Your 'tanks' will Thank You!

HOLDING TANKSThere are normally two different holding tanks on most RVs; the gray water tank and the black water tank. The gray water tank holds the waste water from the sinks and showers. The black water tank holds the waste from the toilet.

      RV waste water holding tanks are meant only as a temporary storage facility for waste and are not designed to be a water processing or water purifying system. That is better left to septic systems or municipal water treatment plants. When you dump the contents of your holding tanks into an approved dump station, the disposal and treatment of these wastes become the responsibility of the station.

In the past few years many free dump stations have been closed down and more will follow. Why? ... Some RV holding tank treatments are harmful to septic systems, especially formaldehyde-based chemicals. Formaldehyde is a preservative and destroys the bacteria that are needed to break down waste materials. In addition, unscrupulous people have been illegally dumping everything from paint to oil to hazardous materials of all sorts into these dump stations.

     However, there is much that the RVer can do to control odors and help keep the holding tanks clean and functioning as they were intended to. The use of appropriate holding tank treatments and RV friendly toilet products are a good step in this direction. An enzyme-based holding tank treatment uses "good" bacteria to digest waste solids and keep the odor under control.

      The use of quick dissolving toilet paper helps to keep the waste in a liquid form. To test your toilet paper, fill an empty jar half full with water. Drop in a sheet or two of your favorite toilet paper. Shake the jar for a few seconds. If the toilet paper dissolves it's RV holding tank friendly. If it fails this test, experiment with another brand.