Uncertainties abound, thanks to the BM website greywater page being 12 years out of date. Yes, your very small camp can dispose of graywater on the playa IF it's filtered and treated. Yes, there's a good, easy way to be (moderately) sure that you've disinfected your graywater. This is all on the NEW BM graywater page.
This page is still making its way through the editorial process. Here's where you can read a draft: [url]https://sites.google.com/site/evapotrons/graywater-experience-and-advice[/url]
The page lists nine techniques for getting rid of graywater, with the pros and cons. It presents a guideline for disinfecting graywater, with a really simple rule of thumb for when you need bleach and how much.
Two of the nine techniques involve the use of [b]evapotrons[/b] : burner-designed devices for eliminating graywater. In fact, the whole website is concerned with evapotrons and how to build them. Start at the "Home" page for some entertainment and enlightenment.
I'm the designer of the "Gray-B-Gon" evapotron. For five years, burners have been building these on their own (online guide in Instructables.com) or in my workshops. The Gray-B-Gon has good performance (15-20 gallons/day), is artistic in a burnerish sort of way, helps build neighborhoods, and will operate for years.
Anyone who's ever held a cordless drill can build a Gray-B-Gon. Experienced builders from previous years come to the workshops, just for the fun and satisfaction of helping new builders. The last workshop of the year will be in Oakland on July 7; if you're interested, email
ember@burningman.com. Currently there's space for 10 more builders.
Full disclosure paragraph: nothing is perfect. Solar-powered evapotrons don't work at night; the Gray-B-Gon doesn't work when there's no wind. In 2011, thanks to the perfect playa surface not kicking up dust, we had four straight days of calm air -- not that anyone complained, but many idle Gray-B-Gons filled with graywater. By the end of the week we had wind again, and the crisis receded.