Worm farm septic

I'm brand new here, and apologize if this is the wrong forum - it looked the closest.

We're about set to buy a property in TX that is currently on a conventional septic system. While it has the potential to connect to the town system, we're very much of the option that we want to keep "government noses" out of our business wherever possible. I was an architectural designer back in New Zealand and specced a worm farm septic system on a couple of rural projects (not necessarily this firm, but here's a link to an Aussie firm who supply them - https://www.wormfarm.com.au/). I'd really like to use this system to either replace or retrofit what is there. They produce amazing compost with next to no intervention.

But.... I'm having a horrible time trying to find anyone in the US who even talks about them, let alone supplies them. Has anyone come across these or knows where I could get one or info? Thanks.

Did you check with the owner, the realtor of the property or the county about the regulations regarding septic systems in Texas?

If not, it is to your advantage to contact the county. You will also need to know what kind of septic system you have so the county can advise you properly.

We bought a property, talked to septic companies.  Then found out that we almost made a really big mistake by having a building built on the property.  Luckily for us we had a few inches to spare.

First I've heard of them, but now I want one!

@Anne, having specified them in the past,  and having spent 15 years as a designer i'm well acquainted with how painful cities can be too deal with.  But that was not my issue.  I just wanted to know if they were available here.  They are better than any traditional system hands down.

There are lots of threads here that show how to make one yourself using square water tanks in frames, or round water tanks, rectangular storage boxes, making sure they are on a slant so that they drain well.  It isn't necessary to buy a kit or a pre-existing one.  

I drew a diagram at this site that has the inlet pipe at 3" (usually the size coming from the house, or 4"), and the outlet pipe at 2", but I wouldn't go smaller than that.  The worm castings will wash out and down the line into some kind of perennial landscaping or big reed boxes.  But worm casting are such valuable things, they should be used.

One of the online diagrams shows about a 1" or smaller outlet, and I would not recommend that.  Worms can drown, and don't need to have the water stay in the tank.  In fact, it should just pass through.

Worms can freeze or drown or bake, so it needs to be insulated or buried safely with an insulated removable lid.  You want a couple of 45 Degree outlets that will let you run a snake down the outlet line just in case.  Occasionally the rock gabion in my diagram, that surrounds the outlet pipe that is in thick chickenwire, can be lifted out, rinsed off, and put back if necessary.  But I haven't had to do that in the one I've had for 2 years.

To size it, I would estimate 50 gallons per person.  The plastic water tanks in a frame are not that big for a 200 gallon tank, and can be put in place easily.

I have two of these worm boxes, and I wouldn't do it any other way.

They are amazingly effective and do not smell.

But if you are living somewhere and the neighbors get wind of it, or the city or county gets wind of it, they might really cause you problems.  Don't entirely undo whatever septic situation you have just in case, because redoing one of those with permits is crazy expensive.

Would anyone have links to this and what would it be called? Humanure Vermiculture?

Solviva style vermiculture filter is what I would call it.


(Edited for proper spelling of  Solviva.)

Search under Vermicomposting Flush Toilet.  

I have found the best information at this website, permies.com, lots of diagrams and photos, people really doing it.

We plan to build a vermicomposting septic system for our house -- the first fully permitted tire bale house in New Mexico. Our initial inquiries indicate that we can do this with a permit if we also have a conventional septic we can switch out to with a diverter valve.

There is also an option to go before the state environmental board quarterly meeting and seek approval for an alternate septic system using only the vermicomposting septic, bringing data etc and following up with testing, etc. I think we will go the redundant route.

Has anyone used black soldier fly larvae for this type of composting system? Or would it be too hard to keep them around? From other sources and threads it sounds like they are better converters of human waste and have a wider temperature tolerance? Are they otherwise incompatible with this system (life stages etc)?