Alternative sewage systems?

Okie_Bob · January 20, 2009, 08:58:28 AM

I have finished my lake house and partially moved in waiting until retirement to abandon my place in town and moving full time to the lake. As some of you know, I have a rather small lot (60' wide by about 300' deep) but, it has a magnificient view and is waterfront with a boat house.
My question relates to what I can do to get 'off grid' from the community sewer and water system I'm currently using. This private company is raping the users and I plan to do something about it. When I first bought my lot, it had a small cabin on it and my total water and sewer bill was about $45 per month. That was 10 years ago and now it is over $150 for the same service. The water has a bad taste and about 4 or 5 times a year we get a notice to boil drinking water for safey sake. So now maybe you see where I'm going here.
I can take care of the water issue by drilling a water well. No problem. But, the sewer is something else. I am too close to the lake to be allowed to use a septic system. I am familiar with the arobic (or is it anerobic system?) but, don't care for the discharge of the gray water onto the yard. I'm wondering is there is some type of system that is totally self contained that would be practical and cost effective?

?? See, wasn't that an easy question?
Okie Bob

glenn kangiser · January 20, 2009, 09:39:55 AM

Good one, BoB. Have you checked to see that you can actually do that? hmm

Many places will not allow a private system if a community one is available. ...

January 20, 2009, 10:16:09 AM

I agree with checking with the local law/requirements. Are they charging a flat rate or by useage. If by flat rate this could limit your options further.

If the company documents that the water they supply requires boiling for safety and not to remove the all too common algea smell and taste, they you might have some legal leverage.

If they charge by usage then the best way might be to limit you usage. What about rain harvesting vs. a well to reduce the amount of water used? What about a composting toilet that uses a small amount of electricity to break it down to ash?

muldoon · January 20, 2009, 10:40:34 AM

So, three options that I know of... just gonna skip right over an outhouse as I doubt its really an option anyway.

1) Incendiary toilets -- these are waterless, they use high heat to turn the deposit into ash. The incinolet is electric but I read somewhere about a propane version. kinda pricy in my opinion.

2) Chemical toilets -- usually what you would use on a boat or RV. in fact, exactly what you would use on a RV. If you have an RV place near you that you could swap tanks every few months it might be ok. Heavy chemical use.

3) Composting -- the sunmars and the like. Process intensive, effort required to get odor control, quite alot of people use them quite happily. I think its a good cheap practical solution for semi-use cabin. I probably wouldnt want one in my primary residence. See the humanure book for some even cheaper versions of this.

Daddymem · January 20, 2009, 12:33:42 PM

http://www.liquidgoldbook.com/

Follow some of the links from there.

January 20, 2009, 10:59:15 PM

http://www.weblife.org/humanure/

Okie_Bob · January 21, 2009, 07:46:09 AM

We pay by meter for water and they judge sewer by how much water you use. They have a minimum monthy usage fee as well and we NEVER go over the minimum which is 1,000 gallons.
Glenn, good point that I need to check further. This is not a city or municipal owned system, just a privately owned system. Turns out there are hundreds of companies that provide water and/or sewer service in Tx. They are regulated to some extent and have to apply for an increase in fees not more than once a year. But, they all automatically apply for the max every year and every year get automatic approval, hence the high cost per month. I do need to make sure I can get out of the service.
I don't think chemical or incenerator is a good choice. We do have clothes washer and dishwasher and shower water as well as toilet. Next door neighbor is still on septic, too cheap to sign up for it when it was first offered some 20 plus years ago and they have all kinds of problems with their septic system...just old and needing new lateral lines.
I just don't see a way out of this problem. I do appreciate everyones help.
Okie Bob

tesa · January 21, 2009, 08:14:55 AM

i think rainwater harvesting is a great idea!

it might be alot upfrount, and depending on your roof, you might not be able to drink it, but you
could use it to wash clothes with, and water the garden with

if you hav a metal roof, you could use non toxic paint, i think "crown" makes it, so you could drink it

the humanure book has wonderful ideas for waste disposal, if your willing to give that a try

we plan to set up a "sawdust" type toilet at the property, so our friends can come out and help more

we've been using the bathroom at the little corner store, across the highway from us, they don't seem
to mind, but after a few times a day, that gets strange

tesa

JRR · January 21, 2009, 09:01:22 AM

If you have your own water source, will the sewage bill be reduced? If so, the rainwater option collection might be price effective.

Some folks would love to have water and sewage service for $150 per month. Ours is a little less, but we also don't trust the water quality for drinking and cooking. Supplemental bottle water is used. You may make an investment that you can never recover ... and add maintenance issues. So do the math very carefully.

January 21, 2009, 11:46:53 PM

Here's one, BoB --- a flying toilet. http://ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2009/01/13/129565.html

Okie_Bob · January 22, 2009, 09:13:36 AM

Glenn, I don't know wheather to laugh or cry at that one?

Sure makes me glad to be an American living the good life. That or the concession for the little plastic bags!!!! Let's see, 550 Million people...times say once a day....pretty soon you are talking some major crap and a mountain of plastic bags.
Okie Bob

glenn kangiser · January 22, 2009, 09:16:10 AM

I don't know either, BoB.

fritz · January 27, 2009, 10:02:21 PM

I've been using the Sunmar composting toilet (one person daily, some guests on some weekends) since April. Its has been mostly issue free. It would cut down on your water use and your septic use, but you still have gray water to contend with.

The Incinolet -- incinerating toilet -- works quite well from web reports I have read, but many people comment about the "jet engine-like noise" as it burns. The Sunmar has a fan that runs 24/ 7 about the noise level of a refrigerator.