# Bugging in: Sanitation Issues



## charito (Oct 12, 2013)

If you're in rural areas with acres of land, this may not be a problem at all. But how about folks in the city?

If we're talking more than 3 months of dire *bugging-in* scenario in an urban setting - how do we deal with feces? Imagine how the indoor washrooms would be smelling by then (the whole house for that matter), and just how unsanitary it would be, if we use them. That could cause health problems.

What's the best thing we can do if we're bugging-in in an urban area? How do you guys prep for this?


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

There's a lot of good information already on the site. Here's one thread that touched on your question:

http://www.prepperforums.net/forum/...itary-waste-disposal-planning-shtf-event.html

Try to find the thread where the woman explained how to dry poo, turn it into bricks, and burn it for heat. Priceless!


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

honestly - if you are talking about the concrete jungle city city scenario and not the surrounding suburban areas with backyards ... if you survive long enough to make enough waste to worry about - I highly doubt anyone will notice your contribution to chaotic chaos ....

if you're really concerned - find a roll around dumpster or burned out car - pile in your trash - add some of the trash that's just laying around - roast a rat on a stick ....


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## rstanek (Nov 9, 2012)

I have enough room on my property to create an outhouse and a supply of barn lime to limit odors.....


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

Yep, you city folks enjoy your stores on every corner & 10 restaurants within walking distance, because when the SHTF, my septic tanks will be working just fine and poo will go where it is supposed to go. Pee will be collected for the gardens.

Good luck on surviving 3 months in a city.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Good luck on surviving anywhere. The odds are 10 to one against us.


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

sideKahr said:


> Good luck on surviving anywhere. The odds are 10 to one against us.


I well know there are no guarantees in life, but I do believe the odds of survival during a SHTF event depend greatly on location and level of preparation. Those of us living on a farm, that know how to grow our own food, have thousands of pounds of food & seed in storage, have access to multiple water sources, have neighbors you know & trust and who have valuable tools and resources, who live away from a city & off the beaten track, etc, have a much better chance of surviving than city folks with limited food stores & no hope of becoming self sufficient. Sanitation is not an issue for us country folks as our toilets will flush just fine without power or help from the city.

Yes, I do think luck will play a part, no matter where you live or how well one has prepared. That being said, the odds have to favor preppers who live a country lifestyle.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Yes, country folks like you have increased your chances of surviving the big one. And the survivors from the cities will have to re-adapt to that lifestyle if they wish to live long term. But farmers are not risk free. Mauraders, disease, weather, government confiscation, and everything being done without crop insurance, the big city medical centers to rely on, availability of gasoline (that's a big one), and spare parts will all present challenges. It will be a poo-storm for everybody.


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## indie (Sep 7, 2013)

******* said:


> Sanitation is not an issue for us country folks as our toilets will flush just fine without power or help from the city.


You can't get non electric septic systems in my area anymore. Ours is pumped under a creek and up a hill to the other end of our property. It'll be composting toilets for us.

Something like that might work for you, @charito. In a 5 gallon bucket, layer organic matter (sawdust, leaves, shredded newspaper), do your duty, cover up with more organic matter. Then you'd have to dump it, but with the addition of covering like that, odors would be greatly reduced in and outside. You can even get 5 gallon bucket toilet seat lids, but a couple of 2x4 or 2x6's would work.


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## C.L.Ripley (Jul 6, 2014)

Depending on your situation you could burn it in a barrel. There's not really a lot of options for people living in the city that doesn't involve throwing it in a hole or latrine. Of course if you have water to fill your tank, it would still be able flush for awhile.

There are also some of these option that are used for dogs.


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## Gator Monroe (Jul 29, 2017)

Snipers .


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

How about people on municipal sewer when the pumps stop working? Shit flows down hill, hope your not on a low spot where it backflows.........


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## RJAMES (Dec 23, 2016)

indie said:


> You can't get non electric septic systems in my area anymore. Ours is pumped under a creek and up a hill to the other end of our property. It'll be composting toilets for us.
> 
> Something like that might work for you, @charito. In a 5 gallon bucket, layer organic matter (sawdust, leaves, shredded newspaper), do your duty, cover up with more organic matter. Then you'd have to dump it, but with the addition of covering like that, odors would be greatly reduced in and outside. You can even get 5 gallon bucket toilet seat lids, but a couple of 2x4 or 2x6's would work.


You should be able to operate that pump from solar if you have to.


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## indie (Sep 7, 2013)

RJAMES said:


> You should be able to operate that pump from solar if you have to.


That'd be worth looking into. We have no solar set up now but some day. Too many ways to spend money!


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

indie said:


> That'd be worth looking into. We have no solar set up now but some day. Too many ways to spend money!


As opposed to a full solar setup, I use Humless solar generators. They are portable, so easy to move from application to application. One solar panel can charge one and my latest is the 1500 1.3 Kwh (100AH) Solar Generator.


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## charito (Oct 12, 2013)

indie said:


> You can't get non electric septic systems in my area anymore. Ours is pumped under a creek and up a hill to the other end of our property. It'll be composting toilets for us.
> 
> Something like that might work for you, @charito. In a 5 gallon bucket, layer organic matter (sawdust, leaves, shredded newspaper), do your duty, cover up with more organic matter. Then you'd have to dump it, but with the addition of covering like that, odors would be greatly reduced in and outside. You can even get 5 gallon bucket toilet seat lids, but a couple of 2x4 or 2x6's would work.


That would work. Thanks. I'm thinking there's a shed outside that we can use for that kind of "business."


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## charito (Oct 12, 2013)

******* said:


> I well know there are no guarantees in life, but I do believe the odds of survival during a SHTF event depend greatly on location and level of preparation. Those of us living on a farm, that know how to grow our own food, have thousands of pounds of food & seed in storage, have access to multiple water sources, have neighbors you know & trust and who have valuable tools and resources, who live away from a city & off the beaten track, etc, have a much better chance of surviving than city folks with limited food stores & no hope of becoming self sufficient. Sanitation is not an issue for us country folks as our toilets will flush just fine without power or help from the city.
> 
> Yes, I do think luck will play a part, no matter where you live or how well one has prepared. That being said, the odds have to favor preppers who live a country lifestyle.


I'm happy for all the folks who have the good fortune of having farms, and outhouses, and all the beneficial things that rural life can offer.

Alas, life is such that for some of us, acquiring what others have - no matter how practical it is to have it - is just not possible.

But I'm also happy for urban dwellers who try to keep up a good morale - having hope instead of having a defeatist attitude, despite having to make do with what they have. That kind of spirit could be a valuable tool when we're living a hellish scenario. Imho.


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

charito said:


> I'm happy for all the folks who have the good fortune of having farms, and outhouses, and all the beneficial things that rural life can offer.


I wouldn't consider an outhouse a good or beneficial thing and really doubt there are many around anymore. Us country folk, not on municipal services, use septic tanks. Our toilets work just like city folk toilets... we just have our own, privately owned method of treating waste. Thinking of outhouses brings back bad memories of boy scout camp in the 60s.


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## charito (Oct 12, 2013)

******* said:


> I wouldn't consider an outhouse a good or beneficial thing and really doubt there are many around anymore. Us country folk, not on municipal services, use septic tanks. Our toilets work just like city folk toilets... we just have our own, privately owned method of treating waste. Thinking of outhouses brings back bad memories of boy scout camp in the 60s.


I read about we shouldn't flush when main sewer is closed due to backing up of dirty sewage. Got to learn how to know that.
Have to make sure to remember that as soon as the SHTF (and to put a note on it so other members of the house won't flush).


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

charito said:


> I read about we shouldn't flush when main sewer is closed due to backing up of dirty sewage. Got to learn how to know that.
> Have to make sure to remember that as soon as the SHTF (and to put a note on it so other members of the house won't flush).


Well another thing to consider is that your toilets/plumbing can back up without your flushing, when the main sewer system goes down... depending on your location. Folks on the lower level of an apartment could be in for a nasty surprise. Thing is, such a backup would impact all in the building.

I am blessed to be a country boy but if I lived in the city, I'd have a bugout location properly selected & visited often, so that I wasn't a stranger. I'd get the hell out at the first sign of a crisis.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

sideKahr said:


> Good luck on surviving anywhere. The odds are 10 to one against us.


What are we supposed to do, dry up and die from a perception of no hope?

I have been in situations where survival was around 20% and death was nearly instant if lucky, I am still here.

Yes I may well die, most likely will, but not without a fight in any manor, too friggen stubborn.

If I thought I was doomed from the start, then why bother prepping????

Why have a military, people might get killed defending the country,

should we just say, we don't want to hurt anyone, we surrender.

Personally, I feel I have lived on borrowed time for over 5 decades, have to go sometime.

I don't worry about statistical odds, never have.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

charito said:


> I read about we shouldn't flush when main sewer is closed due to backing up of dirty sewage. Got to learn how to know that.
> Have to make sure to remember that as soon as the SHTF (and to put a note on it so other members of the house won't flush).


If the local sewer system fails, it does not matter whether you flush or not, it will come in from the lines depending on your relative level

in the system. You can stuff a plastic trash bag with towels or other cloth and plug the toilet with it, using a 2X4 to keep it in place.


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## Steve40th (Aug 17, 2016)

SOCOM42 said:


> If the local sewer system fails, it does not matter whether you flush or not, it will come in from the lines depending on your relative level
> 
> in the system. You can stuff a plastic trash bag with towels or other cloth and plug the toilet with it, using a 2X4 to keep it in place.


I have a friend this happened too. Insurance will not cover it. You need specific insurance for sewage backing up.
Now, why cant I put a back up valve in the line leaving the house?


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## RJAMES (Dec 23, 2016)

Steve40th said:


> I have a friend this happened too. Insurance will not cover it. You need specific insurance for sewage backing up.
> Now, why cant I put a back up valve in the line leaving the house?


One way valves in sewer lines never work. I have seen a few but long term they all got stuck open so when needed they failed. If you installed a gate valve it would need to be on your sewer line prior to the city line accessing it in northern climate might prove challenging .

How deep is your sewer line , how strong is your back to dig up your sewer line would be two questions to ask.

I have heard of people removing the toilet and putting in a plug.

I have a septic system that just needs a bucket of water to flush a toilet . Rain water, creek water toilet does not care.

I have built field urinals when I had a lot of people visit . I Could after a SHTF easily construct a privy /outhouse but would only do so if I had a lot of people come and stay.

Last out house I built was in 76 on a boy scout camp now days you would have to put in a plastic or concrete tank and have it pumped out when it got full instead of moving the building and setting it over a new hole.


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## Brettny (Apr 26, 2017)

If you live where theres a sewer system your screwed any way so just chuck the sh!t out the window.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

Tile shovel, roll of TP.
Lift the sod/dirt with the shovel, squat and wipe.
Move the sod/dirt back over your waste. Walk away with a smile , knowing that today you didn't dig in a used spot again.


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