Revisiting the modern indoor compost toilet

Hi everyone!

Im an urban homesteader living in community with a precariously damaged septic system. The effluent waste pipe is cracked and we are getting backup in our basement.

Rather than pay the 22k sewer connection
convenience fee that our fair city is asking, i am exploring the possibility of an indoor compost
Toilet.

I live in a community of musicians and artists and do not want to rely on everyone for routine maintenance. I want a low maintenance “automatic “ system that we can just replace our existing flushing toilet with.

I have read some precious posts but most are at least 10 years old. I have also been through many sites that advertise toilets; there are so many and such a variety of price points too!

Please help!

Thanks so much!
Suze

My vote is for a simple Jenkins model. Consult his Humanure Hadbook please. You can craft a wooden masterpiece to enclose your bucket for added aesthetics.  If wood shavings are hard to acquire,  I have used peat moss or a soil-leaf blend for mine.  

It takes a bit of effort, but if surrounded by artists , this could certainly build your street cred

Rico Loma wrote:My vote is for a simple Jenkins model. Consult his Humanure Hadbook please. You can craft a wooden masterpiece to enclose your bucket for added aesthetics.  If wood shavings are hard to acquire,  I have used peat moss or a soil-leaf blend for mine.  

It takes a bit of effort, but if surrounded by artists , this could certainly build your street cred

I have the handbook and have read it a few times….
I appreciate the sentiment but i know already what it would look like/// me cleaning up everyone’s sh#t!

Maybe something like the willow feeder at wheaton labs



There will always be some handling involved if you are producing compost, but this system seems the best compromise to me. Paul is working on a load of new media about the system right now and I think running a kickstarter soon to help fund it. So keep your eyes open on the forums!

We have what I think is a a Sun Mar…bought it in 1983? Current price is about 2000.   It requires a vent pipe and electricity to operate a vent fan and a low wattage heater.  It dry flushes the waste into a compartment containing peat moss and diatomaceous earth. There the waste is processed It is eventually removed as powder through a drawer in the bottom.  There is a learning curve.  Too much urine causes problems as does too much TP.   And because it is a composting toilet, the contents have to be stirred occasionally.   This is done through a built in device and does not require contact with the contents.

How about a vermicompost flush toilet?
It's not not a dry system but it could replace your current system:
http://www.vermicompostingtoilets.net/design-construction/

Here's a dry system that also uses worms:
https://www.keelayogafarm.com/long-drop-vermiculture-compost-toilet/

Both of these systems minimize interactions with fresh poop, but there would be some amount of blackwater to deal with, much less with the dry system, but still some.

We've used a humanure type system since 1982, before the book was published. We use 2 buckets side by side, 1 for liquids and the other for solids. The liquids get poured onto the garden compost pile. Solids go into a compost bin. We have 2 sets of the buckets so that when they are emptied they can sit outside, upside down, to dry out. We put recycled wood shavings from the root cellar or leaves in the bottom of the solids bucket to make it easier to empty. Rubber buckets work well as do stainless steel buckets or stock pots. The solids compost for a year and then get spread onto corn plantings as a top dress for young plants. It takes less than 10 minutes/week for a household of 2 to empty and replace buckets.

William Bronson wrote:How about a vermicompost flush toilet?
It's not not a dry system but it could replace your current system:
http://www.vermicompostingtoilets.net/design-construction/

I know someone who built a farmstay in their barn loft and an early version of this is what handles all the blackwater. Works beautifully and pretty much zero maintenance...all they need to do is use the toilet or peel and wash a bunch of veggies once in a while if they don't have guests for an extended period. This tops up the food supply for the worms. The effluent discharge goes to a constructed wetland and waters some fruit trees and berry bushes. One of our recent PDC students also has a current model installed on their house.

No one ever has to handle the shit. Someday in the distant future it may need to get a topup of coir matting. The indoor plumbing fixtures are typical everyday types, and there's no need to train the users other than making sure that nothing nasty gets sent down the drain (which isn't any different from living with a septic tank).

suze Rossi wrote: I want a low maintenance “automatic “ system that we can just replace our existing flushing toilet with.

The reason the water sealed toilet was invented was for folks who wanted what you describe in this quote. Any step away from flushing a toilet will involve some level of intervention on your behalf.

Maybe read through the descriptions of different options and decide what level of involvement you are willing to do.

For us, bucket system, hands down. I don't mind handling it and this allows me to use the compost intentionally for specific things.

Pardon me if this isn't suitable for your household , but a solution could be in a ready  made package.  A compromise perhaps. The pertinent query would be:

Do you have time for a DIY remedy, or would you have more cash on hand?  This company has a bit of success with a standard toilet leading to an outdoor composter. An attached biogas pipe supplies a cooking setup.  I think the effluent is slowly drained via berries or orchard irrigation.  Anyone here have direct experience with the 1500$ to 1900$ kits? Color me intrigued.  Setup involves a starter bag added to....horse manure?  Or similar.  Best of luck

www.homebiogas.com

Not my cup of  ( Irish breakfast) tea right now but some folks like it

I’m able to get some funds together for a kit type of a system. The city I live in charges a 22,000$ fee just to connect to the sewer, so I am looking at needing to get a loan. I would rather look into investing some money into a dry toilet which also aligns with my values.

The maintaining / compost handling thing doesn’t bother me personally if it were just me and my husband, but we are a household of 5-6 and my concern is the volume of poop to be dealt with and getting folks to comply with maintaining that system.

So a system that can handle some of the composting, not requiring a ton of maintenance on a daily basis is best.

It is worth mentioning that gas and electric incinerating toilets exist. I have no idea as to the price.