Book Call on 1300 547 214Search
Campervan Hire

Waste Management

During Your Trip

How often to empty your campervan's toilet cassette and waste water, where to find dump points, and how to empty them.

Which vehicles require waste management

Nearly all campervans and motorhomes need some form of waste management. If your vehicle has a toilet and shower, you'll need to empty the toilet cassette (or black water tank) and the grey water tank. If it has only a sink, the sink water (grey water) goes either into a waste water tank or into a container provided with the vehicle, depending on the model. Either way, you'll need to empty it.

How often?

How often you empty the toilet cassette depends on how much you use it and on your vehicle. Follow the rental company's instructions for your vehicle, and empty the cassette whenever you have the chance at a dump point rather than waiting until it's full.

How often you empty grey water also depends on how much water you use and the size of the tank or container. Follow the rental company's instructions for your vehicle. Some vehicles have a gauge, but it isn't always accurate, so empty the tank or container whenever you're at a dump point rather than waiting until it's full.

Where can I empty the tanks and toilet cassette?

Dispose of your waste safely and in an environmentally friendly way. Empty waste only at an authorised dump point. You'll find them at many caravan and holiday parks and some public campgrounds. Dump Points is a helpful website for finding dump points in each state.

How to empty

Always follow the rental company's instructions for your vehicle. Most rental companies have step-by-step videos.

Toilet cassette

For most vehicles, you remove the cassette from a compartment on the outside of the vehicle, empty it at a dump point, and rinse it. Then add toilet chemical and water as the rental company's instructions describe before putting it back.

In some vehicles, wells under the cassette catch any overflow. They should be dry and clean when you collect the vehicle, and you need to return them that way. If the wells fill up, waste can overflow onto the bathroom floor. If you return the cassette or wells full, the rental company may ask you to empty and clean them or charge a cleaning fee. Check its return conditions for your booking.

Campers without a waste water tank

The waste water outlet is outside the vehicle, usually marked with a sticker. Place the container provided with the vehicle under the outlet. Keep an eye on it, and empty it at an authorised dump point or grey water drain before it gets full.

Campers with a waste water tank

Water from the sink, and the shower if the vehicle has one, runs into the waste water tank. The outlet is outside the vehicle, usually marked with a sticker. At a dump point, drain the tank as the rental company's instructions describe, using the waste water hose if one is provided with the vehicle.

Expert Tip
  • If you're staying at caravan parks with toilet and shower facilities, use the vehicle's toilet and shower only when you need to. You'll need to empty the tanks and cassette less often.
  • The drains in the vehicle are much narrower than drains in a house. To avoid blockages, don't tip fats, oil or food scraps down the sink.
  • If water doesn't drain, your tank might be full. Empty it at the next authorised dump point.

Next steps

Part of During Your Trip in the Campervan Hire Handbook.