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larryglarson · 05-31-2015, 03:02 PM

In this day and age, I would sure be careful. I build a house in the country 5 years ago and it did not cost much for a septic tank and leach field all legal and safe.

cwf · 05-31-2015, 03:35 PM

Made our "septic" for dog kennels 5' deep hole with gravel, bottom cut out of 55gal with 4-6" dirt on top, drum sunk in ground and 8" below top was the top of a hole where 100' perforated pipe exited and buried 1' below grade. Top had a "gutter" which the waste entered.

This supported a kennel with 11 dogs, in South Louisiana with lots of rain. No stink unless really close with nose. Lasted over 20 year still and still going when we sold the place.

Lumatic · 05-31-2015, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaseav

I have a piece of property we plan to "boondock" at this summer for a couple months. It will have water

If the source of your water is a well make sure your septic is a good distance away from the well, or any wells for that matter. Here in NM code is 100' between the septic system and the well.

StreamDog · 05-31-2015, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Please take some of the advice here with a grain of salt. Do it properly. Check with other locals even the county officials and see what is exceptable in the area.

'cause somebody gonna see what you're doing and call the sheriff who's gonna fine you for violating county health code.

BoldAdventure · 05-31-2015, 07:04 PM

Worse, with the EPA about to expand it's regulations via the clean water act, you could be facing serious jail time or fines in excess of $10K if you are in any violation of the EPA's regs. Won't matter if the stream is on private property or not. And won't matter if you're using a DIY cat hole or not, if it's not far enough away, or doesn't met the rules, game over, life ruined.

chaseav · 05-31-2015, 09:26 PM

Thanks for all the advice and thoughts. I am genuinely trying to do this "right" or at least "smart." It's funny though; the Health Dept everyone cites and their regulations have a funny way of making it soooooooo much easier to do it the "wrong" way. Since this is a public forum, I'm going to leave further comments on my intentions going forward to myself. I will check applicable regulations and adhere to them.

chaseav · 05-31-2015, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Foster

PLEASE don't dump it in or near the stream. Not only would you be adding human waste to the riparian ecosystem, it is also most likely illegal in all states.

Please consider a dry well or the 55 gal. drum system that others suggested.

And I should clarify that when I say the stream would help dilute things down, I only mean that any liquid that happens to percolate that direction. I would NOT dump into the stream directly for any reason. However, the stream is formed from the runoff of a cow pasture above it.

jtwind · 06-01-2015, 10:36 AM

Legal or not there is correct way to this non polluting. Septic systems aren't cheap, 8 and up. If you have solid wastes you need a septic tank, this traps solids, promotes bacteria that will help break down things. It also has a baffle system that traps the solids and only allows water to drain out and that goes into a drain field, usually perforated pipe in a bed with crushed stone. Legally before you do this you need a perc test that calculates how quickly or easily water will percolate away. In some cases it's not fast enough to allow a septic and you need to install a holding tank, in others it's too fast and you have to do other things. You could install a "outlaw" system that works properly and doesn't hurt or pollute but you'd have to know what you were doing and where the water table is and what sort of drainage you have. It's involved, frankly I don't care if it's legal or not just that it doesn't pollute. Local codes do vary some but be prepared.

BigButtUgly · 06-01-2015, 08:30 PM

Are you kidding me- a septic system??? Crap in a toddler diaper placed in a bucket and put them in a dumpster with rest of the trash. Diapers are biodegradable and land fills now have special liners. Solution is not to make any black water. City/county rules and the EPA regs were all written by BCAs

BigButtUgly · 06-01-2015, 08:41 PM

Last check, dirty baby diapers were not illegal!!!!!! But somebody will make a rule requiring scraping the poop into a city certified toilet. How many years did humans survive without regulations????

n2916s · 06-01-2015, 09:11 PM

Well, we did have cholera and typhus, really miss those...

Mike

Lumatic · 06-01-2015, 09:41 PM

A cheaper way than a bona fide septic system is an above ground vault. Kind of a super black tank. Paint it camo and call in a pumper when it's full.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=BeskbiJjCXI

BigButtUgly · 06-01-2015, 09:50 PM

Mike: Just in case a user (pooper) may have been exposed to and carry cholera or typhus etc. put in a septic system and have it checked daily for many diseases. Otherwise do something else. See my post # 19

If you line your existing toilet with a toddler diaper - here's a sign for the bath wall:

If you pee - let it be
If you poo - no shame on you
(don' leave diaper-replace it with a clean one HINT: FOLD, TAPE & TRASH YOURS FIRST

Lily&Me · 06-02-2015, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by n2916s

Well, we did have cholera and typhus, really miss those...

Mike

I was thinking the same thing, from the days when chamber pots were emptied into city streets.

There's a reason that is no longer allowed.

If I had no other option, I would dig a deep hole....or ask someone nicely to do it for me.

.....dump in there, and fill it in.

The diaper idea is interesting, but aren't the landfills already full of these items, that don't break down?

Underground.

Maggie

cwf · 06-02-2015, 07:38 PM

When we were raising kids, our 3 sons wore cotton diapers... in the 70's and early 80's..

We did use the 'disposable' type when we travelled long distances where we would not have access to proper washateria...which was only OUR home washer. Yes, the dirties went in the toilet..

When we were 'in the country' where 'open burning' took place, we would immolate the mess..

chaseav · 08-07-2015, 09:38 PM

Well, we made it. After spending the summer at this location I'm glad to say that we did not have to dig a septic system and we did not have to dump illegally. It turns out the neighbors are super nice people and were more than happy to let us dump our tanks in their septic system. I bought a 32 gal portable tank and used a tractor to pull it up the hill. Got waaaaaay more poopy water on me than I thought I would but it worked out!

Foiled Again · 08-08-2015, 02:39 AM

In desert climates some people use evaporation pools for gray water. Actually a couple of kiddie pools work fine. That and a composting toilet make a great combo, little if anything to cart away or bury or disburse. No splashy poopy on shoes, either.

chaseav · 08-08-2015, 06:25 AM

We actually just let the gray water go into the field. It was a slight hill so the water disbursed easily and within a few hours was completely gone. The grass grew a LOT better in that area too.

Docinabox · 01-16-2017, 06:50 AM

Agree, composting toilet.

AIRHEDS · 01-16-2017, 07:02 AM

For black tank, composting toilet is an excellent (and the only viable) short-term solution ... a proper septic system is the only viable long-term solution for black and gray. Remember, even septic system has a tank that needs to be pumped when the solids tank fills up. The septic drain field is only for liquids. IMHO it's unconscionable to think about dumping black any other way--regardless of whether or not it's your property. There's a reason why "the code" exists.