Poop, pee and drinking water!

[BigBudgie]

Hi WCers,
I have been enjoying reading over all the information on this site- a great resource!

My partner and I will soon be setting off on a big european tour. Keen to save money and also get a little off the beaten track we aim to use campsites very infrequently...
For the most part I think this will present no problems, except:

What do wild campers do about toilet waste!?
All the info I have found on this, suggest using a chemical toilet and emptying it regularly at campsites facilities.
I'm hoping some of you may have some alternative ideas!
We were thinking about having two composting toilets (poop/pee), but what to do with the poop!?

Also, drinking water- any tips on filling up water storage tanks around Europe (outside of camp sites)?

Any information you may be able to offer will be greatly appreciated!

 

[Geoff.W]

Hi WCers,


My partner and I will soon be setting off on a big european tour. Keen to save money and also get a little off the beaten track we aim to use campsites very infrequently...
QUOTE]

Motorhomes don't use campsites in Europe!

Their are "aires" (or local equivelent) in many countries in Europe which offer free or low cost stops along with water and emptying facilities.

If you have a look at some of the old posts on here you will find plenty of information.

 

[Belgian]

bou

What do wild campers do about toilet waste!?
All the info I have found on this, suggest using a chemical toilet and emptying it regularly at campsites facilities.
I'm hoping some of you may have some alternative ideas!
We were thinking about having two composting toilets (poop/pee), but what to do with the poop!?

Also, drinking water- any tips on filling up water storage tanks around Europe (outside of camp sites)?

Any information you may be able to offer will be greatly appreciated!

About toilet waste: In France there are numerous 'aires' with facilities to dump the chemical toilet. The same goes for Germany ('Stellplätze) and Italy ('areas di sosta'); dumping is mostly free. You don't have to go to campsites.
Have a look at: CAMPINGCAR-INFOS: a good list for French aires and also other countries.
You don't have to use chemicals after all ! Buy the cheapest detergent/shampoo you can find and use it instead of the blue chemicals (and you have a choice of scents too ); and you may dump in public WC's.
Watertaps: an old law in France says that every municipality should provide a public loo and public watertap. (but sometimes it is hard to find them)
Moreover every graveyard has watertaps (and most of them also parkings -never heard the occupants complaint about staying a night over !)
When you fill up in petrolstations you can fill up with water too; and most of them have a toilet.
Happy wilding,
Leo

 

[ajs]

.

poo pee and drinking water eh....

well.... tip of th day... don't get em mixed up...


regards
aj

 

[biggirafe]

Hi WCers,
I have been enjoying reading over all the information on this site- a great resource!

My partner and I will soon be setting off on a big european tour. Keen to save money and also get a little off the beaten track we aim to use campsites very infrequently...
For the most part I think this will present no problems, except:

What do wild campers do about toilet waste!?
All the info I have found on this, suggest using a chemical toilet and emptying it regularly at campsites facilities.
I'm hoping some of you may have some alternative ideas!
We were thinking about having two composting toilets (poop/pee), but what to do with the poop!?

Also, drinking water- any tips on filling up water storage tanks around Europe (outside of camp sites)?

Any information you may be able to offer will be greatly appreciated!

Have a look here, several publications that will help you with using a MH in Europe

http://www.vicariousbooks.co.uk/
.
.
.

 

[BigBudgie]

Thanks

Thanks to all that responded!

Perhaps AJs advice was most important of all!

 

[Deleted member 967]

About toilet waste: ; and you may dump in public WC's.
Watertaps: an old law in France says that every municipality should provide a public loo and public watertap. (but sometimes it is hard to find them)
Moreover every graveyard has watertaps (and most of them also parkings -never heard the occupants complaint about staying a night over !)
When you fill up in petrolstations you can fill up with water too; and most of them have a toilet.
Happy wilding,
Leo

In this country we had lots of public toilets and picnic sites with toilets, many also had water taps. The government removed the law that required local authorities to provide public toilets, so most have been closed or removed. The claim was misuse (sexual activity) and I have seen evidence of this, but again rather than confronting these perverts they took the easy option and closed them down for everyone. Does this sort of thing not go on in other countries? Is this a peculiarly British activity?

Public health is not considered as important in the UK as it is in France obviously. This can be seen by the state of laybys in this country.

I use a SOC with my toilet cassette. NO CHEMICALS USED at all, so the contents can be disposed of in any toilet or in a hole in the ground as it does not need treatment for the chemicals otherwise added by the blue/green additives.

 

[john brunnock]

Hi WCers,
I have been enjoying reading over all the information on this site- a great resource!

My partner and I will soon be setting off on a big european tour. Keen to save money and also get a little off the beaten track we aim to use campsites very infrequently...
For the most part I think this will present no problems, except:

What do wild campers do about toilet waste!?
All the info I have found on this, suggest using a chemical toilet and emptying it regularly at campsites facilities.
I'm hoping some of you may have some alternative ideas!
We were thinking about having two composting toilets (poop/pee), but what to do with the poop!?

Also, drinking water- any tips on filling up water storage tanks around Europe (outside of camp sites)?

Any information you may be able to offer will be greatly appreciated!

aires are all over france and most of europe they have facilities for emptying your loos clean water and some have electric some are free and some are 2 to seven euros magnificent places should be all over britain .

 

[Kontiki]

Just got back after spending almost 3 months touring around mainly Portugal, Spain & France.
As somebody said France is no problem, there are plenty of aires, forget all the books get a copy of the camping car infos USB or DVD which has loads of aires & parking places for all over Europe with good info regarding emptying black & grey water & for getting water & electric. Also has info as to any charges. Never had any problem anywhere, spent about 5 nights on a campsite at Alcasar do Sal in Portugal (been there before only 7 euros a night with electric & internet) other than that we spent 2 euros for 48 hours on an aire (also with electric) & 1.95 euros to empty & fill up on a campsite.
You find it a regular topic of conversation that all motorhomers share (language doesn't matter too much just a few simple gestures & somebody will tell you where to get your water & empty your waste.

One thing we do is make use of public, supermarket or garage toilets when possible better than trying to find emptying places (in Spain & Portugal most of them have toilets, the Lidl & Aldi ones we found were really clean)

One thing we also did was fit a water filter that worked fine, saved the problem of buying bottled water & removed all taste of chemicals.

 

[bernardfeay]

my toilet tip

We never stay on campsites and have no problem with our waste. We only use our toilet for wees and happily empty that down grids in quiet places.

As for the poo end of things we try to go to public toilets but if that fails we use bin bags inside the toilet. Do the deed and put the bin bag in the rubbish.

As for water supply, it can be tricky to get and often it is not drinkable. So we go to lidl or aldi for the bottled water and use any old stuff for the shower, dish washing purposes.

Be careful at lidl and aldi though when it comes to drinking water. It is so easy to finish up with carbonated water instead of still. Once you get the labels sorted then keep with that brand.

 

[BigBudgie]

Ed: Where can I buy this camping car info?
We intend to travel as far a field as Romania, so info like that on greater Europe would be helpful. Does it cover such a large area?

bernardfeay: We had been thinking of doing just this...

Aires, sostas etc sound like the way to go! - thanks for all the responses!

 

[biggirafe]

Ed: Where can I buy this camping car info?
We intend to travel as far a field as Romania, so info like that on greater Europe would be helpful. Does it cover such a large area?

bernardfeay: We had been thinking of doing just this...

Aires, sostas etc sound like the way to go! - thanks for all the responses!

as per previous post, best shop for books on Aires etc in Europe

Have a look here, several publications that will help you with using a MH in Europe

Motorhome & caravan books, guides and maps, Go Motorhoming Europe, Camperstop Europe, France Passion, campsite guides, full-timing the facts, Aires and stopovers guides