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  • From: Robyn Francis <erda@nor.com.au>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Shit
  • Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2007 20:03:42 +1000


On 18/6/07 2:36 PM, "Tommy Tolson" <healinghawk@earthlink.net> wrote:

> My understanding of a built wetlands is a normal septic tank with a pump
> installed in the second chamber. When the contents are high enough, they
> are pumped into a rock and reed bed.

Only needs a pump if you can't work on gravity feed.

>Reedy plants pull nutrients from
> the water, leaving it pretty clean, then it runs out into a pond
> situation where it supports wildlife and perhaps agriculture. I've
> heard, too, that water coming out of the r&r bed is near drinking
> quality. Some build greenhouses over the r&r beds to keep the reeds
> growing all year in colder areas. But there's still the septic tank to
> be dealt with. /Solviva/, I think, talked of flushing toilets into a
> worm box, from which the water came out clean. That seems better than a
> septic system, but I don't see many places allowing a permit to build
> such a thing under the current system.

Waste black water (sewage affluent) will require tertiary+ treatment beyond
the reed beds to come up to potable standards.

The septic sludge could be used for methane digestion and/or composted with
carbon waste, or used to grow non-food crops.

Lismore City Council has a pdf on reedbed treatment systems
http://www.lismore.nsw.gov.au/content/uploads/Reedbed_Doc_2004_Final.pdf

I have 2 council-approved reedbeds (constructed wetlands) one for grey water
and another which treats blackwater
Ciao
Robyn






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