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flyrdr
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# Posted: 18 Jun 2012 01:47pm
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I know many of your cabins are off grid and/or of the recreational variety and have composting toilets or outhouses and thus no septic systems yet have running water from various sources such as gravity fed from springs or creeks, rainwater collection etc.. How do you handle wastewater disposal from your showers, kitchen sinks etc?
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VTweekender
Member
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# Posted: 18 Jun 2012 04:54pm - Edited by: VTweekender
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I have not built my cabin yet, but I can tell you what I will be doing with my grey water after much reading. First I will use only green products, soaps, detergents etc..etc.., secondly I am going to dig a 6ft deep by 6ft wide square pit, fill bottom 3 feet with sand, then 3 feet if crushed limestone, run a pipe into the limestone maybe a foot into it in the middle, then cover the pit with dirt and sod on top. Will pipe from shower and sink into the filter pit.
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MJW
Member
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# Posted: 18 Jun 2012 05:24pm
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VT,
I am doing research right now on grey water systems.
Is this the simplest one you have been able to find? Are you going to run everything except black water into this?
Do you mind sharing the source where you found it?
Thanks for any help with this.
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VTweekender
Member
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# Posted: 18 Jun 2012 05:31pm
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MJW, yes I will be running everything but black water to it, I did find the filter pit online somewhere and yes it was a simple setup compared to some others but they did explain why it works great, if I can find it I will post it.
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groingo
Member
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# Posted: 18 Jun 2012 06:32pm
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i just pipe my grey water (Shower, washing and dish) outside to a garden area, the more detergent the more the plants love it, this year I have ten foot high Fox Glove plants and Huge Ferns where the outflow goes!
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MJW
Member
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# Posted: 18 Jun 2012 06:35pm
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Quoting: VTweekender I will be running everything but black water to it
Awesome!
If you don't mind me asking, are you going to do the barrel black water system or something like it?
http://www.wikihow.com/Construct-a-Small-Septic-System
I assume you are wanting to avoid the expense of a complete septic system hence the grey water solution.
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VTweekender
Member
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# Posted: 18 Jun 2012 07:41pm - Edited by: VTweekender
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MJ, I have decided to go with a composting toilet..act of god for a septic permit in VT..I like that system you posted there though...
Keep in mind that my greywater pit will only be getting eco friendly soaps and detergents...I have picked the stuff I want to use from here http://www.pureandgentlesoap.com/shop/ ...
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flyrdr
Member
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# Posted: 18 Jun 2012 09:53pm
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Thanks VT. That sounds like a pretty simple solution. Do you have your land yet and if so is that something you would be allowed to do?
I'm trying to narrow my search to places that I could just have a composting toilet and a gray water system without having to be clandestine about it. I'm finding out that it isn't easy to determine that.
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VTweekender
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# Posted: 19 Jun 2012 02:18am
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flyrdr, yes I have the land already....the composting toilet is not a problem there...the greywater pit I dont know really...don't tell don't ask theory....and since I will only be using these green products I don't think I could run into anything major down the road even if they did discover it....but nobody is looking, my only neighbor who knows whats going on and I have become good friends, he has been helping me clear trees and things and I pay him to do so...he used some of my logs to build a log frame pole barn at his place(without a permit)....I am doing the "no permit" size "shed" deal...all I had to do was make a hand drawing of it and send it to the town as they told me...that was almost 2 years ago now and have never heard from or seen them.
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MJW
Member
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# Posted: 19 Jun 2012 08:28am
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Quoting: groingo i just pipe my grey water (Shower, washing and dish) outside to a garden area
This is an option I am thinking about, too, but I want to install some type of set up that will let me run it to a garden area, trees, etc. OR an underground system of some sort. Probably be as simple as adding some sort of valve but I am looking for the right "pit" to build for it.
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groingo
Member
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# Posted: 19 Jun 2012 09:57am
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My garden area stretches beside my house so I just put a trench down the center of the garden from end to end and just let it fill the trench, I have been using this system in all my homes for over 20 years and it also makes for a good place to throw non meat food scraps, the grey water helps speed the composting and the plants and soil love it.
Just keep it simple, remember water runs down hill and go!
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Sustainusfarm
Member
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# Posted: 19 Jun 2012 10:43pm
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I have no water in the house and bring up water in 5 gallon jugs...I have a sink in the kitchen that drains out to a draintile laid 12" under the soil surface and under the porch. It is about 10' of 6" perforated draintile...it has been like that for 15+ years and so far no smell or issues..sometimes it freezes up in the winter but thaws as soon as I put in some hot water and heat up the cabin. I don't expect ti to handle any more water than what it does now...so when I get a well/rainwater catchment installed I am guessing it will need to be revamped to take the extra water.
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