RV servicing arrangements & grey water disposal

livin1984 · Post by **livin1984** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 10:54 am

once again we're trying to solve the grey water scenario and want to avoid bringing gallons of it home to dispose of. we were thinking of pumping it into an RV and then arranging for grey water pickup a few times.

anyone done this?

someone in our camp thought you had to make arrangements for RV servicing in advance, is this true? or can we make arrangements on the playa?

Mr Magoo · Post by **Mr Magoo** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:25 pm

From the Preparation link on the home page under RVs:

RV servicing will be available for a $45 fee for trailers up to 24' in length and $55 for one gray and one black tank for RVs that are 25'-35' in length. Each additional tank is $25. Sign up for the service at the vendor's booth at Playa Information, between the hours of 11 AM and 1 PM daily. If you see a truck, you can flag them down for service, but signing up at PI is strongly recommended. Keep a space clear for the truck to access your RV; pump hoses cannot reach beyond 30 feet. On-playa pumping services include removal of gray and black water, and re-charging of non-potable water only to allow the toilet to flush. You can have your potable water tank recharged for a fee of $40.

Ron · Post by **Ron** » Thu Jul 14, 2005 6:04 pm

Might be worth noting that the same text appeared last year but then when we got on the playa the service never materialized. In fact, when I went to sign up for it I was told that plans to provide it had been canceled. So don't rely on this as your first plan, would be my opinion, but it might work out this year. One never knows...

Ron

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 1:10 pm

I've heard some horror stories about people waiting for JOTS to come pump out their RV and because they were pretty sure it was going to happen they overflowed their grey water tank sending grey water up into the shower and making the whole RV stink (plus making the shower unusable for the rest of the event).

As I stated in another thread, JOTS is very busy with their primary mission, servicing the porta potties. I wouldn't count on them to remove your grey water or deliver water, not to mention it ain't very "radically self reliant".

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 2:25 pm

My experiences from the past few years has been to NOT depend on JOTS for any arranged delivery of services whatsoever. The BM project has the primary contract with JOTS and the priority of service is focused on the event. Toilet service and water delivery will always trump in favor of the event v individuals. Supposedly the sign up sheet for RV pumping happens at playa info but I'm not sure at all where it will be this year.

Dustdevil · Post by **Dustdevil** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:27 pm

I signed up for gray water pickup in 04' on Tuesday. It showed up on Thursday. I did not need fresh water so I have no idea how that service works.

Stilesfamily · Post by **Stilesfamily** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 5:47 am

In 2003 I signed up on Wed or Thurs first thing in the morning. They never showed up at the designated time so I ended up hunting them down and they said that if I stayed with them they would work there way towards me. The longest ¼ mile I ever went, they could not get 5 feet without someone flagging them down, sometimes several at a time, waiving there $45. The thing seems to be that they make more money just going to the next person that flags them down then going back and forth tracking down some obscure camp on the other side of the playa. Though I did not feel they had a lot of integrity I can certainly empathize with the “a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush” approach. In the end I signed up at 07:30 and was serviced at 3:30, I took 8 hours of nagging and constant effort to get myself pumped out and they charged me $65, instead of the $45 that was posted. In regard to fresh water they just had a large tank of it and pumped it into my hold, in there defense they were very careful to keep the fresh water tank sterile. In the end I recommend evaporation ponds and water conservation.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 6:17 am

Thought this was the stupid joke thread. Guess people do waste there vacation just live hi in a RV. Pussying around with a grey water tank could ruin the event.
.
Use the shower to take spit baths. Put a towel in the bottom and hang it out to dry in the wind. Get your hair wet shampoo, work your way down with a little added water a soap. If you have a lot of hair catch the run off in a towel on you shoulder. Hang it out to dry. Spray the soap off with a trigger sprayer.
.
Quick wash ups. use the shower stall to contain any spill. Handy wipes and trigger sprayer.
.
A lot of towels are much easyer than a tank full of slop. Run all over the playa for day being pissed v one big machine at the laundry mat. Oh Ya....I retired into a fifth wheel. It took some to learn how get the best results. Best advice I gave myself. Don't EVER take it to Burning Man. I keep the playa dust camp grear in tots in the shop.

Stilesfamily · Post by **Stilesfamily** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:02 am

Well it was our first year, we did not know what to expect and we were pretty timid, I resented spending that entire day dealing with that shit (literally). This year its Porta Potties all the way, except at night then I will use the head in the trailer. I had a lot of contempt for those that messed up the Porto’s at night until last year when I got pretty drunk and tried to use them in the dark, it took a lot of commitment and determination not to make a mess out of them. It’s all part of the experience.

phil · Post by **phil** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:14 am

had a lot of contempt for those that messed up the Porto’s at night until last year when I got pretty drunk and tried to use them in the dark, ... .

My bet is that the major messers were women who stood on the commode and tried to urinate without sitting on the seat; it was not drunks who couldn't hit the urinal.

If you're too drunk to hit the urinal, just sit on the commode. Please. :->

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:42 am

phil wrote:
had a lot of contempt for those that messed up the Porto’s at night until last year when I got pretty drunk and tried to use them in the dark, ... .
My bet is that the major messers were women who stood on the commode and tried to urinate without sitting on the seat; it was not drunks who couldn't hit the urinal.

If you're too drunk to hit the urinal, just sit on the commode. Please. :->

~

Missing is just plan disrespect to others. It's a bunch of shit saying : Oh I was drunk. Puking on all surfaces and throwing your shittie shirt or pants in the hole just shows what kind of low life you are.

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:56 am

I wouldn't be so quick to blame the women for the problem. I've stood in line right after JOTS cleaned the things, and the guys in front of me have had control problems. In my experience it's far from being a woman thing. And I won't even begin to get into why those guys didn't use the urinal on the wall vs. pissing all over the seat.

Mr Magoo · Post by **Mr Magoo** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 5:42 pm

You have to admit however that most people at B-man are respectful of their fellow citizen when it comes to the porta potties. Nine of the ten times you go, the potties are clean, there is toilet paper and the lid is down.
How many events do you go to each year (even one day shows)that you can usually expect that?

Yeah, the nights are often a problem. One year, someone attached a glowstick in each porta-pottie. It helped keep those clean(er). I think that most people are considerate but I agree with unjon:

Puking on all surfaces and throwing your shittie shirt or pants in the hole just shows what kind of low life you are.

Also cannot understand what kind of jerk would leave beer bottles in the jon (or in the middle of the playa for that matter).

Mornings tend to be an issue too. Lines and unhappy people with urgent needs!

EvilDustBooger · Post by **EvilDustBooger** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 7:45 pm

It seems like things start out smoothly, and people are respectful in the johns early in the week, but by about thursday, the weekend warriors show up, start partying heavily, and the fuck-wits, drunks and inconsiderate people start trashing the facilities. I also think that the sheer numbers come into play by the weekend.....30,000 people-thats alot of crap to deal with under any circumstances, let alone in such a remote area. After Saturday night forget it...hold your nose and prepare to swab off a spot, cause it`s pretty bad.

Shit Overload. Quite a challenge. Hats off to the brave souls that do what they can.

I think the glow sticks are a good idea. Maybe we could make it a community effort to voluntarily place them in the johns at night.
I`ll donate a dozen.

robbidobbs · Post by **robbidobbs** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:16 pm

EvilDustBooger wrote:I think the glow sticks are a good idea. Maybe we could make it a community effort to voluntarily place them in the johns at night. I`ll donate a dozen.

Thank you muchly Evil DB! Feel free to proceed!
Hopefully you meant hanging them with zipties to the walls of the Blue Boxes, because...

Dropping glo-sticks in the toilets is not funny!

Ahem...

As to the hovering problem, most of it does occur at night. My money is on females who are trying to avoid non-existent cooties. Having the splattering shits is an unusual problem, and really can't be avoided other than being that much more focused on parking one's butt firmly on the seat. I'll forgive accidents due to illness, it's the deliberate misuse of the potties that pisses me off.

I lived in an RV for 2 mths out there, and never used the toilet/shower/sink. Just don't do it and you won't have a problem. Use the porta-potties, and commune with the rest of us regular folk.

As to the holding tanks idea, I think it's a fine idea for a camp to bring 55 gal drums to hold their gray water in until it can be pumped by JotS. Evap ponds work exceptionally well too, and if more people put them together, and offered small amounts dumping by individuals for...say...a case of beer, we wouldn't need JotS to spend valuable time pumping RV tanks.

And finally...
Thank you ChaiGuy. This really is about radical self-reliance, and RV's just smack of dependency to me.[/u]

Stilesfamily · Post by **Stilesfamily** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 11:52 pm

Is anyone else equally amazed that this shitty conversation has gone on as long as it has?

Dropping glow sticks in the toilets is NOT funny, but talking about it is a little, especially the greens ones to give off that toxic green glow. EDB is right about the slow buildup of carelessness that occurs over the week. It seems like at first we have all the hard core burners and they are very careful, but as the week wears on a two pronged problem emerges, complacency due to increased use and thoughtless weekend warriors that get drunk and abuse them.

It would be very cool to put together a shit brigade, of sorts, that will go through and hang glow sticks in the potties at night to help others out. Kinda like hells version of the lamplighters. I imagine volunteers would be in short supply. Well what is it? 2 o’clock through 10, so 9 streets and the Playa Potties so perhaps 9 or 10 volunteers, it would take maybe an hour each night to hang them all. Anyone even want to entertain this idea any more than I already have??? Then we can really say we have done our Dudey/Duty WAAAA!!! God I’m Funny.

Stilesfamily · Post by **Stilesfamily** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 12:09 am

Sorry accidentally posted twice

mojo · Post by **mojo** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 9:26 am

Hmmm... yes.... a new hinky sort of lamplighter organization...can lighters. Or toilet aglow squad, or???????

Mr Magoo · Post by **Mr Magoo** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 9:54 am

It would be very cool to put together a shit brigade, of sorts, that will go through and hang glow sticks in the potties at night to help others out. Kinda like hells version of the lamplighters.

Sure, I would donate some glow sticks- sign me up!

robbidobbs · Post by **robbidobbs** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 9:52 pm

shit brigade, of sorts, that will go through and hang glow sticks in the potties at night to help others out. Kinda like hells version of the lamplighters.

Feel free to do this, it would be a terrific thing to self-organize. I recommend that you adopt the potty-bank near where you live, and keep those boxes glowing thru the week. That way you'll not impede too much on your time.

The Adopt a Potty-Bank rewls are simple enough:
Don't let the decorations become moop, zip-ties and Duct tape only
Decor must come off completely by Event-end
Decor must not impede the vendors ability to service the units.

Have at it!
For anyone interested in anything potty related, look at:
"Get Involved">> "'All About Participating in the Pottie Project"

RobbiDobbs clear
Chief Poopervisor of the Pottie Project
DPW Volunteer Coordinator

harleyb · Post by **harleyb** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 10:16 am

Ron wrote:Might be worth noting that the same text appeared last year but then when we got on the playa the service never materialized. In fact, when I went to sign up for it I was told that plans to provide it had been canceled. So don't rely on this as your first plan, would be my opinion, but it might work out this year. One never knows...

Ron

They lied. They just were never able to accurately schedule them, so you had to flag 'em down. Used them the last 3 years.

Bill

harleyb · Post by **harleyb** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 10:19 am

Kinetic IV wrote:I wouldn't be so quick to blame the women for the problem. I've stood in line right after JOTS cleaned the things, and the guys in front of me have had control problems. In my experience it's far from being a woman thing. And I won't even begin to get into why those guys didn't use the urinal on the wall vs. pissing all over the seat.

I have become *very* adept at opening and closing the toilet lid with my foot.

Bill

phil · Post by **phil** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 10:32 am

I have become *very* adept at opening and closing the toilet lid with my foot.

See
http://dir.salon.com/health/col/roac/20 ... index.html
for information on sanitary toilet seats (no, not the kind you put over the seat -- the seat itself), especially the 2d page. Toilet seats are less dangerous than your kitchen countertop.

Also see
http://store.botachtactical.com/travjhonperu.html
for those times you just can't wait. I'm not sure I'd have named it Liqsorb, but I'm sure that's just my personal predilection.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 10:39 am

Travel johns are found at BigK/K-mart in camping.

EvilDustBooger · Post by **EvilDustBooger** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 11:08 am

phil wrote:......

Also see
http://store.botachtactical.com/travjhonperu.html
for those times you just can't wait. I'm not sure I'd have named it Liqsorb, but I'm sure that's just my personal predilection.

Add:
spillguard opening accomodates men, women and children. Liqsorb(tm) super absorbent pouch ......snip.......... Each pouch can be used several times until reaching its maximum capacity of 20 oz. Compact at 2 in. x 2 in. x 5 in. for storage - unfolds to 12 in. x 5 in. for use.

Seems like not much capacity.....20 oz`s MAX???
that`s not going to do the "several times" if I`m holding the hose.
(sharing way to much)

It would work in a pinch though....better than peeing yourself.

It would be hilarious to see the wide-spread use of emergency "pee-pacs" though. People nervously looking for corners to hover in. Naturally the women would all go in a big group and keep watch for each other the guys would just whip it out.
Sounds perfect for Apocoliptika . . .Pees Keepers and all....you know

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 12:17 pm

The RV servicing process will have to be changed for 2005. In 2004 and previously, people signed up at Playa Info for servicing, or they flagged down pump-trucks themselves.

Stilesfamily · Post by **Stilesfamily** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 8:32 am

I had a very interesting discussion with my wife last night. My wife is a self admitted hoverer, though a courteous one always making sure to clean up after herself if necessary, and upon making the point that disease is very unlikely if you sit down on the throne I was aghast to learn there is another equally serious threat. Apparently there are critters, very odd critters, that are attracted to… well… uhh… warm, moist, dark places that are exclusive to women. So I guess these could be known as Koochy Critters, well at any rate they lurk in the holding area of any given toilet and under the seats. I guess they are not capable of flight or jumping very far as hovering is the only safe option to avoid… well… um… infestation. Upon close personal inspection last night I can verify that my wife is free of any Koochy Critters but apparently the danger is ever present. Please give me any information you may have regarding these illusive creatures.

phil · Post by **phil** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:44 am

Stilesfamily wrote: So I guess these could be known as Koochy Critters, well at any rate they lurk in the holding area of any given toilet and under the seats. I guess they are not capable of flight or jumping very far as hovering is the only safe option to avoid… well… um… infestation.

Sigh....
http://www.salon.com/health/col/roac/20 ... index.html

Stilesfamily · Post by **Stilesfamily** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 10:00 am

OK,OK, SORRY before I get any more flack for this post

JOKE, TOTAL JOKE, NEVER MENT IN ANY WAY TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, KIDDING, RIBBING, PULLING YOUR LEG!!! Let me be clear about this, it is total fiction and I have never herd of anything remotely like this ever happening. My wife was even smiling as she said it, knowing full well the likelihood, or complete lack there of, of this happening. It is so ridiculous that I did not think anyone would take it seriously. So to anyone out there fearing this, it was just a paranoid joke. But still people hover for crazy, nonsensical reasons

PS Open discussion, thought there was a little room for humor, guess I should have been more obvious about the joking part.