Jump to content

Dumping waste water while driving.


Steve928

Recommended Posts

Yuk.

 

Was behind a Tribute motorhome today on the M90 near Perth and he was treating us all to his overnight washing-up and shower water. How kind!

 

Luckily I was second car back so managed to avoid most of it but the car in front of me was getting his windscreen washed on every RH bend with bits of carrot and pubic hairs. I can't understand why people do it, it brings us all into disrepute.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 78
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Steve928 - 2015-07-06 4:37 PM

 

.. I can't understand why people do it, it brings us all into disrepute.

 

They do it because they're bone idle and because they can(..the same as the folk you chuck litter in the hedge!)

 

but no doubt you'll get the usual "it's only water", "worse happen in China" etc , as if that is supposed to excuse it.

 

Presumably these folk don't empty their washing up bowl and bath water down their own street?....

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest pelmetman
Sunseekers2 - 2015-07-06 4:55 PM

 

I was told off by a CC warden for filming someone dumping on their pitch.

 

I hope your referring to grey water ;-) ..........Otherwise CC standards really have slipped 8-) .........

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Steve928 - 2015-07-06 4:37 PM

 

Yuk.

 

Was behind a Tribute motorhome today on the M90 near Perth and he was treating us all to his overnight washing-up and shower water. How kind!

 

Luckily I was second car back so managed to avoid most of it but the car in front of me was getting his windscreen washed on every RH bend with bits of carrot and pubic hairs. I can't understand why people do it, it brings us all into disrepute.

 

Mmm pubic hairs on the windscreen ... You sure they weren't bits of pasta ??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Joe90

Whilst no one can excuse leaving a waste tank open deliberately, given the choice between a pubic hair and the millions of tons of crap discarded from drivers windows, I think there are bigger fish to fry.The UKs roadsides are a bloody disgrace, and yet no one seems to mention it, and don't get me started on discarded dog poo bags.

 

In short millions of filthy bastards don't give a roodoo, he just happened to be driving a motorhome.

 

Footnote.

In Strasbourg we happened across four motorhomes with UK number plates, they had much to the consternation of the French set up camp near the Aire, on having a closer look it was patently obvious they were "traveller" types, the immediate area was disgusting. I was at pains to explain to the French vanners who were clearly concerned about their presence that they were not typical British motorhome folk,only when I used the word Getan did they understand, perhaps the OPs bloke was one of them as well.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is a disgusting habit that is down to a combination of stupidity, laziness, ignorance and inconsideration and I recommend that you do not drive past the exit to any motorhome show or site, especially on a bike or motorbike, when vans are leaving as the habit is rife and the water can be very slippery when wet which is when even more let the water out because it will not show on the wet road.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with the foregoing but a couple of years ago I stayed on a small site on the Isle of Harris and asked the owner where I could drop my grey water. She told me that it was no problem and that I could just dump it at the roadside wherever suited me. She was a local councillor.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dumping at the roadside especially in sparsely populated areas where it rains a lot anyway is nothing like the same as spreading it all over the roads for all to see and slip on!

 

I too have done, and will conrtinue to do, the same when the need arises and where it does not flow directly into any water course and will inconvenience nobody else.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Joe90
Its worth remembering that fresh water tanks are vented with an overflow, I believe most waste tanks are as well. If you see me driving down the road after just filling my fresh water tank up its only fresh water escaping due to the vehicles movement, and presumably if the water works have done their job without a pubic hair, or a bit of carrot in sight.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tracker - 2015-07-06 8:15 PM

 

Dumping at the roadside especially in sparsely populated areas where it rains a lot anyway is nothing like the same as spreading it all over the roads for all to see and slip on!

 

I too have done, and will conrtinue to do, the same when the need arises and where it does not flow directly into any water course and will inconvenience nobody else.

 

 

I'm afraid road drains in rural areas (and most urban areas) are highly likely to drain into a local stream or river. In rural areas, the local watercourse will be likely to be of a higher quality than in an urban area, so the impact of such discharges on the stream will be higher.

 

I don't see what the problem is of just disposing of it properly at the site.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

audiseller - 2015-07-06 8:09 PM

 

I agree with the foregoing but a couple of years ago I stayed on a small site on the Isle of Harris and asked the owner where I could drop my grey water. She told me that it was no problem and that I could just dump it at the roadside wherever suited me. She was a local councillor.

 

From my experience, many local councillors have little knowledge of environmental matters.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

michaelmorris - 2015-07-06 10:13 PM

I'm afraid road drains in rural areas (and most urban areas) are highly likely to drain into a local stream or river. In rural areas, the local watercourse will be likely to be of a higher quality than in an urban area, so the impact of such discharges on the stream will be higher.

I don't see what the problem is of just disposing of it properly at the site.

 

Whilst it is true that large volumes of surface water will eventually end up in the sea via lakes and rivers the same is not so for a few gallons of carefully emptied mildly polluted tank water most of which soaks into the ground before it has gone more than a few feet. I know that because I have watched it do exactly that often enough.

It may well be that the next deluge will collect some of the deposits left but compared to the oil, rubber and diesel residue being washed off the road and car park surfaces it pales into insignificance.

 

Difficult to dispose on site if you are not staying on a site and I see no reason to change my views that letting waste water out onto the road is unacceptable but letting a few gallons out to soak into a roadside culvert that does not contain standing or flowing water causes nobody any harm.

 

Its not so many years ago before we got all politically correct that we were encouraged to chuck buckets of the stuff into the hedgerows as there were no onsite drains and nowhere else to chuck it and it did not seem to harm the vegetation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The effect of mildly-polluted water on a hedgerow is likely to be significantly less than the effect on a roadside ditch. These seasonally wet ditches are an important refuge for many animals such as amphibians, numerous species of invertebrates and some species of wildflower such as Float Grass and Amphibious Bistort. Adding polluted water into these systems does nothing but damage them.

 

These ditch systems drajn into sometimes quite vulnerable small rural watercourses. Whilst single such discharges of grey water are unlikely to have any significant impact, the cumulative effect of minor so-called 'diffuse' pollution is by far the single biggest cause of the failure of most UK rivers not meeting the require minimum environmental standards. In places such as the beautiful Clun Valley in Shropshire, diffuse pollution is projected to lead to the local extinction of nationally-endangered pearl mussels in this part of the UK.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Joe90
I'm tempted to ask, are you for real, but you obviously are................and the irony of anyone chugging around in a motorhome and the environmental impact of its manufacture, it's ongoing maintenance, and pollution spouting on about damage to the environment by the odd bit of soap and water is more than a little odd...........I'd get a push bike if I was you.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Joe90

You make an interesting point, I also believe trains still dump both black and grey waste whilst in motion, and the naughty fire brigade wash diesel spillages and road accident contaminates away from road surfaces, where does that end up, this is not to excuse what the OP highlights, but a sense of proportion is needed surely.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Joe90 - 2015-07-07 6:41 AM

 

I'm tempted to ask, are you for real, but you obviously are................and the irony of anyone chugging around in a motorhome and the environmental impact of its manufacture, it's ongoing maintenance, and pollution spouting on about damage to the environment by the odd bit of soap and water is more than a little odd...........I'd get a push bike if I was you.

 

Spot on ... Thousands of miles clocked up polluting with ya motors fumes and ya worry about a little soapy water ??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Joe90 - 2015-07-07 7:40 AM

 

" .. the naughty fire brigade wash diesel spillages and road accident contaminates away from road surfaces, where does that end up,"

 

No, they don't. Fire crews are all trained in environment protection and in most fire services all appliances carry pollution control equipment. Many fire services have specialist Environment Protection Units whose role is to reduce the environmental impact of spillages and fires.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dave C - 2015-07-07 6:58 AM

 

There are between 30,000 and 40,000 boats on the canal system in England and Wales. What do you think happens to their "grey" water?

 

Dave

 

By a quirk of UK legislation such discharges are exempt from the usual legal controls and are only covered by the byelaws of navigation authorities. The water quality in most of britain's canals is appalling, not helped by these grey water discharges.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

antony1969 - 2015-07-07 8:23 AM

 

Joe90 - 2015-07-07 6:41 AM

 

I'm tempted to ask, are you for real, but you obviously are................and the irony of anyone chugging around in a motorhome and the environmental impact of its manufacture, it's ongoing maintenance, and pollution spouting on about damage to the environment by the odd bit of soap and water is more than a little odd...........I'd get a push bike if I was you.

 

Spot on ... Thousands of miles clocked up polluting with ya motors fumes and ya worry about a little soapy water ??

 

Don't worry, the irony of this isn't lost me either. However, I'm not sure the "Hey I'm damaging the environment by driving a motorhome, so I might as well damage the environment even more by discharging my grey water into a stream as well" argument holds water (pun intended). :-)

 

The point is that diffuse pollution causes real, measurable deteriation in our streams and rivers and can be easily prevented.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest pelmetman

Folk like me who keep the same vehicle, and recycle old petrol engines to make them cleaner and greener should get a medal :D .................

 

Maybe a green tax rebate is in order B-) ......

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Following that argument joe, nobody need ever worry about what impact any of their actions have on the planet.

 

However if we are to keep on improving the environment, it has to start somewhere and although the odd bucket of grey water may not seem like a lot to you (or to me) to others it does matter and I don't think there is any need for you to keep insulting MM just because you disagree with him.

 

As I said I do not empty inrto any wet watercourse so the waste water is filtered by the ground into which it soaks.

 

Personally I would prefer to see the largest causes of pollution better controlled first and just as road vehicles are continually cleaning up their acts so should power stations, factory chimneys, shipping and aircraft.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

you should all remember, or note, that to dispose of waste water, or any material, whilst driving on the highway, constitutes an insecure load and risks prosecution.

Only the lack of patrol vehicles prevents many prosecutions for this offence

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...