Poo Math › Guides › Can you dump RV greywater on the playa?
Can you dump RV greywater or blackwater on the playa?
No. Burning Man’s Leave No Trace ethic prohibits draining any greywater or blackwater onto the playa — that includes shower runoff, dishwater, and anything from your sinks or toilet. The desert is an alkali lakebed with no drainage, and liquids that hit the ground leave a lasting mark and damage the surface.
Everything has to stay contained. Keep it in your RV’s holding tanks and have it removed by one of the licensed pump-out services that operate on-playa, or haul it out yourself if your setup allows. Dumping on the ground — even “just” greywater — is a serious violation that can get your camp in trouble and harms the environment everyone is there to protect.
The practical takeaway is to size your tanks and your pump-out schedule so you never feel tempted to cut corners. Poo Math plans your gray and black capacity against your crew and trip length so you always have a legal place to put the water.
Plan your trip in the calculator →