Wastewater systems and Water efficient toilets are a good way of reducing the degradation of the environment. Waterless toilets are even more efficient in lowering environmental impacts since they keep pollutants off waterways. This is because the systems require no water for transporting or treating human excreta.

When properly designed they also act as an excellent way of conserving water which is a scarce resource in many households and reduces the burden of water utility bills. Paying attention to waterless toilet care and maintenance goes a long way in boosting its efficiency.

Conventional toilets are not suitable in environmentally fragile areas. The centralized reticulated systems have the disadvantage of pollution, site restrictions and discharges of septic tanks as they transport waste downstream.

Waterless toilets are quite the opposite. They are a genuine on-site alternative that requires minimum energy and is preferable in areas deprived of water.

Today’s world has seen the use of technology to eliminate water usage in waste disposal and to find new ways of utilizing excreta in other important ways such as biogas harvesting, solar-powered hydrogen generation and so on.

A well designed and maintained waterless toilet can be a sophisticated accessory to a bathroom more so because it does not smell.

The original pit latrine has evolved to the now known waterless toilets, the common being the composting toilet.

Unlike the water closets, this type of waterless toilet requires a large amount of room beneath the bathroom floor and work best under warm conditions.

A waterless toilet very much resembles a conventional toilet with the only difference being that it does not have a flush valve or piping that sits above conventional units as no water is required to operate it.

Instead, the toilet runs on a vertical-trap design where atop the drain of the waterless system sits a trap filled will a thin layer of liquid sealant.

In some cases instead of a trap a cylinder is used, where human excreta is passed through the cylinder and sealant until the cylinder fills up for the waste to flow under the barrier into the waste line for draining.

How to clean waterless toilet does not differ much from the flush toilet. However, the unit is easier to clean since the lack of water keeps the surface dry making it difficult for bacteria to grow and therefore keeps away bad odor.

Furthermore, as opposed to conventional toilets, waterless systems are rust free as there are no water deposits that build up.

Cleaning and Care of Waterless Toilets

Waterless toilet care and maintenance may vary depending on the manufacturer of the system.

However, the same steps and procedures you apply in cleaning a conventional toilet will apply to the waterless toilets.

Some of these include:

• Always use protective clothing such as goggles and gloves when cleaning any restroom fixture.
• Avoid use of abrasive cleaners, brushes or towels
• If there are any foreign objects in the system remove them. You don’t want objects entering and clogging the drains.
• Make use of a Johnny mop with cleaner and water on the surfaces. If possible, you can use an all-purpose cleaner to mist all the toilet surfaces.
• Where the chemical manufacturer has recommended, allow for dwell time.
• Wipe off the all-purpose cleaner with a soft sponge, a cleaning cloth or a Johnny mop from a bucket of clean water.
• It is advisable to dry the surfaces with a wet cloth.
• To avoid water flushing out the sealant from the trap or cylinder insert, do not pour soiled or excess water down the waterless toilet trap.

Maintenance of Waterless Toilets

Technically, the waterless toilet is fairly modest but will require more care compared to a conventional toilet.

For instance, when using a composting toilet, the common waterless toilet, you are required to ensure there is a proper carbon-nitrogen mix to prevent compacting of waste and help aerate the pile.

This will mean that you have to add bulking agent or alkaline-based material such as softwood shavings, or dry leaves on a daily basis or each time the container is put into use.

A waterless toilet that functions correctly and as well as expected should not smell.

If the toilet is emitting offensive odors then kick-start and follow the troubleshooting module because something must be wrong.

In most cases, the frequent addition of bulking agents or carbon-based material will remove the stench. The decision to empty composting toilet when full would also help with the smell.

Another maintenance tip of waterless toilets is the diversion of urine  from the pile and keeping the compost well drained.

This reduces the moisture content in the pile and aids the composting process while ensuring that potential odors are kept at bay. To treat urine or liquid runoff it passes through a solar evaporating tray or a watertight evapotranspiration channel.

If the liquid runoff is to be used as fertilizer, then it should not touch or mix with faeces. Otherwise, it has to be evaporated and sterilized or treated.

It is a requirement of the department of health or council that compost is sufficiently drained and residual moisture  is disposed of.

For aeration of the pile, vent pipes can work using convection in a passive manner. To aid the ventilation systems that are sold off the shelves have fans built in and should be regularly cleaned so that they are not clogged with insects and dust.

Maintaining composting toilet requires that the emptying of the container should be effected once the compost is ready for removal.

This can be done after a given period although the frequency will depend on the container size, frequency of use and the climate of the area. The compost can be disposed according to regulations set  the local authorities or used as fertilizer in the garden.

Safety Precautions

When using the composting toilet which is the most common waterless toilet, it’s important to take some necessary precautions.

For starters, assuming that the compost most likely has left behing pathogens that cause diseases is reasonable. In the compost container the temperature, PH levels, and moisture determine how far decomposition takes place and the destruction caused by pathogens, all of which make the toilet owner’s ability to control or monitor more difficult.

For this reason, it is advisable to always use gloves and a mask when dealing with compost material. Avoid using compost for cultivating vegetables as it can cause serious contamination.

Otherwise, ensure that the compost is buried  10cm deep into soil at the very least. Pay attention to waterless toilet care and maintenance and reap the environmental benefits of such units.