Where to Put Our "S" When it Hits the F?

[PastorBlaster]

I've got a sanitation question for those of you in the know. Should the s ever hit the f, short or long term, sanitation will quickly become an issue for us. We live in an annexed cul-de-sac on the very furthest edge of town and if you didn't know it, you'd think we were in the county.

Here's the problem: we are low, really low in a valley. Currently we have a pumping station run by the city to move the waste uphill from our area to the rest of the city sewage infrastructure. While the power is on, this is clearly not a problem. But what happens when the power goes out? I have no idea how the city has run it's lines and whether the stank will run downhill and fill our area or not. Assuming that it doesn't and we are in a bug-in situation of any duration, we are going to have to do our business outside of our convenient bathrooms.

Now let me add another twist: we have two creeks very close to us. 255' behind our house to the south is one creek, and 200' to the west is another creek. The street is about 15' in front of the house to the North, and we have another 200' to the East which is an open field/garden area that ends up against our neighbors front door (no real trees or coverage). Since you aren't supposed to put an outhouse w/in 150' of water, what are my best options? Composting toilets would work, but with 9 of us, that's a lot of composting! Going out front isn't an option with the road, and heading East would make our neighbors less than pleased.

One more problem with digging a pit - like I said before, we are LOW. The water level here is probably less than 6' which is going to connect to our two streams which are at about the same depth. So what are my best options?

 

[Sailor]

Not work safe.

Burn it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5OmwOyOWac

 

[Hoosierdood]

You could always use a 5 gal bucket and haul it somewhere every day. Sounds like your options are limited where you are at. You could also consider moving.

 

[shibumiseeker]

For the short term get some 5 gallon buckets, fill them halfway with dry sawdust, store other supplies in them seal the lids and store.

When the SHTF take the seat off your toilet, put it on the top of the buckets, empty the sawdust except for a thin layer, and use normally. After each use, add enough sawdust to cover the crap. This is generally good for about 2 weeks per person. As much as possible urine should be done outside or in separate containers dumped outside to help keep the smell down.

Longer term waste management is a different beast and more in depth than I care to cover here.

 

[PastorBlaster]

Shibumiseeker, I had already planned on doing the 5gal buckets and sawdust short term, but it's the longer term that I'm more concerned about in my planning. If I built a long drop on the hill above my neighbors place, about 40' higher than my yard and about 300' from my place with a clear line of sight and about 500' from running water, how long would it take for that waste to leach down and become a problem?

Hoosierdood, moving isn't really an option since every place brings challenges and two nice sized creeks, a fresh water spring, and good hunting and fishing make this an otherwise good place to bug-in.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Shibumiseeker, I had already planned on doing the 5gal buckets and sawdust short term, but it's the longer term that I'm more concerned about in my planning. If I built a long drop on the hill above my neighbors place, about 40' higher than my yard and about 300' from my place with a clear line of sight and about 500' from running water, how long would it take for that waste to leach down and become a problem?

It depends on the soil around you. Clay soils don't tend to leach, but they can soil-pipe which can truck contaminates straight through. Sandy soils will inactivate most biologicals within a few tens of feet from the source. The more you compost in place (adding cellulosic biomass, sawdust, newspaper, leaves, grass clippings, etc) the less of an issue biological contaminates will be. You don't have to dig a pit, building a mound will suffice.

 

[pearlman1966]

Nature's Head Composting Toilets - The environmentally sustainable waterless toilet for Your Boat, RV, Cabin, Big Rig, Barn, Workshop, or Yurt!

How about one of these? Had one like it at the old homestead back in the 90's

 

[PastorBlaster]

It depends on the soil around you. Clay soils don't tend to leach, but they can soil-pipe which can truck contaminates straight through. Sandy soils will inactivate most biologicals within a few tens of feet from the source. The more you compost in place (adding cellulosic biomass, sawdust, newspaper, leaves, grass clippings, etc) the less of an issue biological contaminates will be. You don't have to dig a pit, building a mound will suffice.

Good to know, thanks. I guess I'm going to have to read up more on composting. Maybe I'll head over and checkout the humanure project.

 

[PastorBlaster]

Nature's Head Composting Toilets - The environmentally sustainable waterless toilet for Your Boat, RV, Cabin, Big Rig, Barn, Workshop, or Yurt!

How about one of these? Had one at the old homestead back in the 90's

At over $900 shipped that's a bit put of my price range at this point. Good option, just too salty for me right now.

 

[longbow]

Get a sewage backflow or check valve on your sewage line. I have no idea what they cost. If that does not work, just install a gate valve to stop the crap from flowing into your home.

Urine is easy to deal with, but fecal matter needs to be protected to keep the bugs off it.

 

[bwframe]

Here's the problem: we are low, really low in a valley. Currently we have a pumping station run by the city to move the waste uphill from our area to the rest of the city sewage infrastructure. While the power is on, this is clearly not a problem. But what happens when the power goes out? I have no idea how the city has run it's lines and whether the stank will run downhill and fill our area or not. Assuming that it doesn't ...

What if you assume that it will? What does the city's "poopmaster" say will happen to your valley? What about second opinions?

 

[PastorBlaster]

What if you assume that it will? What does the city's "poopmaster" say will happen to your valley? What about second opinions?

I haven't gotten that far yet.

 

[churchmouse]

The poop lift station has multiple check valves to prevent the poop from running back into the poop pit. If these are working it will hold the poop in place. The stench is another issue that a few bottles of bleach might contain.

 

[churchmouse]

Get a sewage backflow or check valve on your sewage line. I have no idea what they cost. If that does not work, just install a gate valve to stop the crap from flowing into your home.

Urine is easy to deal with, but fecal matter needs to be protected to keep the bugs off it.

If he is not mechanically pumping the sewage out from his house and relying on a typical gravity system I do not believe a check system will work.

 

[bwframe]

The poop lift station has multiple check valves to prevent the poop from running back into the poop pit. If these are working it will hold the poop in place.

I'm flying blind here, but with a prolonged power outage and continual rain, would not the poop pit overflow into the good pastor's valley?