Alternative Black water treatment.

Hi. Question. I want to put in a trailer pad for extra rental income. Biggest barrier is what to do with the black water. I would like a way any renter could park their trailer hook up the waste water lines and keep using the facilities like normal, no thinking required.
  My property is basically a ridge of broken up bedrock with little to no soil, high percolation rate. Has anyone tried a large wet land system (1/2acre size or bigger) for treating black water?
  The wet land would be growing for me firewood, mulch, composting materials, livestock bedding, and small livestock forage.

I was on a State Committee that discussed many systems.  A constructed wetland might work for you. https://theconstructor.org/environmental-engg/constructed-wetlands-components-mechanism-advantages/555730/

Is there no way to run pipe to your existing septic system? From what I've heard, the Gulf Islands are now heavily regulated when it comes to sewage systems. Especially in areas where people have fresh water wells and are worried about contamination.

I think it's worth a discreet enquiry as to what types of systems are legal.

Useful links:

Overview with links:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/waste-management/sewage/onsite-sewage-systems/sewerage-system-standard-practice-manual

Manual of Composting toilet and Greywater Practice:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/waste-management/sewage/provincial-composting-toilet-manual.pdf

https://ownerpro.ca/news/building-in-the-gulf-islands

https://islandstrust.bc.ca/island-planning/ballenas-winchelsea/land-use-application-guides-forms/

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:Is there no way to run pipe to your existing septic system? From what I've heard, the Gulf Islands are now heavily regulated when it comes to sewage systems. Especially in areas where people have fresh water wells and are worried about contamination.

I think it's worth a discreet enquiry as to what types of systems are legal.

I live on Taxada island. No building codes, health inspectors, or regulations on private property, thankfully. Just regulations on where you can or can not discharge firearms or hunt.
No existing septic system, I've been using a compost toilet/basic grey water system for the last 6 years.

We have some AirBnB cabins that we did individual septic system for each cabin.

Asking visitors or renters to use a composting toilet would solve a lot of headaches.

Though if you want to do the systems that we have used they are simple.

I can't remember the size of the tank so let's say a 250-gallon tank that can be pumped out when filled.  If that is a service that is available.

The other solution that we also used is the tank is buried and filled with gravel.

Or just dig a trench, fill the trench with rock then covered it with dirt like a French drain.

I have stayed at several RV Parks that used the Lagoon Basin method.

Maybe this will help:

https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/wq402

I like what Anne suggests above.

I'll just add my voice with a post that I wrote last night but forgot to submit.

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Ellanor, I didn't know Texada Island was not part of the Islands Trust! That simplifies things from a red-tape point of view. Surely we can come up with a common-sense, responsible system.

I would suggest that "responsible" means finding a way to avoid discharging large volumes of unprocessed black water directly into the environment. Also be aware of water wells in the area and take all steps to protect the groundwater.

If this were my situation, here is what I would consider:

1. Reduce the volume of black water as much as possible.

Make a composting toilet and grey water disposal system available at the trailer pad. Encourage them to use those facilities.

Perhaps explain that your black water line is provided as an "emergency overflow" with limited capacity. It's not an urban trailer dump station hooked up to a city sewage treatment plant.

Also make it clear that putting bleach, Lysol, harsh cleaners, or antibacterial soap down the drains will literally kill the happy anaerobic bugs that break down the disease causing organisms in the black water and make it safe to discharge into the environment.

2. Have some sort of holding tank where black water can be retained and digested anaerobically. This significantly reduces the volume of potentially harmful material and organisms.

3. As you proposed, run the overflow from your holding tank into a natural area with lots of soil and life that will further process the black water.