Composting toilet

[InspiredtoSoil]

Well I thought I would find some information about this here, but oddly I haven't. If anyone here has experience building/using composting toilets, I would love some information. Partner and I will be moving onto a homestead early next year and are not into the idea of a septic system and we don't want to be so wasteful of water as we have been using city toilets. MEN had some good info but it wasn't very detailed and didn't seem like a long term solution (something about 5 gallon buckets and planting a tree).

I want to learn how to do this in the healthiest and least stinky way possible. Any tips or even what-not-to-dos will be greatly appreciated.

 

[baymule]

I don't think I would want a composting toilet. But then, water is plentiful here and we have a passive septic system. Plus we have low flow toilets, our water bill runs about $20 a month. We have 4 horses,8 chickens, 3 feeder pigs and 4 sheep.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I've been interested, but not so much for my current house. If/when we ever bought another piece of property for a weekend getaway/hurricane retreat - I'd definitely investigate further! A couple years ago I spent nearly 10K putting in a new aerobic system and I don't ever want to spend that kind of money on Poo again!

 

[InspiredtoSoil]

I've been interested, but not so much for my current house. If/when we ever bought another piece of property for a weekend getaway/hurricane retreat - I'd definitely investigate further! A couple years ago I spent nearly 10K putting in a new aerobic system and I don't ever want to spend that kind of money on Poo again!

Holy Crap! An aerobis system is kind of like an aerated turn-style mechanism, right? Why did it cost so much and why aren't you happy with it (besides the cost, obviously)?

 

[InspiredtoSoil]

I don't think I would want a composting toilet. But then, water is plentiful here and we have a passive septic system. Plus we have low flow toilets, our water bill runs about $20 a month. We have 4 horses,8 chickens, 3 feeder pigs and 4 sheep.

But you compost the poo of the animals right? Could you tell me more about that if you do? Is there a separate compost for household wastes and animal wastes?

 

[baymule]

But you compost the poo of the animals right? Could you tell me more about that if you do? Is there a separate compost for household wastes and animal wastes?

Household waste doesn't make it to the compost pile. It is fed to chickens or now, pigs. What they don't eat, composts in place. It takes us 2 weeks to come up with a bag of trash. The pigs are in the garden spot for the winter, it is 6" deep in pine shavings/horse poop from a horse event center. The pine shavings are composting in place with the help of the pigs. Collecting leaves to dump in there too and they will also compost in place. The chickens, I deep litter with leaves and they shred and poo on them, again, composting in place.

Aerobic systems are a PITA. Never had one and I don't want one. They require chlorine tablets, electricity and a yearly contract with a plumber to stay in compliance. They must be inspected yearly. Plus they squirt water in their leach field and you can't plant any food type plants in that space. I have seen some lush, green grass growing in these squirt fields and no livestock would touch it. Anarobic, or passive, is a tank or tanks with buried field line, just have it pumped out every 3-5 years.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

We didn't have any choice. Our former septic system had reached the end of it's life...leach field was saturated and nothing would drain. Good ol clay soil and all... sigh! You can only take raw sewage in your back yard for so long before you HAVE to do something. And - you are not allowed to install (and no plumbing company will) regular septic tanks with a leach field any more. Had no choice but to go with an aerobic system.

Yep, I hate it too....but whatcha gonna do? And, yes - we do the chlorine tablets (when we remember). And, (when I pay the yearly fee) I have the plumbing company do the inspection - even though now you can go take a class yourself and do the inspection. If I ever wanted to sell my place I would have been required to upgrade anyway. Stoopid gooberment!

I'm happy enough with the performance - for now anyway. However - for any extended time without power it would be a disaster. The pumps run on electricity - no electricity - no working system. UGH!

 

[InspiredtoSoil]

The chickens, I deep litter with leaves and they shred and poo on them, again, composting in place.

Oh I like the idea of composting in place. And now I have to do some research into deep litter!

 

[Denim Deb]

Fem, that would be horrible!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

And that is why I have a generator!