Alternatives To Septic Systems

The most important function of a septic system is to render the bacteria in human waste harmless. In a traditional system, water flushes waste into a septic tank where anaerobic bacteria, those requiring no oxygen, break the waste down and then spill it into a leach field where it is absorbed into the soil. Waste that is not completely broken down can carry coliform bacteria, or e coli, into the water system where it is hazardous to human health. Alternatives to traditional septic systems offer disposal of human waste in a safe, and sometimes environmentally friendly, manner.

City Sewer

The simplest alternative to a septic system is to hook into a city sewer system. The Environmental Protection Agency (Reference 1) estimated that in 2007, approximately 80 percent of U.S. households were connected to a centralized sewage system. If you live within a city's boundaries, you might be able to connect to city sewage and water. Connecting in this way eliminates the maintenance required for a septic system and reduces potential septic system problems. You will, however, be required to pay a fee for the centralized water and sewer service. Contact your city's administrative offices for more details.

Composting Toilet

Perhaps one of the most extreme alternatives to a septic system is the use of a composting toilet. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (Reference 2), these toilets are designed so that human waste decomposes and is made harmless through the use of aerobic, or oxygen-requiring, bacteria. This process takes place in the base of the toilet, or in a larger chamber that catches waste from multiple toilets in one building. Composting toilets require that waste materials be turned and the containers emptied periodically.

A study published in the September 2001 issue of the journal "Applied and Environmental Microbiology" found that composting toilets are a safe way to process human waste and render a humus-like product that can be used to fertilize inedible plants. To work effectively, waste material must be maintained at the temperatures and moisture levels mandated by the toilet's manufacturer.

Lagoon Systems

Lagoon septic systems offer several designs, but all empty waste into a pond or lagoon facility. Once the waste has been treated, it can be released for use on garden plants. One design uses a septic tank to capture and perform initial processing of solid wastes. Liquid effluent flows into a shallow pond where sunlight and oxygen allow anaerobic bacteria to process the waste.

In the aerated lagoon design, no septic tank is used; instead, waste flows directly to a deeper lagoon. The Water Treatments (Reference 4) states that a series of mechanical aerators is used to allow oxygen to circulate through the water, creating an aerobic environment from the top to the bottom of the pond. Waste remains in the aerated lagoon longer than in a lagoon where waste has been pretreated, allowing for a greater degree of treatment for household chemicals.