How to Install Alternatives to Septic Systems on Site
A composting toilet or indoor latrine, eco-friendly alternatives to a septic system, allow you to process septic waste in small batches and turn it into compost or dispose of it in a lagoon. If properly maintained and regularly serviced, a composting toilet or latrine lagoon will be odorless and safe and, in the case of a composting toilet, not only save you the expense of storing and processing waste but turn that waste into useful compost. Best of all, both are moderately easy to make and maintain. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 2-foot by 2-foot wood panels, 4
- 5-gallon bucket slightly less than 2-feet tall
- Wire mesh
- Wood screws
- Screwdriver
- Jig saw
- Sawdust
- Lime
- Baking soda
- Toilet seat
- Toilet lid
- Multi-purpose glue
- Shovel
- Sand
- Gravel
Instructions
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Composting Toilet
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1
Make a hole the size of a toilet seat in one of the wood panels. Start your hole 2 inches from the end of the panel and use the jigsaw to make a large oval hole the size of a toilet seat in the board. Make sure, however, that your hole is no larger than the opening in your 5-gallon bucket.
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2
Screw the top panel (the one in which you just made a hole) into two other boards, making a bench shape. Stand your panels vertically, place the top panel over the two and screw the panels together. Make sure your top panel is resting evenly on the two supporting panels of the bench to ensure stability.
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3
Screw the fourth panel to the back of the bench. This last panel will not only close the bench and make a box shape with two open sides, but also increase the stability of the design.
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4
Screw your toilet seat and lid onto the top panel, covering the hole. If you prefer, you can also use wood glue to complete this step.
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5
Cut out a square about 4 inches by 4 inches in the front of the 5-gallon bucket, about 4 inches down from the rim of the bucket. A jigsaw should be able to easily cut through plastic.
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6
Cover the hole with wire mesh. This opening is necessary to ventilate the wastes that collect in the bucket. Remember that, if properly maintained, a composting toilet will be completely odorless.
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7
Fill the bucket with four handfuls of sawdust and two scoops of lime. Also add a spoonful of baking soda. These elements will dry and disinfect the waste, as well as neutralize acids, so the waste can be used as compost.
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8
Place the bucket underneath the toilet (inside the box) and begin using your toilet. Once every two days, empty the bucket into a separate compost bin and replace the sawdust, lime and baking soda.
Indoor Latrine and Lagoon
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9
Follow steps 1 through 6 in the previous section to construct your toilet unit. An indoor latrine uses the same configuration, but treats waste in an open lagoon rather than through a composting process.
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10
Dig a deep hole in an area at least 20 feet away from your home. The depth of the hole depends on the amount of waste you generate, but should be at least 6 feet deep.
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11
Fill the bottom of the hole with a layer of gravel 6 inches deep.
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12
Place a 1-foot layer of sand over the gravel. Sand and gravel act as filtration agents and keep dangerous septic wastes from leaching into the soil or groundwater.
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13
Begin using your toilet and empty the waste bucket once a day into the hole. Do not add sawdust or lime. The waste in a latrine lagoon is treated by exposure to air and bacteria and gradually decomposes and filters into the ground.
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Tips & Warnings
For added protection against odors in a composting toilet, keep a small bit of lime in the bathroom and place a little down the toilet every time you use the bathroom.
You can decorate or paint your toilet unit to make it more attractive. Some people also prefer to keep the opening at the back of the unit, so it is not visible but can still be easily removed and maintained by moving the bench forward to reveal the bucket.
Another advantage of a composting toilet or indoor latrine is that, as it does not require plumbing, it can be placed anywhere inside or outside your house. Most composting toilets and latrines, however, are kept outside the house or in a separate construction to avoid spillage in living areas during bucket changing.
A latrine lagoon may not be appropriate for very cold or very humid climates that could interfere with the decomposition process. Consult a local specialist in your area.
Although the wastes in a lagoon will decompose quickly, if you do not want open waters on your property, build a small fence about 6 feet away from the edge of hole to keep people and animals away from the lagoon.
A composting toilet must be regularly and adequately serviced to avoid bacterial growth and odors. If you detect any smell at all coming from your toilet after applying the drying and disinfecting agents, you may not be servicing your composting toilet adequately.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit méthode de construction de Latrine image by Ahmat Saleh from Fotolia.com
