# Water, Fresh and Otherwise
A summary of camp water and plumbing. (Updated post burn 2025)
[This template](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NeuYrVeSMg0rhwfQshS03Fg_U6AcVFkzh_6H8mg6_U0/edit?usp=sharing) is used to keep a daily log by the water team on playa.
[2025 Usage Spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/199gQxSA1Fs1P9-NxyX0no8HZ01__TuI5faWmzGYIidY/edit?usp=sharing)
## Fresh Water
#### Plan for 2026
In 2026 we say **fare thee well** to ye olde Gayflower so fresh and grey water will depend on SSS.
2026 Order Plan:
| item | amount | notes |
| Two (2) 500-Gallon Fresh Tanks |
| SSS charges the same for 2 500 tanks as they would for 1 1000 tank and it's safer. Also allows us to get a tank to empty before they fill it so they are always filling the full 500 |
| Fresh Water | 2500 Gallons | That's a lot
|
| Two (2) 250-Gallon Grey Tanks |
| Double what we had in previous years, but then again, we don't have Gayflower
|
| Grey Water | 1750 Gallons | They can come daily and empty one of the tanks each day
**SSS charges a lot more than United for grey water service so we use United for this**
|
| Motorcoach RV fills | 2 fills (Build Team RV) | |
See [2025 Usage Spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/199gQxSA1Fs1P9-NxyX0no8HZ01__TuI5faWmzGYIidY/edit?usp=sharing) for the calculations we used to arrive at this schedule.
#### Usage, 2025:
Kitchen (metered) 493 gallons
Ice machine (metered) 58.2 gallons, **note,** this was just to fill the ice machine tank when we discovered it was kaput so we made zero ice
Canteen filler / drinking water refills (metered) 524 gallons
Gayflower (inferred): 1215 gallons
#### Sources:
| Tank | Capacity (gal)
| Refills Available? | Used in 2024 | Used in 2025 |
| Gayflower Tanks | 2310 | No | 1000 for kitchen
454 for showers | **1290** |
| Build Team RV | 176 | Yes | 251 for build RV | 2 refills ordered
resulted in about 75 gal remaining
|
| SSS Tank | 500 | Yes | 600 for canteens | Preordered 1 refill
**1000**
|
|
|
|
| **2305 total**
6.2 gal per camper day | **2290 total** |
Gayflower Tanks - Details
As of 2025 the Gayflower has 7 brand new IBC totes that hold 330 gallons each so we will have a capacity of 2,310 gallons.
The totes are filled in [Gerlach](https://burningman.org/event/preparation/playa-living/water/) for about $0.50 per gallon by Empire Storage and Rental (Andy "Fixxer" Owens) who store the Gayflower.
- *Do not use other water sources in the area such as Empire or other wells. They usually have sulphuric water due to the hot springs which doesn't taste great.*
The gayflower tanks are directly plumbed to provide showers, toilets, and sinks in the Gayflower, however, there is also an option to hook up hoses. In 2024 we used the bright green hose to fill the tank in the Food Fort.
Build Team RV Fresh Water - Details
The build team RV has a large fresh tank which holds 176 gallons of water.
We usually fill that in Reno at the GSR RV Resort (where we stay for one night before driving in.)
We can also get it refilled on playa by pre-ordering from Sierra Site Services.
SSS Tank - Details
We can rent a 500 gallon tank from Sierra Site Services which comes with a pump and 15' hose. They bring it and fill it up, and they can come back to refill it.
In **2024** this tank was only used for canteen filling.
In **2025** this tank was used for kitchen and canteen filling.
"Grey Water" refers to water from sinks and showers which has come in contact with humans and is unsafe to reuse or evaporate. "Black Water" refers to water from toilets which is even worse.
| Tank | Capacity (gal)
| Pumpouts Available? | Used in 2024 (est) | 2025 Plans |
| Gayflower Black Tanks | 1250 | No | 600 |
|
| Gayflower Grey Tanks | 1250 | No | 1100 |
|
| Build Team RV Black | 100 | Yes (flag a truck) | 150 | |
| Build Team RV Grey | 100 | Can be sump pumped to Gayflower | 200 |
|
| SSS Tank | 250 | Yes | 1000
mostly from kitchen and neighbors
| We have preordered 100 gallons in pumpouts |
|
|
|
| 2850 total |
|
Gayflower Grey and Black Tanks - Details
Under the floor of the Gayflower are 10 (ten) 250 gallon tanks. The ones on the driver side are all plumbed together and hold black water from the toilets. The ones on the passenger side are all plumbed together and hold grey water from showers and sinks.
During the week we could use a sump pump or water bug to pump excess grey water from somewhere else (kitchen, RV) into the Gayflower since it has so much capacity. In 2024 we pumped this into the grey water side, but in 2025 we should pump it into the black water side since that side has so much more capacity.
As of 2025 there are water level sensors connected to these tanks so you can read their *approximate* level. We didn't have any way to test them in advance so we'll see how well they work!
RV Tanks
The Build Team RV has two tanks, probably about 100 gallons each, for grey and black water.
You can theoretically flag down a USS truck at Burning Man which will pump them out for some cash (in 2024 we didn't see many of those trucks)
You can also sump pump excess *grey* water to the Gayflower.
After the burn you can dump them at the [GSR](https://maps.app.goo.gl/L5tbnd4WtnatRBn79) in Reno (if we're staying there), the [TA Travel Center](https://maps.app.goo.gl/LkFsSpAaGB2sRnG17) in Sparks, or at the Loves in Fernley.
SSS Grey Water Tank - Details
We can rent a 250 gallon grey water tank from SSS which is a low cube. They will come and pump this out during the week (if paid in advance).
In 2024 was used primarily for the kitchen, but some neighboring camps who had not made arrangements for grey water also dumped their grey water in there. We filled it 4 times.
In 2025 it will again be used exclusively for the kitchen.