Blackwater Tank

The blackwater tank in an RV is where all the wastewater from the toilet, which includes human waste, gets stored. When it’s time to empty this tank, the RV owner connects a sewer hose from the tank to a proper sewer connection, either at a campsite or a dump station.

It’s important not to leave this connection open all the time. If the water keeps draining out, the solid waste might stay behind in the tank, leading to a nasty situation known as “the brown pyramid of death.” Cleaning this up can be really tough and expensive. Replacing a blackwater tank can cost a lot, sometimes thousands of dollars.

The best practice is to wait until the blackwater tank is nearly full before emptying it. Then, empty it all in one go. After that, it’s a good idea to follow up by emptying the graywater tank, which holds the less dirty water from sinks and showers. This helps clean out the sewer hose and gets rid of any remaining waste.