permaculture

["John Schinnerer" <john@eco-living.net>]

Aloha,

>> I would especially like to hear suggestions regarding how to build
>> rainwater catchment tanks where metal and plastic are scarce,

> Water:
>
> three water options come to mind (not knowing what you do have availalbe):
> 1) ferrocement - uses a relatively small amount of cement over a supporting
> frame (generally wire mesh but I think bamboo has been used); makes a good
> above-grade tank

Second that - labor-intensive but materials-cheap, no power tools and only a
few simple hand tools needed, etc.  I've heard of using armature other than
metal (bamboo, plastic mesh, etc.) but don't know of any specific successful
projects to point to.

> 3) mounded earth: build uo earth berms. line the storage "tank" with a
> plstic liner or clay.

Great idea! Clay cheapest and most durable of course if you have the local
soil for it.  Food grade liners are usually some $$$, unless somehow you can
get a deal (donations? Aid groups? etc.).

> ALSO: (VERY IMPORTANT): If you want to save costs, get rid of the water
> toilets.

Absolutely.

> USE  A COMPOSTING TOILET SYSTEM....here I'd recommend something along
> the lines of Jenkin's Humanure toilets.

These work great - used 'em myself - but they are
non-optimal/high-maintenance, especially if communal and/or
large/extended-family use.  Examples on request...

For a community-use/large family situation I recommend lower-maintenance
double-vault type composting toilets - can be built using ferrocement, CMUs,
soil-cement block, local rock, rammed earth, etc..

This also keeps fecal matter out of other community compost piles, which *in
theory* is not an issue but in *practice*, if the practice is not perfect, can
be a very serious issue.  I would expect this to be a bigger risk in Haiti
because a) it's in the tropics and b) I assume the general population is
carrying more critters inside 'em on average than most (for example) north
americans.



John Schinnerer - MA, Whole Systems Design
------------------------------------------
- Eco-Living -
Cultural & Ecological Designing
People - Place - Learning - Integration
john@eco-living.net
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