Emptying the sink

[New to this]

Ok may sound a bit mad, round here that is standard though

 

Anyhow walking down the cut recently and lady on opposite bank is in the kitchen at the sink, Appears to me (as engine was not running, or was bloody silent) that the kitchen sink was emptying directly in to the cut, Is this permissible, standard practice?

 

Not a moan as such just trying to understand as have saved some £'s and seriously looking at a sail away and understanding helps planning.

 

Thanks

Edited June 6, 2016 by New to this

[cuthound]

At present in the UK it is standard practice to empty grey water from sinks and showers directly into the cut.

 

Blackwater (toilet waste) must never be discharged into the cut.

[Tony Brooks]

Kitchen sink, shower & hand basin water can and usually does go straight into the cut. Many of us try to use cleaning products like Ecover that maybe more "natural" than say Fairy Liquid.

 

Its black water - toilet water that must go into some form of holding system.

[Machpoint005]

Yes, perfectly normal. The official position used to be that the washing-up liquid helps to break down the diesel floating on the cut!

[New to this]

Thanks all, A porta potty sounding a much better option now as grey water over the side, wheel porta potty to disposal point and no black water tank to buy, site, maintain and pump out

[grannykins]

Thanks all, A porta potty sounding a much better option now as grey water over the side, wheel porta potty to disposal point and no black water tank to buy, site, maintain and pump out

 

Also look into the option of composting loos - becoming more popular now. As well as the standard commercial brands there is also a guy who makes kits for you to build your own, or will build one to your own specifications. Look at the facebook page of Compost Toilets for boats and off grid living. Might not be your cup of tea, but its as well to look at all options.

[fergyguy]

i have research composting loos too and at first they seem bit yuk but the more you research into them they really do seem to be the way to go and will be in our boat once built for sure.

[grannykins]

We are having one too - whatever is in the boat we buy will be coming out (hopefully a cassette, as thats much easier than removing an old poo tank!) and we are having a composter from Colin Ives, the chappie on the facebook page. Love the look of his loos.

[fergyguy]

i will take a look at them as was not aware of him. we just did not fancy dragging a black tank full of sewage around with us lol and we are trying to keep out of marinas other than fuelling up etc.

[New to this]

 

Also look into the option of composting loos - becoming more popular now. As well as the standard commercial brands there is also a guy who makes kits for you to build your own, or will build one to your own specifications. Look at the facebook page of Compost Toilets for boats and off grid living. Might not be your cup of tea, but its as well to look at all options.

Not sure but have joined and will have a nose, I'm all for alternatives, this I suppose has benefits of lack of chemicals and therefore cost

[fergyguy]

go on youtube and search compost toilets and you will soon realise they are the way to go and are not the smelly messy things you first thought they would be.

[Alan de Enfield]

.......... will have a nose,

 

Always a god test for toilet related matters.

[carlt]

 

Always a god test for toilet related matters.

Especially when talking to him on the big white phone.

[mross]

Composting toilets sound like a good idea but how do you dispose of the urine and solids? I'm sure many will dispose of both near the towpath, when no-one is looking! I doubt if either is legal unless you are also the landowner.

[New to this]

Composting toilets sound like a good idea but how do you dispose of the urine and solids? I'm sure many will dispose of both near the towpath, when no-one is looking! I doubt if either is legal unless you are also the landowner.

A point to be considered when research is done

[David Schweizer]

When I started boating in the mid 1960's, it was normal to pump toilet waste directly into the canal.

[Joe the plumber]

I read the first post as 'a lady at the kitchen in the sink'!

 

I must get some better glasses....

[mross]

So you will know what a Mersey trout was !!!

[New to this]

I read the first post as 'a lady at the kitchen in the sink'!

 

I must get some better glasses....

LOL you made me actually go back and check

[Southern Star]

Yes, perfectly normal. The official position used to be that the washing-up liquid helps to break down the diesel floating on the cut!

Plus the food scraps feed the fish, ducks etc.

[Chewbacka]

Composting toilets sound like a good idea but how do you dispose of the urine and solids? I'm sure many will dispose of both near the towpath, when no-one is looking! I doubt if either is legal unless you are also the landowner.

Sounds like it normally takes 6 months to a year, but can be done quicker if the temperature is raised.

http://www.eco-toilets.co.uk/faq-storage-and-composting/

I know have a mental image of bags of 'compost' sitting next to a nice warm engine for 90 days. Not sure my better half would agree to this method..........

[David Mack]

When I started boating in the mid 1960's, it was normal to pump toilet waste directly into the canal.

It still is on the Great Ouse.

 

When my parents hired in the mid 60s the boat equipment included a spade, so you could dig a hole in a convenient field and bury the contents of the elsan. Better than just dumping it in the cut, but I wonder what the farmers thought about it.

[GoodGurl]

When I started boating in the mid 1960's, it was normal to pump toilet waste directly into the canal.

They still do in Ireland and it's perfectly legal and the water is clear.

[Neil Smith]

But their canals are a lot less congested than ours.

 

Neil

[Arthur Brown]

The London canals would all have silted up with a fine crop of tomatoes if dump through was permissible.