Engineer Approved Systems for Kitchen Sink Water

Hello,

I hope that you all are having a great start to your week.

So, a few months ago I purchased a small (half acre) raw lot in the northwest part of Virginia. Yesterday, I visited the Virginia Department of Health to get some guidance. (Side note: I have two neighbors and they both cleared their land, planted grass lawns and build two-story suburban houses in the mountains... Different vibe...Permits required) I'm not sure if this county gets commission from septic system sales or they just like don't like to think hard. But when I told the guy that I'm going with an incinerating (or composting) toilet, and greywater filtration with subsurface irrigation (for trees), and educated him on Virginia's laws that allow both... He looked at me like I drop in from mars and was asking him to give over his beloved dog. After twenty minutes, we ended with him saying that if I can find an professional engineer that would be willing to design and stamp it, then they would consider it as long as doesn't violate any of their regulations. Every sentence he had was to either discourage me from my path and/or to lead me to accepting to go the septic route. Though, I have no interest in installing a septic because that would require me to clear about half the trees from my land. With greywater reuse and composting, it doesn't make logical sense to me that over thirty trees would have to be cut down just so one human could wish his dishes.

I've called a few engineers around here and they seem like they are only willing (or know how) to design traditional septic or septic systems with aerobic additions.

All that to say, does anyone know of any engineer approved way of handling kitchen sink wastewater? Or know of any engineer that designs less intrusive ways of dealing with kitchen sink water? I would also be interest in engineers from other states and countries. As long as I could get a solid design in front of a Virginia engineer for consideration and independent evaluation. Oh also, here in Virginia, according to the law, kitchen sink water is considered blackwater - not greywater. Thank you in advance for any suggestions or references.

Hi,
I agree that alternatives to a traditional septic system should be easier to implement. Unfortunately, I do not have any suggestions for engineers... but I do have something to ask if you have thought about.

What happens down the road when this property sells? Most of us hope to be on a property for life, but things happen and circumstances change. If you put money into this property getting it the way you want... and then someone tries to buy it.. what will the bank /mortgage company think? This is a difficulty with many natural building techniques that are far from ordinary... many banks and mortgage companies will not loan money for that property which will severely limit who you can sell it to.

I don't know what your property looks like or what your budget is... but there are small septic systems that should fit in a fairly small area that shouldn't need as many trees to be cut. You don't have to use the system.

Hey M,

first of all congratulations on your purchase. And for thinking outside the septic tank concept!
You're right. With a composting toilet and a working grey water system the septic tank is not necessary. And the saved trees might benefit from water and nutrients.

I really hope you'll encounter a designer/engineer for your system.
Are there no companies that specialize in grey water use around? In Europe I could come up with at least a couple of leads.

Matt, I can understand the direction you're going. But if you design it the right way (with a potential septic tank that get's added later on by the new owners or you before selling) I don't see the problem.

Welcome to the forum.

I don't really know though I suspect that any engineer would charge more than I would want to pay.

Some states/counties allow folks to DIY their septic system so maybe that is an option for you to design something with small footprint.

Here in Texas, as far as I know folks are allowed to drain into a tank that is pumped out when needed. We had ours install next to the house.

What if I never needed to have my tank pumped? Would anyone know?

Here different counties have different rules. .

And yes, most places consider kitchen sink water black water because it has food (meat) particles and oils.

Congrats on buying land.
My brain is at the questions stage:
What are you plans for the land?  Do you plan to build a house and if so, how big? Here, the size of the septic system required is mostly calculated based on the number of bedrooms.

If I was building a house and the area wasn't keen on alternatives to septic, I would try to make sure I roughed in the connections, so that a future owner didn't have to break up concrete to change things.

Do you have a "super wet season"? We do, and the person I know who installed a kitchen blackwater system, has a valve under the sink so he could choose to send the water to the city in the winter, but use the water for his garden in the summer. The summer system went through a tree chip filter, then through a three stage bathtub system with reeds and cattails, before going underground to water his perennials from under the soil.

Wrong country to help with the engineer, but there looks like there are resources on the web. I don't know if any of Brad Lancaster's work covers it, but I'm sure I've seen some library books on the subject. Those would at least have models you can show the officials.