I haven't seen this subject addressed, but I'm sure it has been, but for new posters, lurkers, etc. it might be helpful to re-address it.

On another thread (?) - - or is this the 'thread'? - - I wrote: (and it was archived almost immediately so I didn't get the responses I had hoped for):

I just thought of something else I'd like to share. Earlier in the summer I investigated chemical toilets and other methods of waste removal ( and because this would impact on community health immensely, put it here ), but because I was in shock because I couldn't convince my two sons (of four) who could do the work (they are too busy to do much helping) that problem has remained unaddressed. But a couple of weeks ago I started thinking about porta-johns, with one of my first thoughts being: "Aw - - they'd be too expensive. But I called today and they are $80.00 per month, with weekly maintenance visits included. So... I rented one to be delivered December 27th, and which will be placed in our garage. (I checked to make sure it's not too tall.) In the beginning I was telling a lot of people what I was doing to prepare, but now I'm keeping the porta-john to myself! - - with the exception of my family! (And all of you.) I sympathize with the person who said she wishes she were a Polly. It would be nice to know nothing of this mess and go blythely to whatever happens. I like happy things. ;-)

Hope this might help some.

-- Constance A. Iversen (hive@gte.net), December 01, 1999

Answers

Just had my septic pumped yesterday :-)

-- spider (spider0@usa.net), December 01, 1999.

Had my septic pumped a couple of months ago; got a supply of bacterial/septic stuff for a year. Gonna fill up the hot tub for flushing purposes...

-- Marsha (MSykes@court.co.macon.il.us), December 01, 1999.

sound like you found a good solution to a 'shitty' problem...lol

-- Billy Boy (Rakkasan101st@aol.com), December 01, 1999.

I should add to the above information that we live in a suburb (there is actually a septic tank here, also a well (not in use since the public utilities went through) but to re-access them would be awfully expensive, I think. Also, if it's just a 3-month problem, or even a year, that seemed like a huge expense.

-- Constance A. Iversen (hive@gte.net), December 01, 1999.

Also, didn't want to use the precious water for that problem. This way it's all contained and they'll carry it away! I think we'll be busy with things we'd rather do - - but of course it will be cold in winter. Maybe that's where I'll put one of the kerosene heaters - - with the door open, not inside it.

-- Constance A. Iversen (hive@gte.net), December 01, 1999.

I have similar concerns but what makes you so sure the weekly maintanance will be available?

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), December 01, 1999.

Constance,

I hope this works out for you. If things are bad, however, I don't think I'd count on 'weekly maintenance' (which I take would mean emptying and replenishing the chemicals). Don't know what the capacity is on a porta potty. You may want to have another contingency plan just in case.

If you have the ability to burn trash where you are, you can save some room in the potty (or whatever anyone happens to be using-- hole in the ground, bucket, etc...) by putting the used tp into a bag for burning later. Been there, done that many years ago. (Almost said 'many moons ago', groan.)

For those of you with septic systems-- make sure that it really is gravity flow all the way if you plan to keep using it. We have what's known as a mound system for our septic. I always thought we could keep flushing if we hauled water. We could with the old septic. But it turns out that this system requires electricity to pump the effluent from a second holding-type tank out to the drain field. A sad day when I discovered that. Oh, there's a few hundred gallons of capacity it can hold from the last time it pumped (but we won't know when that is). If we go beyond that it will back-up into the house. And the 'tank alarm' that warns that it is getting too full runs on electricity, too.

Well, just some septic ramblings...

-- winter wondering (winterwondring@yahoo.com), December 01, 1999.

Check out this thread:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001tGx

and the link in the second response, to the sawdust composting toilet. Just needs LOTS of sawdust and A compost pile out back....

N T

-- jes a ol footballer who is no longer full of it..... (nighttr@in.lane), December 01, 1999.

Thank all of you for responding.

Lars:

That occurred to me also, but these things are designed for public use, and I figure it can hold quite a bit before needing maintenace. If they can't get here to do it, or if I can't contact them, I guess we'll just keep using it until they DO come! I also thought of asking for a rebate if we don't use it at all, but I suppose they'l turn that down. Fortunately, they are only a coulpe miles away and if they don't lose my info on their computer, they'll come. I don't think many people have decided to do this. (I could get airsickness from jumping to conclusions!)

-- Constance A. Iversen (hive@gte.net), December 01, 1999.

NT and all,

I have gotten the impression that composting toilets and/or composting human waste in colder climates doesn't work so well. I've asked a few different times on the forum, but no one has come out and said it will work where temps are below freezing (or colder).

It seems that in one of the books I read on the subject that the author indicated they were having some success using them in a cooler climate-- which he then went on to say was Kentucky. (Book was The Toilet Papers by Sim Van der Ryn-- and that was a paraphrase from a potentially faulty memory.)

In another thread (field latrine in the house, http:// www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001nUN) there is a lot of information, as well.

One of the posts toward the end of that thread though mentions composting human waste in sealed buckets-- which I believe can be done, but I believe it would take longer for it to be safe than just keeping it in an airtight container for "a few days" as was indicated. I got the sense that composting would take longer than that. I guess if I were going to do that, I'd try to find some additional sources that would verify that information.

Hope this helps.

-- winter wondering (winterwondring@yahoo.com), December 01, 1999.

Wouldn't a compost pile with human waste attract vermin and other unwanted visitors? I don't think it would be legal in my suburb, either. Anyway, it's winter in Michigan and I, at 66, have no one who isn't too busy, to dig a big hole. I am very happy with my choice; now if they don't forget to deliver!

I also have a wood-burning cooking stove and all of the attendant pipes and what not to install in my garage. And a well pump that can only go to 25'. If something bad happens, my sons can do the work then. (In return for my feeding them, or just because I'm their mom!) If I recall accurately, our other well went 160'. And when I found out at my Y2K class in the Spring that one can't even flush one's toilet without electricity, it's been tugging at the back of my mind while I got other things done. I also have thought of kitty litter for, say, the grandchildren to use. But this solution avoids that need.

-- Constance A. Iversen (hive@gte.net), December 01, 1999.

Constance, go to the TimeBomb2000 Preparation Forum, the sister to this one, and look in the archives to find more about waste disposal. Also, on www.michaelhyatt.com go to Discussion Forum and click on WASTE and there is a ton of material there and in the archives about the subject. Lots of good advice. Hope this helps.

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), December 01, 1999.

Try this site http://www.y2kkitchen.com/html/waste_disposal.html for some good advice.

-- Michael (mgentry@oit.swrcb.ca.gov), December 01, 1999.

Our plan for waste disposal: three buckets with lots and lots and lots of plastic liners, for when it is too cold/rainy/dangerous to go out to the pre-dug hole in the corner of the yard, blocked by big bushes and a corner of a fence. Lime and dirt for the hole.

Period.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 01, 1999.

We have a sewer system that turns the waste and then pumps the septic tank through a chlorinator and out to a creek. The water is tested every 6 months and although I would not use it unless I had to, the lab says it is drinkable.

-- Carol (glear@usa.net), December 01, 1999.

There is a neat little septic system for disposing of doggie waste...it is called the 'Doggie Doolie' and you could probably find out about it through a pet store. I had one 25 years ago and it worked very well. It is a bucket with holes, put into the ground with a 4' hole dug underneath. A bacteria in introduced and then you just shovel the waste in. It is simple, neat, nearly odorless and would be fine for human waste in a pinch, although not 'legal'. It probably costs around $40.

-- Kenin marble (kenin17@yahoo.com), December 01, 1999.

I've got lime and if I really have to, I'll burn it.

-TECH32-

-- TECH32 (TECH32@NOMAIL.COM), December 01, 1999.

Tech, please DON'T burn the waste unless you do it in an approved incinerator toilet. According to historians, the infamous flu epidemic of 1918 began after some soldiers in Kansas burned a huge pile of waste. Within several days, those same soldiers began getting sick. The epidemic spread east and eventually to the rest of the world, and many millions of people died. A porta-john in the winter in the north isn't really a bad idea. If it freezes, it's more stable than in a warmer climate. I'd probably get a large stock of lime to spread on it everyday, though.

-- Ann M. (his mckids@aol.com), December 03, 1999.