The Falmouth Urine Diversion Project is officially underway. The Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center is spearheading the effort, which will vet and enroll 25 households to test and monitor urine diversion fixtures.
The pilot project aims to test out eco-toilets and urinals that collect urine and store it in a tank, rather than flushing it through a septic system. MASSTC Project Assistant Bryan Horsley said tanks could be installed in a home's basement or buried outside. The project will reimburse participants up to $8,250 to install the technology in their home and agree to have the results monitored.
Participants must reside in the target area, which includes a group of watersheds that have significant nutrient pollution, but aren’t immediately in line to have town sewer extended to their neighborhoods. It includes the Waquiot Bay, Bournes Pond, Green Pond and Great Pond watersheds.
Falmouth Pond Coalition President Kim Comart was at a recent project kickoff meeting. He believes urine diversion is a promising solution to wastewater nutrient pollution. He says it also makes economic sense.
"If you can replace three bathrooms in your house for $25,000 and achieve what you can achieve with an I/A septic system, which is going to cost you $50,000 maybe $75,000, just the economics of it alone can be a great incentive," Comart said.
Innovative and alternative, or I/A, septic systems could be mandated in high nutrient pollution watersheds that are not serviced by a municipal sewer system.
Horsley had examples of approved eco-toilets at the kickoff meeting for potential participants to examine. There were four different types of toilets and a urinal on display at the front of the room. One of the toilets is a product currently in development by a major manufacturer, and was covered by a white sheet. On the seat was a stack of non-disclosure agreements. Those who wanted to see the "mystery toilet" had to sign an NDA.
"It looks like a toilet," was a common refrain.
Falmouth residents Hilda Maingay and Earle Barnhart developed a urinal that has been approved for the project. Maingay says, when installed, it sits flush to a bathroom wall and closes up. And although it only works for half the population, she says a 50% reduction is worth the effort.
"If it doesn’t stick out in your bathroom, it doesn’t smell, doesn’t splash, we could get a lot more people onboard," she said. "And if we could get 50% of the urine out of the environment, it would be huge.”
