Self-containment (NZS 5465:2001) is the certification used to show that a campervan can contain water waste for up to 3 days. This includes water in the form of water supply, grey water (sink and shower water), and septic waste. In detail, these are the features a campervan must meet to be self-contained.
- Freshwater tanks – 12L per person for three days
- A sink via a smell trap/water trap connected to a watertight sealed waste water tank
- Grey/black wastewater tank – 12L per person for three days, vented and monitored if capacity is less than the freshwater tank
- Evacuation hose – (3m for fitted tanks) or long enough to connect to a sealed portable tank
- A rubbish bin with a lid
- Toilet (portable or fixed) – Needs to have a minimum of 3L per person for three days and be able to be used inside the campervan with the bed made up (for all vehicles certified/renewed after 31 May 2017).
Note: “per person” is measured on the number of people a campervan can sleep, for instance, a 3-berth campervan needs will need to meet the minimum tank storage requirements for three people.
Even if a campervan has all these features, it is not classed as “certified self-contained” until it has received a warrant under the NZ Standard for Self Containment of Motor Caravans and Caravans, NZS 5465:2001