the sinks and non return valve as well usually.

These have had quite a lot of head down to the tank and the boat big enough so that heeling could not cause any backflow. I would not do it myself on a normal sized yacht, the chances of back contamination are much too great in my opinion.

John

<hr width=100% size=1>I am the cat but I am only 6.

 

[snowleopard]

we have 2 x 50 gal holding tanks. initially we dumped all waste into the tanks but soon had to change to dumping sink waste overside as they filled up too quickly.

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[HeadMistress]

Gray water holding is not required in the US or Canada except on a few inland lakes.

Both US and Canadian regs prohibit combining gray and black water...the systems must be completely separate--separate tanks, no common plumbing, not even common vents. Both systems must be vented to the outside of the boat.

Backflow is not the only reason...bacteria--notably e-coli--from the black water system can migrate into the gray water plumbing, so that even a backup or clog in the gray water plumbing alone could contaiminate sinks and anything in them.

The potential for bacteria from the bowl to migrate into the plumbing is also the reason why toilets designed to use sea water should never be connected to the onboard potable water system.

<hr width=100% size=1>Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987