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Salt water toilets?

Shawn

Shawn

Lifer
We were discussing water usage in my Environmental Science class today and in an average household toilets use the most water. Even more than showers. So why don't we use salt water for the toilets, at least for people near the coast? It would save a lot of fresh water. Would it still be more expensive in the long run? How about nonpotable recycled water?

The cruse ship I was on last summer filled their pools and spas with the salt water from the ocean.
 
You'd need to build a distribution system just to get that water to houses, which would cost far more than water savings.
 
Originally posted by: everman
You'd need to build a distribution system just to get that water to houses, which would cost far more than water savings.
Click to expand...

Sure but once the pipes are run wouldn't it pay for itself eventually?
 
Originally posted by: everman
You'd need to build a distribution system just to get that water to houses, which would cost far more than water savings.
Click to expand...

Clearly. The cost of the system outweighs the cost of building desalinization plants.
 
Originally posted by: Shawn
Originally posted by: everman
You'd need to build a distribution system just to get that water to houses, which would cost far more than water savings.
Click to expand...

Sure but once the pipes are run wouldn't it pay for itself eventually?
Click to expand...

Higher maitnence costs, and home owners wouldn't go for adding extra plumbing (more costs).

Clearly. The cost of the system outweighs the cost of building desalinization plants.
Click to expand...
Assuming you don't need desal plants.

That's my best guess for this late at night 😛
 
One of the wifes friends has a swimming pool that is filled with salt water. I guess it's been working pretty good for them. No need for any chemicals.
 
Originally posted by: everman
You'd need to build a distribution system just to get that water to houses, which would cost far more than water savings.
Click to expand...

Exactly.
 

The additional cost is an inhibitor, however it may not in the future when fresh water become a more costly commodity.

The sea land that we use to have here spend about 2K a year on sacrificial zinc anode in their piping, and 35K to refit & new impeller for their pump every 2 years.

It would make more sense to utilize composting toilet or recycle the water by filtering or chemical treatment for domestic waste disposal. Also, greywater (sink, bath, dish, and washers) can be use to water the garden & lawn instead of pumping it directly into the sewer.

Composting toilets, University of British Columbia
 
What would you do with the sewage? You can't run it through a treatment plant and then pour it into a river or something, because you don't want a salty river, it'd kill everything. You can't just let it soak into the ground, it'd kill all the plants. You'd have to desalinate the sewage anyway, or dump it straight back into the ocean, and I don't think most of these people living near the coast want raw sewage floating at the beach.
 
Originally posted by: notfred
What would you do with the sewage? You can't run it through a treatment plant and then pour it into a river or something, because you don't want a salty river, it'd kill everything. You can't just let it soak into the ground, it'd kill all the plants. You'd have to desalinate the sewage anyway, or dump it straight back into the ocean, and I don't think most of these people living near the coast want raw sewage floating at the beach.
Click to expand...

Good point, getting rid of the saltwater would be difficult. Could we just bring it out further into the ocean and dump it? I think the oceans are big enough to handle our waste without causing any serious problems.
 
Ok.

Back in the old days they used salt water toilets in prisons to lower water bills.

They ended up with lots of sick guys in the clinic.

The inmates were drinking the salt water to get sick, so they could spend nights in a nice comfortable, clean bed in the clinic.

So they went back to fresh water.
 
Originally posted by: So
Originally posted by: everman
You'd need to build a distribution system just to get that water to houses, which would cost far more than water savings.
Click to expand...

Clearly. The cost of the system outweighs the cost of building desalinization plants.
Click to expand...

Maybe some clarification is needed in regards to cost.

The cost of RETROFITTING is the issue. You want ot go retrofit Boston? Good luck with that.

Not a bad idea if a new city pops up though.
 
I don't think we use more in toilets than in the shower but it all depends on the number of people in the house, how long of showers you take, etc. But that is why everyone should use the 1.5 gallon flushing toilets instead of the old 3 and 5 gallon flushing toilets. We replaced ours (5 -> 1.5) and our water bill dropped at least $20-$30 every bill. And that's with only 2 of us here.
 
Originally posted by: Shawn
Originally posted by: everman
You'd need to build a distribution system just to get that water to houses, which would cost far more than water savings.
Click to expand...

Sure but once the pipes are run wouldn't it pay for itself eventually?
Click to expand...

No....it was take decades. Salt water needs special pipes, and it would cost billions to put a system like that into place on a large scale.

I live right next to the Great Lakes- not an issue for me anyway 😉
 
Originally posted by: KK
One of the wifes friends has a swimming pool that is filled with salt water. I guess it's been working pretty good for them. No need for any chemicals.
Click to expand...

The YMCA near me has salt water swimming pools. :thumbsup:
 
Originally posted by: Mrvile
Ok.

Back in the old days they used salt water toilets in prisons to lower water bills.

They ended up with lots of sick guys in the clinic.

The inmates were drinking the salt water to get sick, so they could spend nights in a nice comfortable, clean bed in the clinic.

So they went back to fresh water.
Click to expand...

I doubt you'd have that problem in residential applications.
 
Originally posted by: Kvaerner Masa
I think the oceans are big enough to handle our waste without causing any serious problems.
Click to expand...

:|

Where's that trout when I need it?
Click to expand...

It's amazing. Every other animal sh!ts in the woods (and every sea creature sh!ts in the ocean), and it's considered natural. But GAWD FORBID if humans sh!t in the woods.
 
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