# 🚽 TOILETS We always need a toilet ## Bidets “You either bidet or you bi-don’t” ## Sanitation Sanitation is one of most critical pillars of civilization without it ability to manage waste we can’t concentrate densely — civilizations primary disease barrier Access to safe drinking water and basic toilets are critical for development but also human dignity ## Toilet and Sanitation Systems * waterborne systems (sewerage) - flush toilets connected to central municipal underground pipes leading to regional wastewater treatment plants * On site - treated locally - septic tanks (underground chambers that digest waste) or pit latrines * Dry / composting toilets - off grid; don’t use water or minimal water — break down aerobically; safe for composting Aerobically - oxygen dependent process where microbes break down organic material; bacteria consume waste converting it to carbon dioxide, water vapor, and nutrient rich byproducts (compost or liquid effluent) Human waste has macronutrients - nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (npk) Human waste needs to be processed to due to risk of transferring diseases - Bacteria, virus, Protozoa, and helminth eggs (parasitic worms) Ways to make human waste safe * natural decomposition * Heat * Extended aging Hot composting kills bacteria and pathogens (120-150 Degree f) Saw dust, dried leaves, or straw - eliminates odors and balances nitrogen to carbon ratio Urine / Pee-cycling Urine is bad for plants — cause of highly concentrated and excessive amounts of nitrogen, salt, and ammonia — apply urine directly to plants is basically a chemical burn — salt dehydrates roots and alters soil pH balance; highly acidic — but urine diluted is an effective plant fertilizer — 1 part urine to 8-10 parts water Urine is sterile Night soil = human waste as fertilizer; Modern agriculture calls it “Biosolids” Converting sewage to fertilizer saves money on landfill costs; cheaper nutrient rich feelizer ## Sanitation Sanitation is public health, hygiene, and preventing human contact with hazardous bodily and liquid wastes Prevent spread of diseases and protect community hygiene Sanitation is about human waste and liquid sewage; Waste management is trash; 2.2 million people in the U.S. without running water inside their homes—no sinks, bathtubs, or toilets. Three pillars of WASH * Water * Sanitation * Hygiene Access to adequate sanitation and toilets is a universally recognized as basic human right Everyone should have access to. Public toilet regardless of their gender, age, culture, economic status, or level of capability No one should be denied safe drinking water or sanitation Available, accessible, affordable, safe, and private 📅 World Toilet Day November 19 More than 45% of water use in the average American home occurs in the bathroom, with nearly 27% being used by toilets.”