(UNSEWERED SUBURBAN BLOCK) After checking with my local council it seems that things have changed since my home sewerage treatment plant was approved. It now seems that I may be allowed to have a grey water treatment plant (eg a Natureclear) plus 140 litre greasetrap plus 18m of deep trenches and ?m of subsurface irrigation trenches if I have a composting toilet.
This has the advantage of less drinking water usage (no flushing); less deep trenching than a septic or aerated treatment plant; less expense (a Natureclear and Natureloo package is about $4,000 (uninstalled) rather than the $10,800 (plus $3600 installation) my sand filter HSTP was going to cost); plus I can re-use some of my greywater.
The big questionmark for me is the greasetrap. 140litres is huge - bigger than the whole Natureclear. I believe (from Natureloo - they don't make one despite what it says on their website) I must get a concrete trap which has to be pumped out 6 monthly approximately. A small greasetrap that could be cleaned regularly (eg weekly before it got too smelly) by the homeowner would seem to me to be better, but at the moment that size seems to be a council requirement. The idea of the greasetrap is what is holding me back.
Another option I have just discovered is an A&A wormfarm system which takes black and grey waste (plus other organic waste if you don't wish to produce useable compost). This system is around $6,500 - $7,500 (uninstalled). I'm not sure yet whether council will allow sub surface irrigation of this water (and it's likely that setbacks will be greater than for treated greywater) but it seems a simple, no moving parts, system with good after sales service and well priced installation. I like not having a greasetrap.
Does anyone know anything about greasetraps. Is big beautiful? Are they the smelly, horrid things I fear or would a small one be manageable (if allowed by council.) I have already read of a couple of posters who use the A&A worm farm satisfactorily. Any comments about how to choose?
