Motorhome toilets, waste water and fresh water: a practical guidenotes from the farm

For many new motorhome and caravan owners, the toilet and waste tanks are the least glamorous part of the holiday, and the most worrying. In fact, with a few simple routines, they are easy to manage. This guide explains the basics of chemical toilets, grey water and fresh water, and how to plan for them on a trip to Cornwall.

The three types of water

• Fresh water: clean water for drinking, washing and cooking, stored in a tank or a water carrier.
• Grey water: waste water from sinks and showers, stored in a tank or a waste container.
• Black water: waste from the toilet, usually in a removable cassette.

Chemical toilets

Most UK motorhomes and caravans use a cassette toilet. The bowl sits above a cassette, which you remove from an outside hatch to empty.

Chemicals

Toilet chemicals break down waste and control odours. There are two main types:

• Waste tank chemicals: these go in the cassette.
• Flush tank additives: these go in the flush water.

Many campers now choose eco-friendly or formaldehyde-free products. Some campsites require these, especially if their waste goes to a septic tank. Always check with your campsite.

Emptying the cassette

1. Check the cassette level indicator.
2. Remove the cassette through the outside hatch.
3. Wheel or carry it to the campsite's chemical disposal point (often called an Elsan point).
4. Open the pour spout and empty carefully, using the vent button to avoid splashes.
5. Rinse the cassette with the rinse tap provided.
6. Add fresh chemicals and a little water before returning it.

Wear disposable gloves and wash your hands afterwards. Never empty a toilet cassette into a drain, a toilet in the shower block unless it's specifically marked, or anywhere outdoors.

Grey water

Collection

Grey water drains from your sink and shower into a tank under the van or, in caravans, often into a portable waste container.

Emptying

Empty grey water at the campsite's designated waste water point, not on the grass. Some campsites have a motorhome service point where you can drive over a drain.

Tips

• Use a sink strainer to catch food scraps.
• Use biodegradable washing-up liquid.
• Empty regularly to avoid smells.
• Leave the grey tank valve closed when parked unless connected to a drain.
• Level the van properly so tanks drain fully; see levelling a motorhome on grass.

Fresh water

Filling up

Fill up at a campsite's drinking water tap using a clean hose or a water carrier. Keep your fresh water hose separate from anything used for waste.

Keeping water fresh

• Sanitise your fresh water tank regularly.
• Don't leave water standing for long periods.
• Many motorhomers drink bottled or filtered water.

Planning your stay in Cornwall

Facilities vary from campsite to campsite. Before you book:

• Ask about chemical disposal points and whether they need specific chemicals.
• Ask where to empty grey water.
• Ask about fresh water points and how far they are from the pitches.

At Lower Pennycrocker Farm, please ask us about waste and water arrangements when you book. We have toilets, free showers, a disabled toilet and a washing-up room. Call us on 07967 605392.

Using the campsite facilities

On sites with good toilet and shower blocks, many motorhomers use them most of the time and keep their onboard toilet for night-time. This means you empty the cassette less often. At our campsite, showers are free. See our facilities page.

Waste rubbish and recycling

Campsites have their own arrangements for rubbish and recycling. Please separate recycling where asked, and take bulky items home.

Leaving the site

Before you leave, and before tackling narrow Cornish lanes:

• Empty the cassette and grey water.
• Top up the fresh water if you need it for the journey.
• Close all valves and secure the cassette hatch.

Kit list

• Toilet chemicals.
• Disposable gloves.
• Fresh water hose and carrier.
• Grey waste container, if needed.
• Toilet roll suitable for cassette toilets.

See our full motorhome packing checklist.

Common mistakes

• Leaving the cassette until it's full. Empty when it's about two-thirds full, and before long drives.
• Using standard toilet roll. It can be slow to break down. Use rolls labelled suitable for cassette toilets.
• Mixing up hoses. Keep the fresh water hose in its own bag.
• Forgetting the blade valve. Make sure it's closed before removing the cassette.
• Draining grey water onto the pitch. It damages the grass and can smell. Use the proper point.

Winter and shoulder season

In spring and autumn nights can be cold. In very cold weather, water in pipes and tanks can freeze. If frost is forecast, keep the van heated and consider draining down if you leave it. For more on caravan and motorhome stays, see our touring caravans and motorhomes page.

Frequently asked questions

Stay near Boscastle

Lower Pennycrocker Farm is a quiet, family-run campsite at St Juliot, about two miles from Boscastle (PL35 0BY). We welcome tents, touring caravans, motorhomes and campervans from 1 April to 31 October. Adults are £10 a night, children aged 5 and over £5, electric hook-up £7 and dogs £2 each (maximum two). Showers are free and you park beside your pitch. Check availability and book direct, or see pitches and prices.

Bringing a campervan to north Cornwall? See campervan camping near Boscastle at Lower Pennycrocker Farm.