Part 6

Cesspools are cheap in first cost but high in maintenance costs and often become nuisances. They should be located at least 150 feet from wells, 15 feet from seepage pits and property lines, and 20 feet from dwelling foundations. They should never be used in the vicinity of shallow wells and, in any case, only where permitted by State regulations.

The cesspool depends for its action upon seepage into the surrounding soil and consequently is particularly unsatisfactory in tight clay soils. In more open sand and gravel soils the seepage is reduced as the pores of the soil become clogged with particles of solids, until it stops entirely, and overflowing occurs. Emptying and then cleaning the walls and floor of a cesspool do not fully open up the clogged soil pores, and overflowing can be expected to occur soon again.

Solids in cesspools must be removed from time to time by bailing or pumping and should then be buried 18 to 24 inches deep in a trench where the water supply will not be endangered. Caustic potash (lye) will to some extent liquefy solids in a cesspool. This treatment does not eliminate the necessity of removing the contents when periodic inspection shows that the cesspool is nearly full. Caustic potash converts the greases into soft soap, whereas caustic soda forms a hard soap that does not readily dissolve. The chemical treatment is not effective in liquefying solids in the pores of the soil surrounding the cesspool.

When clogging continues and cannot be corrected, in most cases the best solution to the problem would be to abandon the cesspool and install a septic-tank system with tile disposal field. The cesspool should be completely filled with stones, earth, or other solid materials to avoid possible cave-ins.

See The Septic Tank, p. 8.

PRIVIES

A privy when safely located and properly built and maintained is satisfactory for its purpose on the farm. Privies should be built 50 to 150 feet from the farmhouse, preferably on the opposite side of the house from prevailing winds, and at least 50 feet from the well. A site downhill from the well is generally safest. In some cases, however, the ground water may flow in a direction opposite to the slope of the surface, in which case the privy should be built on the other side of the well. Direction of flow may sometimes be learned from soil surveys, well-driller's data, or other similar sources. A distance of at least 6 feet from fences or other buildings allows for proper mounding of the privy and keeps it away from roof drainage from adjacent buildings.

Good, tight construction with screened ventilators keeps insects and birds from entering, prevents rapid deterioration of the building, and provides greater comfort for the user.

Certain features, while not essential to sanitation and satisfactory service, add to personal convenience. A paved walkway, well protected from cold winds and rain, is desirable. A neat, whitewashed lattice, as shown in figure 13, an arbor covered with vines, or a hedge screen adds to privacy.

The earth-pit privy is the simplest to build and the one most widely used. It is not generally recommended in localities where underground rock has crevices.

For a sanitary type of privy with reinforced concrete floor, riser, and supporting sills see figure 14. Because privy units are commonly used as urinals, the use of impervious materials for risers and floors facilitates cleanliness. In the colder climates, wood treated with a preservative is durable and reduces the problem of moisture condensation. Therefore, wood could be used if approved by the State department of health.

For information on making concrete see Farmers' Bulletin 1772, Use of Concrete on the Farm.

When it is considered impracticable to build the slab and riser of concrete, these parts may be of wood, as shown in figure 16. The building itself may be as shown in either illustration. A wood structure is easy to move to a new location.

A pit with a minimum capacity of 50 cubic feet will usually serve five people over a period of 5 to 10 years. The privy should be moved when the pit is filled to within 18 or 20 inches of the top and a strong disinfectant spread in the old pit before covering it with earth.

Recommended by the Committee on Promotion of Rural Sanitation, Public Health Engineering Section of the American Public Health Association, 1932.

It is important to have the earth-pit privy more than 50 feet from the well even where the water table is not near the surface. The ground water should flow from the well toward the privy, and it is important that this direction of flow be determined in advance.

Wood is most commonly employed for the main part of the building. The ground outside should be sloped as shown, to shed water away from the building, and the roof should extend beyond the walls to shed water away from the pit.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

All privies require periodic attention. Seats and covers should be washed weekly with soap and water or with disinfectants, such as cresol, pine oil, and hypochlorite or chloride of lime. These have deodorant properties and are available at most grocery or drug stores. Druggists generally carry a more refined product and consequently the price is higher.

During the fly season fly and mosquito eggs will be destroyed by pouring half a pint of crude oil, crankcase oil, fuel oil, kerosene, or borax solution (1 pound powdered borax dissolved in about 10 gallons of water) over the contents of the pit about once a week.

Odors from privy pits and vaults can be reduced by covering the contents with dry earth, ashes, manure, or sawdust. These materials fill up the pit rather quickly, but can be used where other deodorants are not available. Sometimes two cakes of yeast dissolved in 2 gallons of water are effective in reducing odors. Commercial deodorants are available from suppliers of disinfectants.

If a person in the family has typhoid fever or is a carrier of that disease or has dysentery, it is advisable to disinfect the excreta. Fire, live steam, boiling water, and such chemicals as caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), caustic potash (potassium hydroxide), or hypochlorite or chloride of lime may be used. The heat generated by the slacking of quicklime is also effective. Best results are obtained if the infected material is treated prior to depositing it in the privy. Further advice may be obtained from physicians, local health officers, or State health departments.

CHEMICAL CLOSETS

In general, chemical closets should be used only where there are elderly or infirm people unable to get outdoors, particularly in winter-time. In some localities their use is forbidden by law because of improper maintenance. Strict adherence to the manufacturer's directions for making the installation is necessary to obtain satisfactory service. The chief advantage of chemical closets is that they may be within or adjoining the house and used without regard to soil or ground-water conditions. The caustic chemicals required, if used properly, reduce the quantity of solid matter by liquefying action, disinfect and deodorize the contents, and lessen danger from flies. Disadvantages are the cost of the chemicals and necessity for careful and constant maintenance.

The chemical-tank closet is generally recommended rather than the dry-type chemical closet. Three variations of tanks are available commercially. One type contains a clean-out opening in the top of the tank, through which the contents are removed by pumping or bailing. The second type has, in addition to a clean-out opening, a drain valve at the bottom, which is operated by a handle extending to a clean-out opening, so that gravity drainage of the tank is possible. The third type is self-draining; as the excreta are added an equal volume of liquid is spilled out the overflow. The solid matter must be removed manually or through the sludge drain.

The last-mentioned type requires frequent addition of chemicals, and the others are recharged after each emptying. The presence of odor is an indication of insufficient chemical or of the need for emptying and recharging. The same precautions apply to selecting an area for disposing of the tank wastes as to disposing of the materials removed from cesspools. Since the contents of chemical closets are caustic, they may kill vegetation with which they come in contact.

For disposal methods in tight soils, see p. 16.

The dry-type chemical closet is cheap, simple, and easy to install but requires frequent emptying. Pine tar and coal tar will accomplish only partial disinfection and deodorization, but caustic disinfectants produce liquefication in addition if used in sufficient quantities. The caustic chemicals may cause burns if the receptacle is too full or if spilled where they come in contact with the body.