[Greenbuilding] Septic for high water table area
Lynelle Hamilton
lynelle at lahamilton.com
Thu Jul 21 06:30:56 CDT 2016
Thanks, John for your comments. The cabin will be my permanent home.
Waterloo biofilter has been mentioned, but I know little of it, so
appreciate the information. I've had a single composting unit and know
that they need regular tending. I don't mind the tending, but the lot is
small, so disposal would be an issue. I sit 100 feet from the water, so
have to be really mindful of what I do and its impact.
In terms of the township, I sense reluctance to suggest anything, I
suppose due to some fear that they'd be responsible for
recommending...it's more of a "bring your plans and we'll say yea or
nay". Local installers advocate the raised bed, but seems mostly because
it's "traditionaL."
Lynelle
On 2016-07-21 1:10 AM, John Salmen wrote:
>
> Being in Ontario I would recommend a waterloo biofilter especially for
> what sounds more like a house than a cabin - but there would be some
> minimal energy involved. Probably a holding tank and solar pump would
> work in terms of engineering if energy is a concern. I trust that
> product as I have worked with it.
>
> I’ve designed a few composting systems when forced to - and they are
> essentially polluting unless its a closed system that can denitrify
> urine and that gets complex. For a house system they literally stink
> unless venting is really well developed and paid for and then even
> then...essentially I don’t like them as I don’t trust homeowners to
> make them work over time which is not a criticism – no one wants to
> deal with shit which is why we have municipal authorities and pay them
> well.
>
> Composting systems still have a somewhat reduced end product that
> still has to find a resting place. If you had a farm that you
> intended to farm for a 1000 years or so yes I could see wanting to
> maintain the nutrients in some well considered system though you would
> need to indenture your progeny for 900 and something plus years. Other
> than that you need a simple plan that can deal with the waste of 3
> bedroom home for a generation or so.
>
> Perhaps there is a local composting system you could tie into for a
> pump and dump. 50’s technology but ironically it puts the ‘load’ on
> municipal gov’t to protect environment and make the best use of the
> nutrients. Watersheds are critical protection areas and a lot of
> thought has gone into that in local gov’t these days. Perhaps you
> could ask them as to what the best plan might be for your area.
>
> *From:*Greenbuilding
> [mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] *On Behalf Of
> *Lynelle Hamilton
> *Sent:* July-20-16 8:43 PM
> *To:* Green Building
> *Subject:* Re: [Greenbuilding] Septic for high water table area
>
> Hi Sharon,
>
> Hydro went out and ditched the internet when I was sending a reply. I
> apologise if this is a duplicate post.
>
> Thanks for the post and link.
>
> I had a peat pot system (an EcoFlo) some years ago, but the appear to
> have disappeared from the scene here in central Ontario.
>
> I'm considering a composting system, but if I use one, want a whole
> house system. This is a bit of a challenge in a home with insulated
> slab on grade construction. I'm toying with the idea of a small crawl
> space area to hold the composter unit, as well as some other
> utilities, though.
>
> Lynelle
>
> On 2016-07-20 11:13 PM, Sharon D. Moran wrote:
>
> Hello Lynelle,
>
> I have heard about alternative onsite septic systems that use peat moss,
>
> and that approach may not always require a raised bed.
>
> Here in upstate NY, the company Bord Na Mona (see link below) has made some installations on small-lot, lakeside cottages.
>
> Since you mentioned wanting to be as low tech as possible,
>
> you might consider whether you would be comfortable with a dry toilet approach in the cottage, and if so,
>
> then your wastewater focus would only need to be greywater, rather than blackwater (thereby simplifying matters a bit).
>
> While many local governments can be skeptical about alternative approaches, making it harder for innovators,
>
> other local governments do tons of research and provide lots of information, and this has to be one of the best out there - Massachusetts' Barnstable County:
>
> http://www.barnstablecountyhealth.org/resources/publications/compendium-of-information-on-alternative-onsite-septic-system-technology/peat-filter-septic-systems
>
> -Sharon
>
>
>
> ________________________________________
>
> From: Greenbuilding [greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
> <mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org>] on behalf of Lynelle Hamilton [lynelle at lahamilton.com <mailto:lynelle at lahamilton.com>]
>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2016 10:37 PM
>
> To:greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org
> <mailto:greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org>
>
> Subject: [Greenbuilding] Septic for high water table area
>
> Hello all,
>
> I'm extensively renovating a 700 sq ft cottage and will add square footage in the process. This will require replacing the septic bed as it: a) was constructed during the Defenbaker years; b) is insufficient for what will be a 3 bedroom 2.5 bath home; and c)is downright ugly and will render unusable a large chunk of a small lot.
>
> I'm on Lake Simcoe and the the water table is high. I've been told that "everyone" has to install a raised bed, but a number of the updated homes (including those that have added square footage) don't have one. Are there alternatives to raised bed systems that will be as low tech as possible (e.g. eliminating the need for a pump/processing system that requires electricity and/or constatn monitoring.
>
> I'd appreciate any thoughts folks have to offer!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Lynelle
>
> [https://ipmcdn.avast.com/images/2016/icons/icon-envelope-tick-round-orange_184x116-v1.png]<https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient&utm_term=icon>
> <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient&utm_term=icon> Virus-free.www.avast.com
> <http://www.avast.com><https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient&utm_term=link>
> <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient&utm_term=link>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> Greenbuilding mailing list
>
> to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
>
> Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org
> <mailto:Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org>
>
> to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
>
> http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org
>
> Image removed by sender.
> <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient&utm_term=icon>
>
>
>
> Virus-free. www.avast.com
> <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient&utm_term=link>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Greenbuilding mailing list
> to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
> Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org
>
> to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
> http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org
---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.bioenergylists.org/pipermail/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org/attachments/20160721/2f95a8d5/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 350 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.bioenergylists.org/pipermail/greenbuilding_lists.bioenergylists.org/attachments/20160721/2f95a8d5/attachment.jpe>
More information about the Greenbuilding
mailing list