Doing Away With Flush Toilets

[jeepmor]

We could use a lot less water by simply elevating the tanks to get that jet action flush that many large buildings with tankless toilets and a lot of water pressure have.

Water conservation mandates are fine and dandy, but there should be some standard amount of something that is the test vehicle for determining a commode's effectiveness.  We could call it a poop star rating to stay in step with the energy star concept.  Like how many golf balls can it flush and so on.  Just double the height of the tanks and I think we'd all be pleasantly surprised at the performance of even the poorly engineered models that get passed off at the home supply and plumbing stores by the thousands.


This could be achieved simply by changing the tank into a colum to double the water height.  We don't need to go backwards with our human waste disposal, just up.

[Perd Hapley]

I don't know, I rather like it when socialists admit they are working to return us to the Dark Ages.

Actually, the socialist regressives prefer to be called progressives now.

[HankB]

These econazis who dislike flush toilets are probably part of the same bunch that hates "urban sprawl" (what most people call home ownership) and greatly prefers high density housing (tenements) for most of the population.

Combine high-density housing with an absence of flush toilets . . . and possible rationing of toliet paper (ala Sheryl Crowe) . . . 

[Manedwolf]

Last I heard, there was already a brisk business in black-market high-flow toilets in CA...and if one of the older 1950's ranch-style suburb homes is to demolished, people immediately buy the toilets from it.

That's just sort of sad...

[roo_ster]

They will get my 3.5gal flush toilet when they pry it away from my cold, dead, ...

If ever I engage in new home construction, I will endeavor to find new manufactured 3.5gal flush toilets, even if I have to truck with shady smuggler types. 

[Sergeant Bob]

I have read Mao to George Lincoln Rockwell and there were all fixated on human waste.  What is it with authoritarian/fascist types and *expletive deleted*it?

They just can't help themselves, its in their nature.

Edited...to remove animated picture of Algore with poop coming out of his mouth as it was offensive to some readers

[Fjolnirsson]

Sgt Bob, that is truly disturbing. Maybe because I just woke up.....

[MechAg94]

I agree.  Please delete that and never post it again. 

[Firethorn]

You don't need a 3.5 gallon flush toilet, what you need is a properly engineered low-flow one.  They do make them, it's just my understanding that 90% of the low flow ones are poor at handling people's crap. 

We need some more tolerant toilets.

My low-flow isn't too bad, it has a standard tank on it, it just doesn't empty the sucker.  So you end up with about a foot of water pushing down on the water that's actually headed for the bowl, giving good pressure.  Best part is if I actually need a good flush, all I need to do is hold the flush lever down, and I'll get a full 3.5 gallon flush.

The regs only say that the 'average' flush has to be small, not that you can't override it.

[Manedwolf]

Totos are good. But a lot of domestic "low flows" either require multiple flushes, thus negating any water saved, or just jam up if you drop more than two tissues in it, requiring a plunger and profanity.

[Tallpine]

I'm glad to know my septic system is so eco-friendly.  I guess I can use that as a carbon credit for my pickup and SUV 

"Alternative" human waste disposal systems have been illegal in many jurisdictions.

Outhouses are still somewhat acceptable around here.  I think the general rule is you can build a new house for an existing hole or dig a new hole for an existing out house.  I'm sure that I can find a low spot in the ground or an old board around here somewhere that came from an outhouse. 

Actually, we still have one on our land next to an old cabin, though our house is "modern."

I've used outhouses a bunch in my life - living in logging camps, etc.  You get used to it.  Most fun in the winter when things don't "level out" but rather pile up in a frozen stalagmite.   

[charby]

I liked the toilets I ran into in Europe for water consumption. They looked like a normal toilet but had a flat shelf where you did you business and a jet of water pushed it down the drain when you flushed, seemed to use a lot less water than the low flow toilets we are accustomed to.

-Charby

[280plus]

yea, I put a Toto in at the old hacienda and it has a unique design that does seem to eliminate the need for the double flush.

[roo_ster]

I've used outhouses a bunch in my life - living in logging camps, etc.  You get used to it.  Most fun in the winter when things don't "level out" but rather pile up in a frozen stalagmite.   

Now, that is a disturbing visual.

[280plus]

Best toilet I can remember is/was at the top of Belter's Bump along the AT in CT. Just a porcelain toilet sitting on a hole out in the middle of the woods au naturel. No "privy" around it. I've never felt any closer to nature that I did on that thing. 

The thing to remember is, if you hear the rustling of leaves and such approaching while you're, uh, doing your thing, it's not a bad idea to maybe clear your throat or otherwise indicate that the services are currently occupado and hopefully, for your sake, it's not a bear. No, it didn't flush.

 

[Tallpine]

Yeah, 280 - I forgot to mention that many of our logging camp outhouses were all "out" and no "house"   Some really fantastic views, though.

One time I was up a a fairly remote cabin in Alaska (ride the train and then get off and walk four miles), and made the daily trip down over the hill to the house-less outhouse.  I was sitting there minding my own business when a Supercub flew over at about 200'.  Only thing to do was smile and wave 

[French G.]

Maybe we should all just go with the porcelain hole in the floor and the kitchen sprayer thingy like all those civilized folks in the sandbox do. No way they use 1.6 gallons to clean up, I've smelled them.

I didn't crap in a flush toilet until age 5, they can keep their earth composting toilet, I'm not going back!

[280plus]

yea, that's it, lots of out, no house. You can really get some contemplatin' done on one of those. 

[DJJ]

They can have my flush toilet when they pry my cold dead butt from it...

What if it's just asleep? 

[280plus]

At that point it's time to put the magazine down... 

[Scout26]

I double over with laughter when the enviro-nuts start talking about a water "shortage".  Last I checked there are these large blue things just filled with H20 and a little effort removes the salt and other impurities......

[K Frame]

When I was in Scouts, winter camp was cabin camping at the scout reservation in the county where I grew up in Pennsylvania.

Some years it was mild, some years it was brutally cold.

But, in all years, the latrines at Hidden Valley had stainless steel rings. 

After my first year there I always took a bottle of Ronson fluid. Before I sat, I'd spray the ring in lighter fluid and light it off.

It took some of the nip off.

[Gewehr98]

Damn, that reminds me of my younger days.

USAF Cool School (Arctic Survival), 1989.  Just outside Fairbanks, Alaska.   

The men's commode was supposed to be a hole dug in the ground 50-100 yards from camp, but the ground was frozen so it was more of a shallow trench with the snow cleared away.

The survival instructors said they didn't want the used government 40-grit toilet paper to litter the woods, so "get rid of it elsewhere".

I took that as my cue to bring it back to camp and throw it in the campfire.  Probably not my best idea, since everybody was huddling around the fire warming up themselves and their hot chocolate.  The smoke was, at best, pure evil. 

[Antibubba]

Everyone talks about how much water gets wasted, when the issue is the quality of the water.The same pristine sanitized water I drink and bathe with also carries away my waste; the water I use to brush my teeth is used to hose down the driveway.  It would make a great deal more sense to have a different water source for the toilet than for the sink.

[Firethorn]

Everyone talks about how much water gets wasted, when the issue is the quality of the water.The same pristine sanitized water I drink and bathe with also carries away my waste; the water I use to brush my teeth is used to hose down the driveway.  It would make a great deal more sense to have a different water source for the toilet than for the sink.

Indeed; as well as a separate disposal path for industrial chemical waste.

We possess the ability to turn sewage back into drinking water.  It's just expensive.  Marginal water for toilets and watering lawns is not a bad idea.