Your caravan manages three types of water, and confusing them leads to either health risks or environmental damage. Understanding the difference, and how each is stored, treated, and disposed of, is essential knowledge for responsible travel.

Clean Water (Fresh Water)

This is your drinking, cooking, and washing water. It’s stored in your fresh water tank and should be potable (safe to drink). Keep it clean by filling only from known safe sources, using a water filter on the inlet (the Camec Inline Carbon Filter at $30 to $50 is the most popular basic option, while the Puretec Caravan Kit at $200 to $300 offers multi-stage filtration), and cleaning your tanks every 3 to 6 months with a purpose-made sanitiser like Thetford Fresh Water Tank Cleaner ($15 to $25) or a DIY solution of sodium percarbonate. If water has been sitting in the tank for more than 2 weeks without use, flush the tank before drinking from it.

Grey Water

Grey water is used water from your sinks and shower. It contains soap, food particles, grease, and bacteria. Some caravans have a grey water tank that collects this for later disposal. Others drain grey water directly onto the ground through a pipe or onto a splash plate. Campground rules vary: some allow grey water to drain onto grass, others require it to be captured and disposed of at a dump point.

Best practice: Use biodegradable soap and cleaning products. If draining on the ground, do so away from waterways. If your van has a grey water tank, empty it at designated dump points. Never dump grey water into stormwater drains or waterways.

Black Water

Black water is toilet waste. If your caravan has a cassette toilet, the waste is collected in a removable cassette that you empty at a dump point. If your van has a black water tank (less common in caravans, more common in motorhomes), it’s pumped out at a dump point.

Dump points: Dedicated dump points for grey and black water are located at most caravan parks, many rest areas, and some fuel stations across Australia. WikiCamps and the Dump Point Australia app show locations. Always use designated dump points. Illegal dumping is environmentally damaging and attracts significant fines.

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Important

Never empty a cassette toilet or black water tank anywhere other than a designated dump point. It’s illegal, it’s a health hazard, and it gives all travellers a bad reputation. Dump points are free and available across Australia.

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Key Takeaway
  • Clean water is for drinking and cooking. Keep it fresh by filtering at the inlet and cleaning tanks every 3 to 6 months.
  • Grey water (sinks and shower) should be disposed of responsibly. Use biodegradable products and follow campground rules.
  • Black water (toilet waste) must only be emptied at designated dump points. No exceptions.
  • WikiCamps and the Dump Point Australia app show dump point locations across the country.