The 'burbs mostly have odd/even outdoor water use days, and I believe that some years car washing (at your house, not at car washes) is banned as well.
I don’t have a very consistent philosophy, but no, I don’t flush urine every time. As I’ve mentioned recently before, I drink around 6L of water a day, so my urine is very dilute. No yellow color, no smell. But I don’t not-flush out of a concern for water conservation, but out of consideration for my downstairs neighbor, who has an infant with sleeping issues. If I hear him making noise, I flush with impunity. If I don’t hear him, or if it’s civilized sleeping hours, I refrain. The noise of our toilets flushing is surprisingly loud in their walls, and I’d hate to wake the little guy unnecessarily. But if poop is involved, or the level of TP makes me concerned for the pipes, fuck 'im, I’m flushing.
It’s true that solids are the biggest problem in septic systems. But liquid has to go somewhere, and all drainfields have a finite capacity per time. It can’t take an infinite amount of effluent.
In a perfect septic world, only liquid would pass into the drain field. But no system is perfect, and over time, dissolved solids and unsavory chunks get into the “liquid only” pipes, clogging it and hastening the overall demise.
The less stress you put upon the system, the longer you can go between rebuilds. No septic system lasts forever – 20 to 40 years is my experience – and it’s very expensive (mine would cost about $15,000) to replace all components. I’d like to put that cost off for as long as possible.
I dunno; some people live places that obviously have more water than other places, but we’re all living on the earth, which is due to have a clean water crisis in the not too distant future. I think flushing four or five gallons of water for a cup of dilute pee is a ridiculous waste of clean, treated water, even though water is plentiful in your area. Other people’s mileage is obviously differing.
Because you’re used to it. There’s a smell, oh yes.
I’m concerned about water usage too, but IMHO flushing the toilet is a good use of water except in cases of drought or whatever. I flush every time except for sometimes in the middle of the night.
I just piss in the dirt by the back fence. I dislike the neighbors and their annoying dog (who barks at me because I can piss higher up the fence than he can).
Okay, for science I’ll give you my strategy. I will not flush after everyone goes to bed because our toilet is noisy. I go maybe four or five times after because I’m a night owl who loves her tea. I will just flush first thing in the morning, because despite being a night owl I’m still the first one up. I am home all day by myself so I usually don’t flush all day either unless…well the odor might be unpleasant if I don’t. The lid is always closed after I go though, so it’s not like anyone’s going to see it but me.
I just don’t see the point of flushing when it’s just me. Probably for the best I never live alone.
I try to remember to flush every single time, but when the kids were babies, my husband used to freak out a bit, convinced we’d wake them up if they were napping. I got so used to not flushing that I forget sometimes.
Yep… Sometimes I have to share the bathroom with my father (I give mine up to guests) and I need to learn how to tell him to flush every time. He’s sensitive so it’s hard to point anything out that’s even a little negative.
