4 ms·

You might say that the septic is free, but in practice the installation is fairly costly, and it does need maintenance. It also requires less dense housing,

You might say that the septic is free, but in practice the installation is fairly costly, and it does need maintenance. It also requires less dense housing, so there is an implied cost there (i.e. you need probably 1/2 an acre of land). After the initial cost, it is still probably cheaper than a sewer; but excavating the field will run thousands of dollars. I have septic and am perfectly fine with it, total cost has probably been about $1800 over 8 years (4 x $300 pumpings + 1 x $600 jetting to clear out roots that grew into a line). The well also requires maintenance, an initial setup, and probably doesn't have as much capacity as a municipal water supply. I'm happier having town water, which requires no electricity or maintenance (on my part).

graycat 12y ago
Yes, the septic tank is not entirely free, but I was trying to keep the explanation simple. But, I pay no monthly sewer fee to the town, city, or whatever. For the original cost of installing a septic system, sure, that's not free, but neither is running a town-approved sewer line out to the street. And town taxes or fees, I'd have to pay for, will have to maintain that sewer line. Heck, a town sewer line has to carry my waste for miles, but my drain field only runs for, maybe, 40 feet. My guess is, net, in both capex an opex, my septic system is cheaper than a town sewer system. Besides, with a town system, there is a central collection and processing plant, and occasionally it has to get rid of the final, insoluble waste. So, it might haul out that waste. Then, right, presto, bingo, the professional alarmists, as in the OP, are out screaming about the environment, even if the town hauls the waste 100 miles into the Atlantic Ocean before dumping it. Screaming professional alarmists. With my septic system, there's no screaming. Good. But, for the opex, I've been in the house for 23 years and so far have done only one thing to the septic system: From some skin irritation from using a weed whacker, I used some Wal-Mart triple anti-biotic cream on my legs; the cream got on my socks; when I washed the socks the cream got into the septic system. Then some sewage bubbled up from a spot far into the back yard. So, the Wal-Mart cream was powerful stuff -- steralized my septic system! Solution: There is a box of dry beads can buy at the grocery store. Just flush the stuff, and the septic system is working again. Worked fine, right away. The spot in the backyard? I did nothing about it, and soon it dried out and is invisible now. No worries, mate! The lot? Yes, it's nice in some ways, and so is the neighborhood. There are deer in the backyard; sometimes I see them, and when I mow the grass I can see where they have matted down the grass from sleeping. There's a lot of wildlife, mice (they tend to avoid the house; I have two kitty cats; mice aren't totally stupid, you know!), rabbits, possums, skunks, raccoons, ground hogs, geese, wild turkeys, hawks, crows, lots of other birds, and sometimes foxes. My kitty cats go out and are fine. My older kitty cat has been going out in this neighborhood for 10 years now with no big problems. Secret: Have a neutered male; else the little guy will go for miles each day, looking for females, marking territory, getting into fights, maybe getting into trouble with traffic, anti-freeze, etc. I omitted what I do with fruits and vegetables that are too old: Sure, I dump them on a pile in the bushes. It's a compost pile. I also dump shrubbery clippings on that pile. The pile shrinks down to next to nothing very quickly. After 23 years of such dumping, I still have to look carefully in the bushes even to find the pile. I don't want town water, sewer, etc., heavily because I just don't want bureaucratic mud wrestling with people who could issue edicts I'd have to obey, no matter what the heck the cost, justification, etc. There is no end of people who want to find excuses to have power over others, e.g., the people in the article screaming for more in fees, taxes, regulations, etc. Getting taxes from me and slapping regulations on me is all they have to do; that's their job; maybe they believe that they are doing good; but I am happy just avoiding them. Let them stay in CA! That's CA where they also want to put regulations on, gads, lawn mowers. Generally NY where I am also has a lot of regulations and taxes, but so far where I am I manage to avoid most of that nonsense. If my start-up works and I move to a nicer house, then I'll make sure I have well water, a septic tank, room for a compost pile, lots of trees and bushes, good room for kitty cats, lots of wild life, a nice emergency electric power generator, and nearly no bureaucrats! Maybe for the well water I'll get a reverse osmosis system -- that could be a little better!

graycat 12y ago

Yes, the septic tank is not entirely free, but I was trying to keep the explanation simple. But, I pay no monthly sewer fee to the town, city, or whatever. For the original cost of installing a septic system, sure, that's not free, but neither is running a town-approved sewer line out to the street. And town taxes or fees, I'd have to pay for, will have to maintain that sewer line. Heck, a town sewer line has to carry my waste for miles, but my drain field only runs for, maybe, 40 feet. My guess is, net, in both capex an opex, my septic system is cheaper than a town sewer system. Besides, with a town system, there is a central collection and processing plant, and occasionally it has to get rid of the final, insoluble waste. So, it might haul out that waste. Then, right, presto, bingo, the professional alarmists, as in the OP, are out screaming about the environment, even if the town hauls the waste 100 miles into the Atlantic Ocean before dumping it. Screaming professional alarmists. With my septic system, there's no screaming. Good. But, for the opex, I've been in the house for 23 years and so far have done only one thing to the septic system: From some skin irritation from using a weed whacker, I used some Wal-Mart triple anti-biotic cream on my legs; the cream got on my socks; when I washed the socks the cream got into the septic system. Then some sewage bubbled up from a spot far into the back yard. So, the Wal-Mart cream was powerful stuff -- steralized my septic system! Solution: There is a box of dry beads can buy at the grocery store. Just flush the stuff, and the septic system is working again. Worked fine, right away. The spot in the backyard? I did nothing about it, and soon it dried out and is invisible now. No worries, mate! The lot? Yes, it's nice in some ways, and so is the neighborhood. There are deer in the backyard; sometimes I see them, and when I mow the grass I can see where they have matted down the grass from sleeping. There's a lot of wildlife, mice (they tend to avoid the house; I have two kitty cats; mice aren't totally stupid, you know!), rabbits, possums, skunks, raccoons, ground hogs, geese, wild turkeys, hawks, crows, lots of other birds, and sometimes foxes. My kitty cats go out and are fine. My older kitty cat has been going out in this neighborhood for 10 years now with no big problems. Secret: Have a neutered male; else the little guy will go for miles each day, looking for females, marking territory, getting into fights, maybe getting into trouble with traffic, anti-freeze, etc. I omitted what I do with fruits and vegetables that are too old: Sure, I dump them on a pile in the bushes. It's a compost pile. I also dump shrubbery clippings on that pile. The pile shrinks down to next to nothing very quickly. After 23 years of such dumping, I still have to look carefully in the bushes even to find the pile. I don't want town water, sewer, etc., heavily because I just don't want bureaucratic mud wrestling with people who could issue edicts I'd have to obey, no matter what the heck the cost, justification, etc. There is no end of people who want to find excuses to have power over others, e.g., the people in the article screaming for more in fees, taxes, regulations, etc. Getting taxes from me and slapping regulations on me is all they have to do; that's their job; maybe they believe that they are doing good; but I am happy just avoiding them. Let them stay in CA! That's CA where they also want to put regulations on, gads, lawn mowers. Generally NY where I am also has a lot of regulations and taxes, but so far where I am I manage to avoid most of that nonsense. If my start-up works and I move to a nicer house, then I'll make sure I have well water, a septic tank, room for a compost pile, lots of trees and bushes, good room for kitty cats, lots of wild life, a nice emergency electric power generator, and nearly no bureaucrats! Maybe for the well water I'll get a reverse osmosis system -- that could be a little better!