Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[<pbunch@cox.net>]

What kinds, if any, of problems can develop with odors?


---- Ken Hargesheimer <minifarms2@yahoo.com> wrote: 
> The water leaving the system is drinkable.  No problem.  
> 
> --- On Wed, 6/9/10, pbunch@cox.net <pbunch@cox.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> From: pbunch@cox.net <pbunch@cox.net>
> Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] sewage systems
> To: "Healthy soil and sustainable growing" 
> <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Date: Wednesday, June 9, 2010, 7:34 AM
> 
> 
> 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
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Livingontheland mailing list
> > > Livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
> > > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/livingontheland
> > 
> 
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