Water
Staying water-wise on the playa is a logistics lifesaver for your camp.
This guide breaks it down step by step, helping you level up your water management with more efficient practices.
Water Planning & Transport
Ban Single-Use Water Bottles
Ban single-use plastic bottles; encourage reusable water bottles-- what else are you going to put all your gifted stickers on?? Suggest multi-gallon jugs for personal water storage.
Centrally Plan Camp Water
Keep in mind that each person will need at least 1.5 gallons of drinking water per day plus extra for washing and other uses. For larger camps, arrange a delivery from an Outside Services (OSS) provider. Smaller camps can share with neighboring camps through HUBS.
Fill Water in Northern Nevada
If you’re transporting water to the playa yourself, consider filling tanks in Northern Nevada to minimize the impact of hauling water long distances, which can improve fuel efficiency.
Reduce Water Consumption
Water Efficient Dishwashing
To reduce water consumption on the playa, camps can implement water-efficient systems for both dishwashing and showers. There are a variety of dishwashing methods to choose from, each with its pros and cons, but the most water-conscious is the spray bottle method, which minimizes water usage while still effectively cleaning dishes.
Low-Flow Showers
While some may opt to not shower (the most water-efficient!) or use vinegar spray and baby wipes, those approaches don’t work for everyone, so many camps have devised ingenious ways to wash themselves with minimal water footprint. Simple setups (or improved-upon playa tech and Steel Shelving + PVC versions), like hand-pumped spray misters or gravity-fed shower bags that drain into catchment systems, significantly curb water waste.
More complex systems may use pumps to replicate default-world showers, but these setups require either water usage limits or greywater recycling. Filtering greywater with biochar or using methods like UV treatment or flocculation allows water to be reused for additional showers or even evaporative cooling systems.
Low-Flow Sprayers
Regardless of which shower design you opt for, it's important the shower head mechanism is low-flow to reduce water consumption while still providing an enjoyable shower.
Greywater Evaporation
Great job on minimizing your water use—now let’s tackle dealing with the greywater your camp produces. Requiring campers to pack out their own greywater may be the easiest option for you. However, if it doesn’t go as planned, you could be stuck navigating a last-minute greywater extraction operation—a logistical headache no one wants. Check out this video demo'ing several ways Burners handle greywater.
Evaporation Pond
Evaporation ponds are another popular option, though they require significant space and may risk leakage and contamination that demands clean-up
Filter + Evaporate Greywater on Container
Mounting them on your camp’s storage container is a workaround for space limitations.
Evapotron (Altitude Lounge)
Greywater Reuse
Go beyond evaporation! Filter and reuse greywater, reducing your need for freshwater refills and pumpouts.
Playa Penthouse - Greywater Presentation.pptx