We plan to dig a latrine hole in the back yard, but is there any reason we couldn't pour river water into the toilet tank and flush it once a day? Would there be an advantage to using the upstairs toilet instead of the downstairs toilet?

-- Pearlie Sweetcake (storestuff@home.now), December 16, 1998

Answers

Hi Pearlie Sweetcake (great name!):

If you intend to continue using the flushers, river water is just as good as any other water to flush with -- but you MUST use it more than once per day! Otherwise, you risk clogging the system with stuff ....it's designed to "push" product down the line with each flush, so a single flush risks stuff getting jammed and hardened in the lines.

For the same reason (and because it's easier not to have to tote a 5-gallon bucket upstairs), you'd probably be better off using the downstairs toilets.

This, my friends, is the voice of sad experience speaking!

Anita Evangelista

-- Anita Evangelista (ale@townsqr.com), December 16, 1998.

We plan on doing this too. Thanks for the tip about flushing often, I didn't know that. We have a hand-pump outside and hubby's going to rig one up in the cellar too so we won't have to go out in the frozen frigid winter. :-) I plan to keep *two* buckets filled and by the commode. That way, whoever empties the one, has to go and fill the other. Bobbi ----<-----<<<-------<@----------@>-------->>>------>------ New!!! PowerPoint slide show -- "Y2k: Where are we now? Where are we going?" Check it out at http://www.buzzbyte.com/ ----<-----<<<-------<@----------@>-------->>>------>------

-- Bobbi (bobbia@slic.com), December 16, 1998.

Before you all say "GROSS," don't flush toilet paper down the toilet then it won't get clogged! However, if you want to continue the pratice, make sure you purchase a snake just to have on hand, and extra wax toilet seals, etc. I suppose when one ruins out of TP, you won't have to worry about flushing toilet paper down the toilet because the phone book will cetainly clog it up, GROSS!

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), December 16, 1998.

Just remember the old adage:

If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down.

-- Joska (joska@hunky.com), December 16, 1998.

Care to tell us how big the backyard is?

With a reasonable size section you could consider putting in a septic tank and field tiles. The in-ground tank stores the solids and the field tiles allow the liquids to soak into the subsoil. Empty about every five years. Check with your local water engineers about this alternative well before you start digging. Much more sanitary in hot summer days than a latrine.

You could look at capturing rain water from the upper storey in a water tank, 500+ gals, put 8ft off the ground and use gravity to run the water to the downstairs flusher. Be a great alternative water supply if the roof is covered by a suitable material.

-- Bob Barbour (r.barbour@waikato.ac.nz), December 16, 1998.

Also ..

If you are connected to a community wastewater system (aka a "sewer") .. you need to be "terrain aware".

If your community is one of the lucky ones that operates on a gravity-feed basis, you might be ok flushing. On the other hand, if there are pumps in the system, and power is off (as would probably be the case if you need to use river water to flush), you may be limited in your flushing .. or restricted altogether unless your community has backup power for the pumps. Without pumps, it can be rather messy for the folks at the bottom of the hills as their basements become unplanned septic tanks for the upstream folks. (Newer homes *may* have a special valve in the septic line to prevent backups, but they're not very common yet.)

If you're hoping to keep neighborhood togetherness and cooperation on your list of survival preferences, it works best if you don't drive others out of their homes while testing your river-water theory.

Just a thought... :)

Dan

-- Dan (DanTCC@Yahoo.com), December 16, 1998.

Joska: During the drought here in California a few years back, we learned and practiced your very quote. You learn to improvise under adverse conditions. It only takes common sense, not an IQ of 150.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), December 17, 1998.

Above answers are good. The cautions about downstream sewage paths are worth noting, but might be hard to track down. Start checking now.

Absolutely be sure you wash hands, dishes, and prepare food with your separate "drinking" water, not your "outside stored water " or "rainwater" or "river water". Washing clothes doesn't require drinking water sanitation practices though. Reuse that water to flush.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 17, 1998.

Bardou,

Why would I flush my phone book down the toilet?

-- POO POO Hindo (Gomper@tinko.com), December 17, 1998.

Poo Poo Hindo: Because when you run out of TP, that's what you will be wiping with. But not me, I'm using the douche bag method. P.S. I like your nickname, it's appropriate for the discussion.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), December 17, 1998.

Buy bag of lime to keep the smell down and kill the magots use a small shovel full sprinkle it ower the waste build an outhouse with two holes if you are rich build a three hole. Go to hardware store and buy camode lids with tops it will be better than getting splinters in your ass. Nail them over the hole you cut above the trench measure the distance between them because you will need elbo room. Wood lids will be the best. Smoking should not be alowed in the john if it catches on fire run for your life it will stink. Dig the hole 30 inches wide and four feet deep.Witer time is a bad time to set on a cold seat. If you are shy make sure you put a screen door latch on it. Danger do not let small children enter alone they may fall through the hole.Keep a sears catalog in the outhouse you never know when you will run out of toilet paper another good item to have is a flyflapper.You never know charge 25cents per head the neighbors may make you rich.

-- Bubba (badhabbit@water.com), December 18, 1998.