One of the many things that need to be considered when looking at
a remote or recreational property outside of municipal boundaries is how septic
waste disposal happens. There are many options, and each has its own merits.
Indoor plumbing is generally an option, but it can be costly. All properties are supposed to have a permitted system, which means installation
and inspection by a professional. In our region this is covered by the
Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA). You can find more information about
regulations for septic systems here: https://www.viha.ca/mho/Land_Use_FAQS.html#Requirements
A lot of the systems available
still require pumping and disposal of the waste from a holding tank. These can
be great options for those living on larger islands where pumping services are
available (such as Quadra, Cortes or Gabriola); however not such a great option
for many recreational and more remote properties. There are also filtration
systems and outflow systems, all of which direct the waste somewhere else (such
as gravel fields or in some cases directly out to bodies of water).
For most people when they think of cabins and remote properties,
the traditional outhouse comes to mind. These are still very popular and
common, and once established require little more than routine maintenance.
Outhouses can be fun to decorate and they can range from incredibly rustic to
quite fancy.
There are three waterless
options that property owners can consider. These can be inside a cabin or in an
outhouse-style building.
*Composting Toilets. These are
toilets that use aerobic processing through composting. This is a controlled
composting system that protects the surrounding environment. These are popular
systems and readily available in many countries. Here is some more explanation
on how they work: http://www.letsgogreen.com/how-composting-toilets-work.html
*Incinerating Toilets. As the
name implies these toilets burn the waste. This can be done in a few ways
depending on the system's design but generally the waste is reduced to an ash
in a holding tank and then can be safely disposed of. This is an information
sheet from 1999 created by the EPA in the US, all about incinerating toilets: https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/www3/npdes/www3/pubs/incinera.pdf
*Evaporating Toilets. These
systems actually dry-out the waste and create a sterile, compact waste that can
be safely disposed of in the trash system. There are both passive systems that
require no outside electricity and systems that do require some energy input.
Evaporating toilets are very low maintenance. http://www.enviroalternatives.com/toiletcua.html
There are solutions for every
budget and every lifestyle!
It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!
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