Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[<pbunch@cox.net>]

We need to expand our treatment system to accommodate people who will be 
visiting our place.  My wife is getting ready to rent rooms as part of a 
tourism project and and we will need to add capacity for about 6 to 8 people 
(initially sporadic use but potentially full time). Our subsoil drains slowly 
so a traditional drain field would need to be rather large and importing the 
gravel would be difficult as there is no road access. Also as we are located 
in a watershed reserve with a major tourism component this is a sensitive 
issue. .We don't want to pollute water that is critical to the city and we 
can't afford to have odor problems due to both the guests and close proximity 
of hikers, etc.

I would be interested in hearing how others have solved these kinds of issues.

Phil
Medellin/Piedras Blancas


---- Emery Mitchamore <emitch@att.net> wrote: 
> The EXPLANATION was over-simplistic, not the system.  I've heard of it, 
> I've googled it, I've seen pictures.  What I HAVE NOT seen is an 
> explanation of how it's done.  How does one determine the size, materials, 
> plants?  The plants must grow, so how do you harvest them, and what do you 
> do with them?  The growth medium must need to be of a certain type and size 
> to prevent clogging, and I imagine that some combinations of "rock" and 
> plants work better than others.  Surely, if it's worth doing, it's worth 
> doing well, but I'd rather not have to invent this thing all by myself, 
> when it has already been done successfully.
> 
> E. E. "Mitch" Mitchamore
> www.hillcountrynatives.net
> 
> 
> 
> On Jun 8, 2010, at 12:14 PM, Joan Vibert wrote:
> 
> > "Plants purify the water" is a bit over-simplistic. 
> > 
> > Actually its not “over-simplistic” at all.  We’ve had a marsh 
> > (rock-plant-filter) system since 1994 that handles all of our sewage on 
> > our farm.  We were the second system to go in in Kansas and they used the 
> > information collected over several years to write the regulations for the 
> > Kansas Department of Health & Environment.  This required monthly testing 
> > for at least two years as I recall.  It was amazing – the water at the 
> > end of our marsh (its about 12’ x 60’) was 99% pure according to the 
> > testing lab.  Actually purer than our drinking water I’m sure.
> > 
> > The same system should be used wherever possible for municipal sewage 
> > treatment – its so simple and I’m sure that’s why it doesn’t get 
> > considered – it just doesn’t cost enough and cuts out lots of engineers 
> > expenses.
> > 
> > Joan Vibert
> > Windwalker Farm
> > Ottawa, Kansas
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