Taking your shower!

Streakn1 · May 10, 2008

This thread is meant to simply ask those of us fortunate enough to have showers in our sleepers, when and where do you use your shower? Does your shower have a holding tank? Do you contain the wastewater until you can dump at an appropriate location (offsite), or do you just dump it where you sit? Do you use your shower while waiting in a customer's dock or while parked on thier property. If so what has the customer's reaction been when they see the stream of water on the ground?

We are seeing an increase in shower usage at customer locations and the water drained onto thier dock areas,etc. Is this a trend that could cause the customers to stop overnight parking at thier facilities? Have they complained to the carriers yet or do they care?

In our case, we have a holding tank and can contain our wastewater. We have no need to dump at the customers and I'm sure many of them appreciate that we don't.

x06col · May 10, 2008

Yes, it is the same old story. Stewpid is, as stewpid does. Amazing. Ain't it??

pelicn · May 10, 2008

We have a shower and a holding tank. It shouldn't be an issue to allow the water to drain on the ground because it's just soapy water. No worse than washing your car. We have a drain hose that we can place on the holding tank to drain it at an RV dump, but we have drained the soapy water on the shoulder of an off ramp in the past. We only use the shower when there isn't a truck stop available. We dry the shower after each use, and place a fan in there to make sure that mildew does not have a chance to start.
We also don't use the shower in the wintertime because we don't want to risk water freezing in the lines. We also don't use the sink as often in the winter for the same reason.

ratwell71 · May 10, 2008

Are you sure it is shower water? Maybe those that are pouring this liquid out are pouring out bladder water? Realistically how many have showers?

In any case, I don't want to walk in any of it.

pelicn · May 10, 2008

Can only speak for us....but it's definitely only soapy water

Streakn1 · May 10, 2008

Yes, its only soapy water but, soapy water equals slippery surface which equals potentual lawsuit! Case in point, if somebody were to walk across the "soapy water" and fall and injure themself, would'nt they most likely sue you? Would'nt the property owner claim that you were illegally dumping your "soapy water" on his/her property to avoid being sued? Personally, we've had our neighbor's "soapy water" dumped at our steps which made it hazardous getting into our truck because of the soap on our shoes.

Now, we all know how anal California can be! Per DOT at the scale on I-5 north of LA: It is illegal in CA to dump ANY water that is not clear onto the ground. This includes sink and shower water that has "soap" in it. Although CA has not enforced this law in the past they plan to begin enforcing it in the near future. How do I know this? I was told this as our large sleeper truck was being inspected at this scale. As for the number of sleepers with showers out here, I don't know the percentages, but I do know that most of what we see have them.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying don't use it. I'm just saying that with it comes some responsibility and courtesy.

davekc · May 10, 2008

We were probably not being Eco freindly. We dumped the soapy water at truck stops just because it was a improvement in odor at many. Especially on a hot day.
Didn't do it at a customer location unless I could pull over a sewer grate.

pelicn · May 10, 2008

Streakn1 said:
Yes, its only soapy water but, soapy water equals slippery surface which equals potentual lawsuit! Case in point, if somebody were to walk across the "soapy water" and fall and injure themself, would'nt they most likely sue you? Would'nt the property owner claim that you were illegally dumping your "soapy water" on his/her property to avoid being sued? Personally, we've had our neighbor's "soapy water" dumped at our steps which made it hazardous getting into our truck because of the soap on our shoes.

Now, we all know how anal California can be! Per DOT at the scale on I-5 north of LA: It is illegal in CA to dump ANY water that is not clear onto the ground. This includes sink and shower water that has "soap" in it. Although CA has not enforced this law in the past they plan to begin enforcing it in the near future. How do I know this? I was told this as our large sleeper truck was being inspected at this scale. As for the number of sleepers with showers out here, I don't know the percentages, but I do know that most of what we see have them.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying don't use it. I'm just saying that with it comes some responsibility and courtesy.

All good points...
As I said before, I can only speak for what we do in regards to the shower. For example, right now we are at a truck stop and I have been using the sink. The water is going on to the ground. We are at the very back of the lot, and there are no other trucks around us so I don't see a problem with that. That being said, I still wouldn't use the shower without the holding tank where we are now.
As far as California, I don't know the "law" but we've heard that you are required to have a holding tank, and whenever we've gone to California, we make sure that the valves are shut.

fatboy · May 10, 2008

so why don't you open the valves or can you open your valves on the holding tank and let it go out going down the good old highway. that way you don't worry about lawsuits or dumping on public property. I've seen expediters open their valves going down the road. shower water no different than sink water even rvers wash dishes going down the road.

pelicn · May 10, 2008

I wouldn't open the valves while running down the highway because you'd spray other vehicles and that's just rude.

ratwell71 · May 11, 2008

davekc said:
We were probably not being Eco freindly. We dumped the soapy water at truck stops just because it was a improvement in odor at many. Especially on a hot day.
Didn't do it at a customer location unless I could pull over a sewer grate.

LMAO. That's too funny. I guess it would be an improvement, but it would still smell.

dieseldiva · May 11, 2008

ratwell71 said:
LMAO. That's too funny. I guess it would be an improvement, but it would still smell.

And one can only imagine how difficult it would be to keep a straight face as the truck stop manager explains to you that you cannot dump your used soapy water onto the lot!

iceroadtrucker · May 11, 2008

Streaken Maybe u ought to say somthing to your fellow Truckers that have Big Condos like yours. I witnessed one that was here in Memphis that dumped in parking lot of the Flying J. One of the Drivers a man and wife team said that were just taking a shower and no there wasnt any leaks. The truck had (HEN HOUSE) By the way I thought they were required to have holding tanks? Obviously not.
Why dont you just dump your soapy water at a Truck wash seems logical.
HMMM