How to find RV Waste Dump Near Me? – An outing in your RV can be super fun. But what comes after that is a real headache! Yes, we are here to talk about that gooky task no one wants to get their hands on –
Can you dump RV black water at home?
It depends on your county or respective sewage authorities whether or not it is legal to dump waste at home. Assuming they do allow you, dumping at home can be nasty.
Fair disposal of RV waste is necessary. It is septic, and you don’t want anyone around you to get sick! It’s always better to locate a dump station near you to ensure safe and legal disposal.
But how do I find an RV Dump Station?
Here are some tips regarding how to find RV dump stations near you:
- Google it:
Yes! As easy as it sounds. A simple google search for “RV waste dump near me” can fetch you enough results to help you find a dump station near you.
Here is a handy google map I found pointing out all the RV dump stations in the US. You can choose from dump stations that are completely free to those which charge between $10 to $30 per dump.
- Ask the RV Rental:
Since they spend most of their time working around RVs, asking your rental itself won’t be a bad choice at all. They can surely suggest the best options available to dump RV waste near me. Sometimes they can get you offload for free.
- Gas Stations:
Many gas stations allow you to dump your RV waste there. So the next time you pull in your local gas station, make sure to check if they have got an RV dumping facility too.
- RV Parks:
As it goes by the name, RV parks are campsites where RV adventurers stay overnight. You are very likely to find an RV dump station there. According to an estimate, there are about 15,000 RV parks in the US. You just need to spot the one nearest to you!
- Wastewater Treatment Centers:
Although not as common, wastewater treatment plants can be a safer and better option to dump your RV waste in. If you find one near you, it can be your go-to site for RV dumping.
We have heard that some treatment centers even pay for the dumps!
- Other Useful Resources:
These are the websites I found to be equally convenient in locating dump stations, take a look :
- RVshare: A cool site that helps you explore state-wise dumping options in the US. Just click on the state you want to find an RV dump station in, and get started!
- Sanidumps: Another useful site where you can reach out to RV stations near you based on your ZIP or Postal code. Oh, are you not sure about the ZIP code of your state? Don’t worry, this site has got it all sorted! You can find a map there, mentioning “ZIP code zones of the United States”. Just spot your state and get going!
- RVdumps: A great site letting you find dumping stations across the US. With its convenient maps in place, it makes it all too easy to find a gas station near you.
- RVdumpstations.info: Like the ones mentioned above, here too you just need to select the state you want to find a dump station in and get rolling!
Just visit these websites and type RV Waste Dump Near Me and based on your location they will serve you the nearest available facility.
One extra about this site is that they even offer locations of dump stations in Canada and Australia, so just in case you want to go camping in our northern neighbor, you have got it all sorted!
Is there an app to find RV waste dump near me?
Yes! There are many. AllStays, Campendium, and RV Life Trip Wizard are the ones I find to be best. Besides locating a dump station, these apps will even help you explore newer & better routes, campsites, rental stores, and whatnot!
Unlike google maps, they will charge you a minimal fee but with experience, I can say that having an app already installed on your phone will make things way smoother. It will be worth it!
Does Buc-ee’s have a dump station?
Yes, they do! Although with a fee, Buc-ee’s, along with Love’s, both provide dumping facilities in their stations.
How to RV Waste Dump Near Me Hassle free?
Now that you have found the nearest dump station, the next thing is to ensure that you are aware of all the know-how about the dumping process. It’s a messy task and if you are a beginner, it can be messier!
But not to worry, you just need to get these few things right for a flawless waste dump off your RV near you:
- What are all the tools you would need?
A sewer hose, preferably thick, is required. Also, since you would be dealing with septic stuff, masks and a pair of rubber gloves is a must. A garden hose to rinse your sewer hose and tanks at the end would also be necessary.
I often prefer a sewer hose support as well to keep my hose sturdy and ensure the downward flow.
- Make sure you have all the needed equipment in one place:
Having your tools handy will be of great help. I find it best to have a separate container containing all the stuff I’d be needing during dumping sessions. Running back and forth inside your RV just to get every little thing in order won’t help!
- Ensure that you are using quality tools:
Ensuring the tools you are using are in their best usable state is highly important. You certainly do not want to find wastewater squirting all over the place through your punctured sewer hose! It can make an already messy task even nastier.
Once you are done with the above errand, you are all set to get into the sucky task! Yes, finally! Let’s see how to dump your RV waste off.
Here is a step-by-step guide to making the process smooth:
- Set up the sewer hose:
Now that you are ready with your equipment in place, let’s get into it! Attach the Rhino blaster to the tank outlet and set your sewer hose in place. Having a clear elbow is preferred as it lets you know when the tank is empty.
- Empty the tanks:
Once everything is set up, all you need to do is open the valves. But the order of discharge is important. Open the black valve first. Watch out for the clear elbow so that you know when the tank is empty. Now go for the gray valve.
I always recommend emptying the black water first. It’s simply because the black tank is the one with semi-solid waste while the gray one stores the water you release from the basin, shower, etc. Hence, opening the gray valve later makes sure that your sewer hose is rinsed well.
- Cleaning the tanks:
Now that we are done with dumping let’s make sure our tanks are clean. Usually, dump stations have a separate spigot to let you rinse your sewer hose and clean your tanks up. You can attach a garden hose to the spigot and set it up with your Rhino blaster.
Close the valve of the Rhino blaster and pull the black tank’s valve open. I often walk inside my RV to check the control panel to know when the tank is completely full. You may need to do the same.
Once full, you can open the Rhino blaster’s valve, letting the black water out. Now you have your black tank free from all the slink that remained!
You can do the same for your gray tank every once in a while. But since it is mostly water waste, it doesn’t need to be rinsed as often as your black tank does.
- Rinsing the sewer hose:
Kudos! You are now at the last step of this nerve-wracking task. But don’t feel too sluggish already! A clean sewer hose is a must too. Use the garden hose attached to the spigot and rinse it well. Close the end caps. You surely do not want anything slimy leaking out from the sewer hose after this!
Don’t forget to close the tank valves. Also, put the cap back on. That cap is gonna make sure nothing leaks out of the tanks in case the valves malfunction. Now you can travel trouble-free without having to worry about anything dripping off your tanks!
You might wanna use wastewater treatment chemicals like Aqua-Kem, Camco TST, Oxy-Chem, etc. to ensure that there is no foul odor from your black tank to bother you during your outing. Besides chemicals, keeping your black tank always filled in with some amount of water would also help it remain cleaner.
This pretty much sums up everything you need to know about RV dumping. From finding a waste dumping station near you to rinsing out your tanks, you are now all set!
So what are you waiting for? Drive into the nearest dump station and get ready for yet another RV adventure!
