We decommission our electric pump-out toilet and replace it with a separating toilet, often called a composting toilet. Why would we do this? What was wrong with our old loo? At £25 a pump-out every four weeks, and a lack of pump-out facilities on the canal network, a separating toilet offers us complete freedom. But it’s not just about convenience and cost savings – it’s about sustainability too. Our new Separett Villa toilet uses little water, requires minimal electricity, and prevents chemical waste from entering our waterways. The waste naturally composts down into usable material, creating a closed-loop system that’s perfect for off-grid living.
Key Benefits:
🌱 Little water consumption – no flushing needed
༄ Zero smells
⚡ Minimal electricity required – perfect for off-grid living
💧 No chemical discharge into canals
♻️ Natural composting process – waste becomes usable compost
💰 Saves £300+ per year on pump-out fees
🚤 Complete freedom from pump-out station locations
🌍 Reduced environmental footprint on our waterways
In short, wee is sent to a container via a hose at the back of the loo, while poo is collected in a bucket. This isn’t as ghastly as it sounds, and in this episode, we discuss the advantages of this system. Would you believe us if we said not only does this smell less than our pump-out, but actually doesn’t smell at all?
This is thanks to a constantly-running fan that not only extracts smells, but moisture too. Liz explains how the system works, while I run through the complete installation, which involved drilling some pretty big holes in the boat!
I’ve resisted the urge to pun on the concept of a ‘big job’, but this took a couple of days to install. Now that it’s up and running, we can’t believe we didn’t install this earlier. If you’re still not convinced, check out the video and let us know your thoughts. And if you are based in the UK, you can purchase the Separett Villa from waterlesstoilets.co.uk (we don’t get a commission for this, but tell Martin we sent you!)
Have a great weekend!
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