[chris]

I just picked up a 10x36 "deer lease" trailer. I'm moving it in a couple weeks to my little farm in the woods. The trailer has a small kitchen, shower, and toilet.

I can't put in a septic system at the moment, but I need suggestions for dealing with the toilet "output". The sink and shower grey water isn't really a problem, I can dump it a hundred feet away and water the grass.

For anyone who asks, the trailer isn't going to stay in the spot it's in permenantly. I don't want an expensive septic tank installed and only used for a year or so.

 

[oldandcrotchety]

Not saying this is the right thing to do, but I've known people that dig a hole and set a 55 gallon barrel that has a bunch of holes punched in it down in the hole, run the line to it and cover it up. Wouldn't handle a whole lot, but for light or occasional use it might be alright.

 

[FlungPup]

You might want to look up some permaculture books or sites. They're pretty big on making homesteads that incorporate grey water into gardening. I'll go through my library and see if anything stands out.

 

[eeyore]

I agree with the Humanture.

But (although check you local laws) i would not see in principle alot of difference between digging a pit several feet deep and wide and pipe it, and when it fill up just do it again in a different location.

Basically the same as a out house. If you have sandy soil, the septic water would not be a problem (as long as it is not near your water source, very important). If it is clay soil, might not work any where near as well.

The problem is the use of an outhouse does not put a lot of water into the hole, but the trailer will introduce more water.

 

[Cat Naps]

Not saying this is the right thing to do, but I've known people that dig a hole and set a 55 gallon barrel that has a bunch of holes punched in it down in the hole, run the line to it and cover it up. Wouldn't handle a whole lot, but for light or occasional use it might be alright.

That's all my dad had for 11 years... As long as the gray water (from shower and kitchen /bathroom sinks) was going into the garden, they never overwhelmed the barrel. When they later moved in a doublewide for a permanent home they then installed a real septic tank.

 

[chris]

If it is clay soil, might not work any where near as well.

High clay content soil as far as the eye can see. I meant to mention this in the original post, as it plays a huge part in my current dilemma.

The tralier has a regular toilet and shower already, so I was thinking on more conventional lines. I'm going to look into the humanure idea. I may be able to rig something thta comes off the current outflow lines.

 

[Cat Naps]

Keep us posted!

 

[rridgeoutlaw]

If you decide to go with the 55 gal. route, add rocks in the drum. May sound messy but put used paper in a bag for burning.

 

[chris]

May sound messy but put used paper in a bag for burning.

This is a sticking point. The wife flatly refused to discuss "paper in a bag". :

 

[chris]

Wifey needs to cowgirl up

She's given up a lot, and she's prepared to give up more. This is the first time she put her foot down, so I'm inclined to give in on this one and come up with a compromise solution.

If there's no other way, she'll go along. She's a cowgirl deep down.

 

[oldandcrotchety]

She's given up a lot, and she's prepared to give up more. This is the first time she put her foot down, so I'm inclined to give in on this one and come up with a compromise solution.

If there's no other way, she'll go along. She's a cowgirl deep down.

OK, there's one other thing you might look into, then. You can go to an RV dealer or a place that sells RV related stuff and they will have toilet paper that is especially made for RV use. It degrades really fast and just dissolves away into nothing in no time. It costs more that regular toilet paper, but it isn't just horribly high. Wouldn't fill up the barrel or hole in the ground like regular toilet paper which although it does dissolve, takes longer. Something to check out anyway.

 

[compboy]

This might help you my wife is no cowgirl as a matter of fact the opposite really. here is our solution or at least the one we are planning on implementing in the next year and a half/2 years. This isn't as crazy as it looks we looked into it at the Home depot it's a little expensive but it might work long term

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composting_toilet