Composting toilets are great, we have one here on Cayuga lake in Ithaca NY

Submitted by bluecayuga on 2 June, 2006 - 14:49.

Does anyone know of any people who have tried them in Nicaragua and if yes, are they sold in Nicaragua? What is the cost? We're trying to figure out if it would be cheaper to ship one or buy one there.

How hard is it to put in and maintain a septic system in Nica? If I live in an area that occasionally floods, does that affect the septic? I am just learning about all of these things so anyone with wisdom in this area, I'd love to hear your opinion.

sheila

blue cayuga studio

‹ changed my name. Place to Retire ›
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composting toilets

Submitted by el malabarista on 3 June, 2006 - 08:01.

we built one on a finca above Achuapa...er....in fact two.....Build a high brick 'shed' preferably on high ground. Half way up shed build floor with two holes cast in it....toilet size!....one at each end and separate the two, below the floor, with a wall. Now the important bit....you need to keep your solid waste and your liquid wastes apart, so with a little imagination you can make a two hole commode....use clay with a concrete 'skin' remember that girlies aren't too accurate (revenge) with this type and make the front hole generously sized.Position the commode over one of the holes. still following?....then at the rear of the shed make two wooden doors below the level of the floor and heap earth around to seal them.From the two ends take a 4" pipe up to the roof level and leave open to the air....put a 'hat' on them when its rainy season. From the liquid waste part run a pipe down to a trench about 3' deep and line with broken clay tiles or pebbles, leading to a small pit to act as a soakaway. the solid waste drops into the chamber(s) below and if you add a small pana of dried cow dung after each use it will stay sweet. After about one year when the chamber is getting full simply move the commode over to the second hole and cover the first one. after 18 months the waste will be fully composted and after unsealing the door you can spread on the fields/garden. it doesn't even smell like s**t at all!!Don't put used paper in, burn it or feed it to the pigs (they love it)This method is widely used in the rural areas and uses no water (except to wash your hands afterwards)

Urine ruins composting effect?

Submitted by haircuttingcowboy on 21 September, 2006 - 12:14.

Your instructions indicate that urine must be separated from fecal matter. I suppose that the combination has a negative effect on the composting process. If a system lets it all run together, then its a latrine, I guess. Venting is always a good idea in any case. Your plan looks like a very good one. I'm imagining that aside from pvc pipes and fittings for drains and vent tubes, certain other synthetic components could be utilised for liquid catch basins.

That sure is disgusting that pigs eat soiled TP.

wow! thank you!

Submitted by bluecayuga on 3 June, 2006 - 17:48.

we just bought our composting toilet in Ithaca... I didn't even realize we could build them. It sounds complicated but I'm sure it's do-able. thank you, thank you, thank you for your well detailed post... this will be a big help (i'm probably going to have to hire someone to do this.. unless my son is willing to give it a shot and just do it.

blue

sheila, this is unrelated

Submitted by belle on 21 September, 2006 - 08:27.

sheila, this is unrelated but i have been trying to get ahold of you. im very familiar w/the area you are in (salinas grande) and am looking at a purchase. would you contact me so i can ask you some questions? thanks, my name is belle.

Buying

Submitted by Huehuete Bob on 21 September, 2006 - 12:03.

Belle, before you buy anything especially at a beach check with the department recorders office. Much land, beach land especially can belong to a cooperative or be indian land. You can purchase, build a house and still not own the land. Not saying this will happen, but it is possible. Checking on who owned the property for the last 25 years is simple. But it would be prudent to have a lawyer check it out for you.

try this?

Submitted by no longer registered on 21 September, 2006 - 08:31.

If you have not tried this:

Click on her user-id. Click on "contact". That will bring up an email form that will be sent to her email addy...

Many people do not have this option enabled on NL -- sheila does...

Build, not buy

Submitted by fyl on 3 June, 2006 - 06:20.

Remember my old saying here, "labor is free". There are lots of plans for composting toilets. I have seen them in alternative building books I bought 25-30 years ago. You would need to think about materials (there are plastic water tanks that could probably be adapted) or use fiberglass.

Building and selling them could be a decent business. Cities have sewers and rural folk are usually happy with a latrine. But, I do think there would probably be a market in Gringolandia.

Sorry I don't have an info

Submitted by FNLM on 2 June, 2006 - 20:09.

Sorry I don't have an info on the Composting toilets, just an odd story from recently in Philadelphia.

A new building is in the process of being planned / built. It will be the largest and tallest in Philadelphia. and the tallest "LEED" building in the world.

rendering of new building

In anycase they planned the building to have a complete composting toilet system waterless toilets, throughout the entire building! well it was great till the plumbers Union got wind of it, since they will not get less work out of it. So now since they would have little work, a deal was made, the union will plumb the entire building even though they will not need the plumbing and they will have composting toilets. go figure.