Wastewater Design for Tiny Home Villages
Posted on: 24 February 2020
Tiny home villages are becoming increasingly popular in many areas. Some cities are using the tiny home village plan to help combat homelessness in their areas. There are also some areas that are developing tiny home camping sites as well as tiny home–based hotel plans. The key point to keep in mind is that tiny homes require a slightly different wastewater design than traditional homes or buildings. Here are some of the key points to know about this type of design and what services may benefit your plan.
Septic Tanks
One of the first things you will need to know about tiny homes and tiny home village wastewater is that septic tanks are usually required. Since the tiny homes are much smaller than a normal home, however, you can use one large tank for several homes. This means that the wastewater design would need to incorporate proper runoff from the homes to the tank without crossing the lines and without causing back-ups and plumbing issues. These issues occur from a clog in one of the homes' main plumbing lines.
Wastewater Sources
Though septic systems will be part of your wastewater design, you will need to consider the actual sources of the wastewater. For example, many tiny home designs do not use a flushing toilet. Instead, a composting toilet is used. This leaves you with wastewater from showers and sinks primarily. The lack of sewage and human waste going into the septic lines can reduce the need for larger tanks and for frequent pumping. You will also need to consider if you will be gathering rainwater for each tiny home to use in bathrooms and sinks and if that will be part of the wastewater design.
Greywater Systems
When you are considering the wastewater design, you should also consider greywater as part of that system. This will allow you to reuse certain wastewater, like the water from washing dishes. The water is sent back through your plumbing system through a greywater system and to the area you want for reuse, such as a toilet or a garden. This system must be considered during the wastewater planning and design process to ensure the lines run smoothly and do not cross.
When you are ready to develop your wastewater design, contact your local design services contractor. They can help you with the plumbing set-up and the final design plans. They can also help you with pricing information, installation questions and questions you have regarding weather conditions and the design system that is in place.
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