Waterless toilets (also called dry toilets) are primarily meant to reduce the usage of water in disposing human wastes.
Furthermore, there are other benefits of waterless toilets you should know of.
Here are top 10 reasons that can convince you to ditch your flush water toilet in favor of a dry toilet.
- Reduced use of water
Using a waterless toilet assures you of 30-60% reduction in usage of water, which is essential in cutting utility bills.
More so, if you are in a water scarce area, you are spared the headache of having sufficient amounts of water to dispose your poo.
- Reduction in toilet odor
Odors are a common occurrence with most flush water toilet systems. Usually, it requires the use of perfumed detergents to curb toilet odors.
The continuous use of detergents is costly, and does not guarantee the elimination of odor from your toilet system.
With a waterless toilet, such as a composting toilet, a comprehensive ventilation system, complete with fans, sufficiently contains the odors.
- Recycling and reuse of waste
Some eco-friendly toilets give you the advantage of reusing the solid human waste on your garden for fertilizing plants.
Furthermore, other types of dry toilets produce biogas, which can be used as a source of energy in your home; for example, in providing heat during winter.
- Minimal impact on the environment
Dry toilets have a limited impact on the environment. Using a dry toilet leaves you with a clear conscience in the manner you dispose your waste without harming aquatic life.
Here are some common environmental problems of flush toilets:
- Large amounts of dangerous effluents released into water bodies from sewer systems and septic tanks harm marine life.
- Laying underground sewer pipes disrupts the soil systems.
- Wastes in sewer systems and septic tanks can leak into the ground water, especially when pipes or tanks break.
- Flexibility in residential planning
Sewerage systems complicate the planning for real estate developments. On the other hand, a dry toilet system allows you to focus on social and environmental considerations in building designs.
With a sewerage system, you will be compelled to only use building designs that allow pipes to run as straight as possible.
- Minimal damage in case of design mistakes
Dry toilets are built on demand, usually serving individual households; unlike community sewer systems that are constructed for many people.
Therefore, whenever a design mistake happens, making corrections in the sewer systems are difficult and complicated.
With a dry toilet, where a flaw in the design affects a few people, usually a single household, mistakes can be corrected fast without much inconveniences.
- Easy detection of pollution
Unintended pollution of water sources is not easy to detect in flush water systems that use extensive sewer systems and septic tanks.
On the other hand, it is much easier to discover whenever a dry toilet becomes a source of pollution, mainly because most of them are self-contained, and conducting inspection is less complicated.
- Support environmental conservation efforts
Eco-friendly toilets reduce the amount of human waste disposed through vast and complicated sewer systems. Sewer systems rely on fossil fuels in processing the waste.
Fossil fuels pollute the environment. One household using dry toilets means less human waste to process in the sewage treatment plants.
Essentially, using dry toilets make you a contributor to the reduction of the harmful emissions on our planet.
- Portability
Some types of dry toilets are portable, giving them an edge over other toilet systems.
For example, they can be used in camps and roadside stops along busy routes where accessing sewer systems and water is challenging.
Think about a lone stop along a highway in the middle of a wilderness.
The portability of some dry toilets provides a dignified means through which you can relieve yourself in such places, sparing you horrifying experiences. Experiences that most people wish to avoid.
- Minimal maintenance costs
After the initial installation, maintaining a waterless toilet is not expensive.
For example, if you opt for an electricity-powered waterless toilet, the amount of energy it will consume will be minimal, which can be met using solar energy.
Therefore, you should not be scared about the costs of maintaining a dry toilet.
Conclusion
There are many reasons you should replace your flush water toilet with a waterless toilet.
Regardless of whether you live in a water-scarce area or not, a dry toilet offers several advantages to your household.
Importantly, you should overcome your phobia of the waterless toilet technology and experience the benefits of pooing without using water. Oops!
Do not let the cost of purchase deter you. Dry toilets might be expensive to buy and install, but they are cheaper and more convenient in the long-term.