Brookside Storage

RV Dump Out Station in Ray, MI

Brookside Storage is the only storage facility in the Ray, MI area providing a free RV/camper dump-out station to its tenants. The dump-out station is available 24/7, even through the winter. Water is located at the dump-out station for easy clean-up and washing out the waste tanks.

The dump-out station is also available to the general public during normal business hours for a fee of $20. Please stop by the office or call us at (586) 752- 8965 for details.

Dump Station Tips

When emptying both the black and gray tanks, dump the black water tank before the gray water tank so the “soapy water” from the gray tank can clean the residue from the hose.
Don’t dump the black water tank until it is at least two-thirds full. Don’t leave the black-water tank valve open when hooked up at a campsite. This will cause liquids to drain—leaving solid waste behind to harden on the bottom of the tank.
Use a heavy-duty sewer hose about 6 to 8 feet long to make handling easier.
Carry an extra garden hose for rinsing in case the dump station doesn’t have one. Store this in an area where it won’t come into contact with your drinking water hose.
Never use your fresh water hose for rinsing sewer hoses or the dump station area.
Wear protective rubber gloves and avoid touching the outside of the gloves.
If others are waiting to use the dump station, skip the tank flushing and hose rinsing steps. Pull away from the dump station and then add some water and chemicals to the holding tanks.
Never put anything other than the contents of your holding tanks into the dump station.
Leave the dump station area cleaner than you found it.

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How to Empty RV Holding Tanks

Don’t open any valves until the proper time. Doing so will be met with rather unpleasant results. Consider wearing a pair of rubber gloves in case some effluent gets on your hands. Some folks also wear rubber boots. As long as you’re careful, any splashing should be minimal.
Remove the holding tank outlet cap and connect your 3-inch sewer hose to the outlet of your holding tank. Extend the hose to the opening of the dump station, which is usually a hole in the ground that is slightly larger than the 3-inch hose.
Insert your sewer hose into the dump station’s hole at approximately 4 to 6 inches. Use the hole’s cover, a brick, or something heavy to hold the sewer hose in place so it doesn’t come out of the hole.
Once you’re sure that everything is connected and held down, open your black tank valve. You’ll hear the effluent flow, and it will eventually slow and then stop. Once it stops, close the black tank valve.
Now open the gray tank valve. Again, you’ll hear liquid flow, slow, and stop. Close the gray tank valve.
At this point, you’re almost done. If you want to flush and rinse your tanks once more, you can do so by filling your tanks two-thirds full and repeating the emptying process. If others are waiting to use the dump station, please skip this step.
Recheck that both your black and gray water tank valves are closed, disconnect the sewer hose from your tank outlet, and replace the tank outlet cover. Lift the end of the sewer hose (the end you just disconnected) to completely drain the hose into the dump station. If a non-potable water hose is available, run water through the sewer hose to rinse it out. Remove the sewer hose from the dump station hole and rinse the outside of the hose. Rinse the area around the hole to ensure that any spillage has been cleaned up and cover the dump station hole.
In your RV, add about five gallons of water (about three flushes) to your black tank, and then add the appropriate amount of holding tank treatment. If you use a treatment for your gray tank, do that as well.
The task of emptying your RV’s holding tanks is finished! Now it’s time to move on to your next destination.

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Dump Station Abuse

For years, RVers have been pulling into interstate rest areas and other areas with free dump stations to empty their holding tanks. However, because of abuse, many states are removing dump stations from their rest areas. In addition, many campground owners and others view their dump stations as an expensive maintenance headache. 
Dump station abuse amounts to folks leaving a mess or putting things into the dump drain that don’t belong there. Remember, somebody has to clean up the mess or clean out the drain. Dump station abuse causes aggravation, creates a health hazard, and costs money. 
You can do your part to ensure RV owners will continue to have free and clean dump stations by following the tips provided above. 

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