WHAT IS THE VERY BEST WAY TO DISPOSE OF HUMAN WASTE? Use a Septic System, Or Use the City Sewer System

HOW TO DISPOSE OF HUMAN WASTE IN A GRID-DOWN SITUATION Septic System – What do you do? As long as you have availability to water (from storage or any grey water source), you’ll still be able to flush by simply pouring water into the toilet tank or bowl.

City Sewer System – What do you do The absolute first step is: Make sure the sewer main is not down!

If the sewer main is block and non-functional, do not flush the toilet!! Flushing will clear air in the sewer line which will allow neighborhood sewage to back up into sewer line and into your household plumbing (not just the toilets but the sink and tub too).

If you’re absolutely sure there is no issue with the sewer lines, then you can follow the same method as someone on a septic system by simply pouring water into the toilet tank or bowl. Just be sure you have enough water for drinking, cleaning and cooking.

HOW TO FLUSH WITHOUT RUNNING WATER To flush, you can fill up the back tank until the water reaches the float and then hit the flush lever, or… If you have a big enough bucket (at least 2 gallons), quickly pour the bucket of water directly in the bowl which will trigger the siphoning action and cause it to flush on its own.

HUMAN WASTE DISPOSAL IN THE CITY The average person produces around 2-3 pints of urine and 1 pound of excrement a day. Multiply that by the number of people in your family and in a short time you can only imagine the amount of excrement that would pile up in an extended grid-down situation in the city.

If you live in an area of small sized lots and don’t have a lot of land to dispose of human waste, you may want to consider several alternatives listed below.

USE YOUR EXISTING TOILET Even if the sewage lines are blocked and non-functional or if you’re short on water, it’s still possible to use your existing toilet:

1. Remove as much water as you can from the bowl. 2. Tape a doubled-up trash bag to the underside of the toilet seat and let the bag fill the cavity of the bowl. 3. Have a pail of wood ash, quicklime, kitty litter or sawdust available so that after each personal use, the user can sprinkle a liberal amount over it. This will keep the stench and flies down. 4. When the bag is filled up 2/3 of the volume of the bowl, add a good amount of quicklime, wood ash or other disinfectant. If you do not have any of these things, you can use dirt with a little bit of a chlorine solution sprayed in it. 5. After the addition of the disinfectant, securely tie up the bag and place it in a temporary, sealable container (like a 5-gallon bucket or trash container). Keep it in there until you can find a good time and place to dispose of it.

USE A 5-GALLON BUCKET A 5-gallon bucket can be used in a similar way to the toilet.

Like the toilet-method, you’ll want to line it with a double-bagged layer of trash bags (heavy duty type is highly recommended).

For a seat, you can either: 1. Sit on the rim of the bucket directly (it’s not as uncomfortable as you’d think) 2. Remove your existing toilet seat and use it on your 5-gallon bucket. 3. Cut a water noddle to fit the ring of the bucket. 4. Place a couple of 2 x 4’s or other similar objects on the rim to fabricate a makeshift seat. 5. Buy a toilet seat made for a 5-gallon bucket.

WASTE DISPOSAL IN A RURAL AREA (OR YOUR BACKYARD)

CAT HOLE In a short-term emergency, a few cat holes are all you may need. Just take a garden trowel, a small shovel and make a hole about 6-8 inches deep and 4-6 inches in diameter. Keeping one’s balance to do your business over the hole is not easy. It is suggested that something be used to sit on, over the hole. A 5-gallon bucket without lid and with the bottom cut out of the bucket is one idea.

Do your business in the hole. The toilet paper can be burned or thrown in the hole. Cover your excrement with a layer of the dirt you took out to make the hole or cover with some other available material.

Although this is an easy method, here are a few rules you’ll want to abide by: 1. Locate your cat-hole site is at least 200 feet from any source of water 2. Don’t dig in an area where water visibly flows (rain water run-off etc.) 3. Disperse the cat holes over a wide as possible area. 4. If possible, setup your cat hole in an area that gets a lot of sunlight (this will aid decomposition) 5. Again, remember water runoff. Your every thought should be on preventing feces from reaching any water source — be it underground well water, your water table, rivers, lakes, springs, and creeks.

TRENCH LATRINE For a longer-term sanitation solution, you may want to build a trench latrine.

A trench latrine is basically an oversized cat hole that is used multiple times.

The minimal recommended dimensions are around 1.5 feet (.45 m) wide x 1 foot (.3 m) deep and 2 feet (.6 m) long.

It’s also recommended that you build some type of privacy partition. An emergency situation is stressful enough without any unneeded pressure. For example, a simple partition can be built with a few stakes in the ground with blankets, sheets or tarps stretched between them.

Since it is a multi-use station, you’ll also want to prevent any flies and pests from coming into contact with the exposed excrement. To do this, after each use cover the excrement with some wood ash, quick lime, or a few inches of the dirt that came out of the ground when making the pit.

SANITATION – DISEASE The lack of sanitation facilities following a major disaster can quickly create secondary problems unless basic guidelines are followed.

Store a large supply of heavy-duty plastic bags, twist ties, disinfectant, and toilet paper

A good disinfectant that is easy to use is a solution of 1-part liquid bleach to 10 parts water. Dry bleach is caustic and not safe for this type of use.

If the toilet is NOT able to be flushed, it can still be used. This is less stressful for most people than using some other container. Remove all the bowl water. Line it with a heavy-duty plastic bag. When finished, add a small amount of deodorant or disinfectant securely tie the bag, and dispose of it in a large trash can with a tightfitting lid. This large trash can should also be lined with a sturdy trash bag. Eventually, the city will provide a means to dispose of these bags.

Portable camp toilets, small trash cans or sturdy buckets lined with heavy-duty plastic bags can also be used. Those with tight fitting lids are best.

IN A GRID-DOWN SITUATION BE AWARE OF THE INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR FECAL-BORNE PATHOGENS The following three things will bug you: 1. flies 2. pests 3. pets

Flies are especially notorious for landing on your food while you are eating and wouldn’t think twice about doing that after having just visited a fecal deposit nearby.

And what will soon follow is a fecal-borne pathogen’s ultimate fantasy — amounting to a health nightmare for you and your loved ones.

Given that, you want to do everything in your power to prevent unwanted visitors from coming into contact with your excrement by keeping it covered.

TIPS FOR STAYING CLEAN IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION

As much as possible, continue regular hygiene habits such as brushing your teeth, washing your face, combing your hair and even washing your body with a wet washcloth. This will help prevent the spread of disease and irritation as well as help relieve stress.

Keep your fingers out of your mouth. Avoid handling food with your hands.

Avoid coughing on others and avoid being coughed on my others.

Filer/Purify your drinking water Use a ceramic water filter or Boil for 10 minutes

Sterilize eating utensils by heat. You can also rinse dishes in purified water that has additional chlorine bleach added to it. (Use 2 1/2 teaspoons bleach per gallon of purified water.)

Keep your clothing as clean and dry as possible, especially under-clothing and socks. If, during an emergency, you develop vomiting or diarrhea, rest and stop eating solid foods until the symptoms ease up. Take fluids, particularly water, in small amounts at frequent intervals. As soon as can be tolerated, resume eating semi-solid foods. Normal salt intake should be maintained.

KEEP BASIC HYGIENE SUPPLIES HANDY

Toilet paper Several rolls of paper towels Sanitary napkins Moistened towelettes Baby wipes A few small hand towels Liquid all-purpose soap Fingernail clippers and files Small hand-held mirror Rubbing alcohol Vaseline Petroleum Jelly Liquid Chlorine Bleach Ammonia (disinfecting aid) Insect repellent Cornstarch