If you hang out on Homestead Twitter or browse YouTube for off-grid living videos, then you’ve noticed a trend… 

People are moving to beautiful rural properties and renovating or building homes for themselves and their families. Many of these folks are starting homesteads, preparing or “prepping” for emergencies, or just love rural living. 

A good amount of these folks live in areas that are very rural. Which means that it’s too expensive and impractical for them to get their homes connected to a public sewage system. This leaves them with 3 options to deal with sewerage: septic systems, composting toilets, and even outhouses (they’re adventurous people). 

Outhouses 

Outhouses are little buildings with a toilet seat covering a pit or bucket. No plumbing. Wow, right? One good thing about outhouses is that they’re very affordable; however, we get the sense that most people find this option to be smelly, unhygienic, and inconvenient. We think it’s better to leave this technology in the 1800s, where it belongs. 

Composting Toilets 

Composting toilets are similar and different from outhouses. Similar because one of the most common types of composting toilets is just a toilet seat with a container underneath. They’re different because they’re located inside a house versus outside. Also, unlike outhouses, you can find composting toilets that are pricey and technologically advanced. 

To get rid of bad smells, many people will cover their waste with sawdust directly after using the bathroom. However, some people complain that it continues to smell even after this treatment. Another thing people don’t like is that when your waste container gets full, you have to empty it... No calling in a professional waste-bucket-emptier. What’s more, you’ll need to find a spot on your land to dump all that waste. 

Septic Tanks

From a homeowner’s perspective, toilets attached to septic systems look, feel, and function exactly like your average toilet system. From a plumbing perspective, they’re very different: instead of your sewage going into your municipalities sewerage pipes, it goes into a large underground tank. According to the EPA, these tanks need to be pumped out or emptied every 3 - 5 years. As for their lifespan, they typically last 15 - 40 years. All those numbers are great because it means once you install a septic systems, you don’t have to constantly worry about it. 

We think If you’re part of the homesteading movement, prepper community, or you just love rural living, we recommend that you install a septic tank. It’s an affordable and hassle-free solution for your waste management needs! 

BBB Septic 

BBB Septic has been in business for 25 years! During this time we’ve strived to provide excellent customer service, great septic design, professional installation, maintenance and repair services to Northwest Arkansas. If you’re ready to get started, call us at 479-225-9800 or click here.