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Flushing toilets question

P

Possibilities

Retired
Let's say that the water stops flowing. Things progress and the sewage isn't being properly manned. Would it be safe to flush toilets for awhile? If we don't have widespread use of city water, then we also are not flushing and draining massive amounts of water into the sewer (like washing clothing).

Could we use greywater to flush our toilets? How long could we do so? This problem is critical especially come wintertime. It's a real pain to dig an outhouse, but obviously it's pretty low tech to do so. I imagine at some point the sewers could back up...

Any plumbers or engineers out there?
 
Re: Flushing toilets question

For the flushing problem...get yourself prepped with a Campa-Potty or a portable toilet. Then use it til it fills up and them empty it down your toilet...Voila!...lots of use and only one flush. Use whatever water available to flush.

In desperate times, Campa-Potties can be emptied elsewhere. If you have no toilet whatsoever, an old-fashioned toilet bucket lined with newspaper or a plastic bag and 'flushed' with sawdust or kitty litter will work.
 
Re: Flushing toilets question

Thanks for your reply. I'm concerned that if we don't have proper sewage treatment for several months, whether flushing would be a good idea, not to mention the stench.

We all will have to be very careful about waste management post 2nd and 3rd wave pandemic flu. Many times the waste may washout to lower ground, and may in turn pollute the local water source.

I think that these things as well as many others like restarting schools and the burial of the dead and neighborhood security will mean the that folks will have to start talking to each other and re-creating their communities.

Much of the city infrastructure may be gone for awhile. We may be on our own for a time until we begin to trust one another again.
 
Re: Flushing toilets question

Possibilities said:
Let's say that the water stops flowing. Things progress and the sewage isn't being properly manned. Would it be safe to flush toilets for awhile? If we don't have widespread use of city water, then we also are not flushing and draining massive amounts of water into the sewer (like washing clothing).

Could we use greywater to flush our toilets? How long could we do so? This problem is critical especially come wintertime. It's a real pain to dig an outhouse, but obviously it's pretty low tech to do so. I imagine at some point the sewers could back up...

Any plumbers or engineers out there?
Click to expand...

This is an issue recently brought up in a neighboring community development. Sewers need a certain amount of flow to keep processing things efficiently. Our new development was actually offered the ability to tap in. Since the developments are strong market competitors - this would never have happened except for the fact that the other development, with the sewer, absolutely needed to increase flow. So yes - it would cause problems. I believe a big part of the problem also lies at the waste treatment plant level.... a certain amount of waste is needed to keep the "Cycle" going.
 
Re: Flushing toilets question

Which means that I probably need to dig a trench for an outhouse somewhere, or at least need to dig a pit for manure before the ground freezes this winter. I can imagine how bad this will be in my neighborhood. We all live too close to one another.

Some say you can't recycle human "nightsoil" into your compost. Other cultures have done so historically. Seems problematic at best. We do need a good nitrogen source for the compost pile though. Can't imagine feeding a bunch of rabbits on my property...think that the hutch would get raided by hungry neighbors.

Back to the wastewater, I think I can rig a exercise bike with a belt to drive the washing machine in order to agitate the wash. The pump as I recall works pretty simply. When I lived in the Caribbean, I had no washing machine, and simply rung out my clothing, rinsed them, rung them out again, and put them on the line to dry. Washing took awhile longer to do! It definitely took less water.
 
Re: Flushing toilets question

Recently, I've come to understand that one can remove the toilet once the sewers situation get dire, and merely cap it off. Drain lines can have check valves placed on them.

I'd love to get this particular issue figured out. I can see it happening.
 
Re: Flushing toilets question

Sewer lines and other drains can be plugged. They usually have plugs in different sizes at the hardware store. At least in this area they do, we are prone to flooding here. they go in the line and expand to block the line.
 
Re: Flushing toilets question

Possibilities, I'm with you, this is a potential issue that could effect a very large number of people. Can anyone recommend a plug that tsspar is referring to?
 
Re: Flushing toilets question

I plan on plugging it and composting our waste. I know it's not ideal. I may raise worms in it. Gotta keep the nitrogen source going for the compost pile anyway!
 
Re: Flushing toilets question

Some municipalities require check valves in the sewer system that prevent backflow. And houses at higher elevations should not have problems with backflow since most sewer systems operate by gravity. But, if your house is not equipped with a sewer check valve, it would be difficult to prevent backflow even if all the bathtub and sink drains were well plugged. With enough pressure, the sewage would come out of the overflow drains in the sinks/tubs and the sewer vents that usually run up to the roof. (yuck!)

I'm in a relatively low lying area. I looked around my house and found sewer cleanouts on 2 sides and in the driveway, but no apparent way to shut off sewer flow. I suppose if I removed the caps on the sewer cleanouts, the backflow might come out there instead of inside the house. I think I will call the local city building department to ask if sewer check valves were required in my area.
 
Re: Flushing toilets question

Possibilities said:
I plan on plugging it and composting our waste. I know it's not ideal. I may raise worms in it. Gotta keep the nitrogen source going for the compost pile anyway!
Click to expand...

Just keep composted human waste away from food plants. There is no guarantee that pathogens will be inactivated.
 
Re: Flushing toilets question

I checked with the city (Rocklin, CA) building department about the sewer backflow preventer valves. It turns out that they require them in residential if the upstream manhole cover is above the ground level of the house. That makes sense since any overflow would come out of the manhole instead of into the house if the manhole was at a lover elevation than the house. Also, the sewer check valves provide backflow protection, but also make the sewer somewhat more prone to blockage.
 
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