11-09-2006, 06:06 AM
I agree with Athena that a composting toilet is the superior waste treatment option. Regular septic systems produce a fairly dirty leachate. The aerobic system I described produces very clean water (relatively) but at a huge dollar cost. What composting toilets produce (and there's not much of it) can be worked into soil around flowers and shrubs without a second thought. I'd still wear gloves though. Off grid people need to consider that the better composting toilets require electricity to keep the compostiing action steady.
The real problem is the effect on house value and saleability. I wonder what the results would be of a poll asking "would you buy a house that only has a composting toilet?" Can you imagine some of the MacMansions being built in Puna now installing composting toilets? I can, but I suspect the builders can't. There's also a maintenance issue besides the ick factor that scares some people. What if it doesn't work and it takes a couple of weeks to figure out how to get it composting again? Many don't want to deal with it if they can possibly get out of it.
There's at least one answer. If the county determined that regular septic systems are not clean enough for the Puna acquifer they could require either a composting toilet or an aerobic system for single family houses on Ag zoning property. Any new large development in any zoning should be required to have a full waste water treatment plant if municipal sewers are not available (they may already require this). Once the composting toilet is required and is the lesser cost by far people would perhaps adapt and accept composting as the better alternative.
The real problem is the effect on house value and saleability. I wonder what the results would be of a poll asking "would you buy a house that only has a composting toilet?" Can you imagine some of the MacMansions being built in Puna now installing composting toilets? I can, but I suspect the builders can't. There's also a maintenance issue besides the ick factor that scares some people. What if it doesn't work and it takes a couple of weeks to figure out how to get it composting again? Many don't want to deal with it if they can possibly get out of it.
There's at least one answer. If the county determined that regular septic systems are not clean enough for the Puna acquifer they could require either a composting toilet or an aerobic system for single family houses on Ag zoning property. Any new large development in any zoning should be required to have a full waste water treatment plant if municipal sewers are not available (they may already require this). Once the composting toilet is required and is the lesser cost by far people would perhaps adapt and accept composting as the better alternative.