Compost Privies

Recently, on the Facebook site, Future Water Vashon, Michael Laurie, local home energy consultant and green systems proponent, posted an account of his visit to the building inspector at the King County Department of Public Health to discuss the legality of compost toilet/graywater systems for onsite sewage disposal.  After a fair amount of posturing and talking around the question, he finally admitted that compost privies were in fact legal although a septic tank and drain field were still required to handle the graywater.  The septic tank could be 50% of the capacity required for the standard water-borne systems and the drain field could be 40% of that required for the standard system.  In addition, as stated in the King County Code, a property with such a system would have a restrictive covenant placed upon it that would require under penalty of law that the system be maintained properly and that any conversion to a standard system would require a new permit.

Apparently, adjacent counties in the Puget Sound area are more amenable to compost privies, King County has long been more conservative than the State in approving alternative sewage disposal systems.  What are the arguments at play here?
There are alternative water-borne sewage systems, and I’m not sure why those are viewed with suspicion when the state has approved them.  The difference between traditional water-borne systems and dry systems such as compost privies is clear.  Water-borne waste pollutes water.  Compost privy waste does not.  It does not even need to touch the ground until it is safe.  You can collect waste in a garbage can and compost it there.  When done, it is converted into safe, rich compost that can be used to fertilize your ornamentals, or even your food garden, although that option requires thorough composting to be safe.

If compost privies, like the kind we used to have, are so much less polluting, why did we ever switch to water-borne systems?  Simply put, you don’t have to go outside and they are not yucky.  Yes, as you make your deposit in a compost privy, you will likely be outside in the cold (there are some elaborate systems that can be housed indoors or you can also use a bucket indoors and carry it outside later).  The biggest problem, in my mind, is that you will have to experience the fragrance of your own deposit and that of recent users.  Privies can be designed to limit the smell problem by creating a reverse airflow when you open the lid.  You can limit the smell, but not likely eliminate it.  That is mainly why we decided to pollute all that water instead.  Just hit the lever and it is gone; who cares where?

Society has good reason to strongly regulate any sewage systems that require our ongoing maintenance.  Other than changing diapers, we are not used to dealing directly with our own waste.  If there are any corners that can be cut or procrastinating to be done, we will do it.  In the long run, though, we would all be better off if we quit polluting our water.  It seems that those of us that would be willing to lead the way should be encouraged rather than obstructed.  To be able to produce a useful product rather than a harmful pollutant, and to save a lot of money at the same time seems like a very appealing prospect.  The fact is, our culture is very happy with the flush, and culture is difficult to change.  

In a densely populated, highly built city environment with little soil nearby to deposit compost, a water-borne system is probably still our best option.  Unlike private septic field systems, those toilets empty into sewer systems going to treatment plants that are continuously monitored.  Until we can talk Scotty into beaming our waste up, water systems may be the best answer in the city.

For full transparency, I have to admit that I have a septic system just like most of you, and, worse, I saw to its installation myself!  I actually did experiment with some composting systems, and I tired of the work and was unhappy with the result.  It turns out that I didn’t really know what I was doing and my designs were too elaborate. Many years later, my son and I built a privy that actually worked quite well and required very little maintenance.

Privies may be the answer for all those homes on our waterfront whose failed septic systems are polluting our harbor.  If the cost of legal and safe septic systems were not so prohibitive, I’m sure many of those homeowners would have already corrected the problem.  What you can do is let the King County Department of Health and Councilman McDermott know that you would like them to make it easier for us to get composting systems permitted.

Correction:  A month ago, in an article on wealth redistribution, I mentioned that the minimum wage in 1970 would be over $20/hr in today’s dollars.  I should have fact checked my source as it was way off.  The highest minimum wage was in 1968, and its value in 2012 dollars was $10.88, only 70% more than the present minimum rather than 300% more.
I’m still looking for Democrats and Republicans that are interested in finding common ground.  Contact me at the address below or 463 2812.

Comments?   
terry@vashonloop.com