We had to pay 250 dollars by Jaunuary 1st 2007 to be able to put in a typical septic system, which will cost 6,000. It must be done within this year. I have 5,000 as of right now to work with. Had we not paid the 250 for the permit (really it is a one year extension), it will cost me 20,000 to put in the new style mound system that the state now requires.

Well, I just learned about composting toilets. I want to see if the health department will let me do that....

And, I just leanred about a complete grey water recycling system. I want to use this for EVERYTHING except for the toilet...

I want it to be gravity fed. I dont want it to use electricity at all. I can only find one seller in america--brac, but was told theirs runs on electricity.

I need to find this info out soon, or feel I will have to put in a septic tank.

So here are my questions:

Does anyone know of a seller that sells complete gravity systems?

Does anyone know how much this would typically cost?

Or how much room is needed?

Or, will the pipes freeze and be unoperable in winter?

Or just any other info?

Do I have to pay a plumber to do this in America (cause it really doesnt seem to be thaaaaat hard)?

Any other advice would be appreciated!!!

Thanks,
sammie

It seems the water is sent back to the city sewer.

I will be living in the country and will not be connected to city pipes at all. I will have a well.

Plus, since I already use all natural and organic cleaning products, I want the grey water to go to my garden...

I'm just so distressed. I can find any buisinesses online other than brac. But it doesnt seem brac will work for me.

Please help me if you can!

sammie

I've got to say, it seems to be a foreign concept in this country - literally. Americans seem to be afraid of greywater use. I think only California(???) allows its use, and I'm sure that any system I rig up here would have to be under the radar, otherwise the health department would swoop down on me, just for using shower water to water my perennials. Go figure.

I haven't gotten too far in my research to turn up anything helpful, but I do wish you luck. Please share your experiences here with us. I'd look forward to seeing how you make out.

Here's an eye-opening link. Don't know how much practical help it will be, but it makes for interesting reading.

:)
Dee

In mother earth news magazine (april/may 2007) a lady, named Cassandra Naylor, from Maryland has a gravity fed grey water system that she uses for her garden. She has the water fed to two stone troughs (pretty). Wonder how she got the health department to let her do that? Oh! I wish I could talk to her! It was the article about her home that taught me about the idea of grey water recycling. I got online to see what it was about.

Also, on
http://www.oasisdesign.net/greywater/
It talks about california laws and some dryer state (was it colorado?)

It gives info about the why and how of doing this, but doesnt tell of businesses. Perhaps it id for the "do-it-yourselfer."

I wish I could do it myself. Talk about the money saved! But I feel that since it is so new in the U.S. that if I had professional products that they health department would be more likely to let me. Not that it should work that way, but it does.

now. Hopefully this post will go through...

why not check out simply keeping the grey water system simple and use it direct and as fresh as it comes? i'm sure your local council will have requirements if you get engineer planned system to feed say fruit trees with it.

check out the nature-loo composting toilet it is epa approved and uses no water, most local gov's accept epa approved processes.

len

"They do need heat to work, however and can't be run in an unheated structure without supplemental heat to compost properly."

I am glad you brought that up. I was considereing one of the models (more money) where the composting part sits under the house. I guess that one would only works in warmer places and wont work in my home--Ohio! So, that means I would have to get the kind that composts inside-- an all on one unit. That way it will stay warm enough (I hope).

Len,
Thanks for you info. I have already been to your site. I saw it in a different post. I absolutely LOVE the raise beds you make out of bales. Magnificent! and there is more on your site I want to read about too!

I just hope the county health department will let me do this. If they dont, I will cough up the 6,000 for the septic tank....But that doesnt mean I have to use it after they approve it. hehehehehe. If I have to put it in, it will just take me a couple more years to afford the composting toilet and a grey water system is all.

OH, BTW--- thats great washington state approves grey water systems! But it is a shame that they are electric. What would happen if a time comes when (God forbid) our economy fails and there is no more normal electricity?

Thats why learning to live without such commodities is so important for me right now. I do want to get a home wind power set up some distant day from today (Once my property is paid off).

I wish I could find a mentor in my area to learn all these things!

sammie

You might like to have a look at this website. I've seen this place on tv a few times. Very inspiring.

sustainable house

yes all these systems are epa approved so local gov' have nothing to stand on to be able to not approve you using one, just if you are commited enough to take the fight up to them.

same as if you supply what you want to do with the grey water and ahve engineer drawing and another engineer absorbtion test they can't realy knock that back just like in our case made us put in a regulation grease trap (always lots dearer because the makers know they got a ready market assisted by gov' regulations, which by the way have no founding in common sense or actual need, just stand over stuff).

like you say put in the very minimum and cheapest they call for then do your own thing anyway, they can't do anything about that just don't go putting up a neon sign at the front gate, keep it to yourself.

yes composting toilets need some heat or warmth in our case we used composting worms so they need to be kept active, but there are ways around that i'm sure.

check out the 'humanure' site (lots of links on our pages to these variuos things), composting human waste no harder than composting other organic matter, so maybe with the composting toilet and realy "nature-loo' is about the simplest on the market, maybe use a unti with smaller holding drum but more of them??? take time to write an e/m to them and discuss you issues they are friendly folk.

did you get to read our 'eco' home' essay yet?

len