One of the most common questions asked among those who are new to RVing is, “When is the best time to dump the waste water tanks, and how do I find the nearest RV dump station?” The best time to dump the RV waste water tanks is when they are at least two-thirds full. This will ensure there is enough time for solids to break down before flushing the system out. If you dump the waste water tanks too often and too soon, you will run the risk of solids building up and drying out, making it difficult to get them out of the tank. Leaving the fluids in the holding tanks allows toilet paper time to properly break down and allows the bacteria in the tank to do its job of breaking down other solids.
Finding an RV Dump Station
When it comes to finding an RV dump station, Sanidumps.com is a website/app that lists places in both the United States and Canada where you can legally dump your waste water tanks. Dump stations can be found at rest stops, some fueling stations such as Flying J or Pilot, and many state parks.
We are, however, seeing more stations closing down across the country. This is primarily due to the fact that environmental regulations are getting tighter and the cost of maintaining a RV dump station is getting more expensive. Not everyone using the free dump stations is concerned about using the proper methods to dump. Stations are finding it cheaper to close them down than have to deal with cleaning up after RV owners who do not watch what they are doing and are not cleaning up after themselves.
When going into a RV dump station, it is important to take care of the station by properly dumping your tanks, cleaning up after yourself, and not leaving anything behind. If we all take care of the dumping stations, we will all be able to enjoy RVing across the country for many years to come.
