# New Homesteader needs advice about septic system.



## olywa1978 (Aug 10, 2014)

Hey all, I am brand new to the Homesteader world and I have an important question about some undeveloped land I just purchased in Klamath County, Oregon. I signed the agreement and everything is great, but their was a disclosure about the land being zoned for "Residential only" and that, to reside on the land I will need to first furnish a "legal" septic system on the property.

I'm not sure what their idea of "legal" is and I'm hoping you guys can help clarify this for me. If not, then I'll have to call and deal with all the bureaucratic hoops. Being an off-the-grid homesteader, here is what I had planned for my septic system and, hopefully you can tell me if it's sufficient or not.

I purchased an old 1986 Fleetwood Bounder motorhome with a septic holding tank. Basically, I was going dig a 3'X3' hole (3-4 ft deep) next to where the RV will be parked and install some kind of hatch on it. When the RV holding tank is full I will drop the tank drain hose in the ground, drain my tank, then pour a layer of lime over the contents to mask the smell and aide in the decomposition of the waste. My property is probably a good half mile (at least) to the nearest water source (spring). I also plan on driving in a 25-ft hand pump well 100-200 feet from my septic system. Does this sound like something that would be "legal" and pass an inspection? I'm hoping I won't have to install a full on tank, run waste pipes all the way to wherever and all that. To me, that's not homesteading, I can't afford all that and I wanted to do it the safest NATURAL way that I could. Any help? Thanks. Mike


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

You need to look up your county regulations concerning the septic system. More than likely you will have to pull a permit to install one and have it inspected before you bury it.. They usually require a certain size tank, so much lateral, and depths it has to be installed.. along with probably having to do perk tests and such... It's not a simple thing in most places.. I got one heck of a t-shirt..... been there.. 

Hate to say this, but most any time you are dealing with sewage or water, you have to deal with Unkle.. Just because you want to be in the middle of nowhere, and do your own thing, believe it or not, Big Brother has one heck of a reach and no matter where you try to hide, he'll be right there telling you how you need to live..


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

I seriously doubt that will qualify as a legal system. But the only way to find out is call y your local health or code authority and get the information for your area. All you're going to get here are a variety of opinions, most of which won't apply to you.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Many counties you can check their regs on the web.. I'd look there before you start ask in in person.. Some times that makes 'em come sniffin... Again, the T-shirt... I found a tank in my yard for gray runoff... So I just asked a simple question about city hookup,.. It would be a year or two before it was down my road... they checked their permits, and was none.... They wanted to do some inspecting... before I knew it, I was digging 1000 feet of lateral after buying my permits..


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## bellcow (May 12, 2014)

to me it all depends on how close you will be to others in that area. how large a tract of land is it? if large enough no one is watching you I would keep the government out of my business. it reads like everything depends on the water well so I would get that done first. just thinkif you are in the wrong place your local government might have a problem with everything you got planned, living in an old motor home, driven well, off grid, and then the septic system. I hate having to get the government permission to use my own land.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Personally I'd start by finding out what "Residential only" means....

Could mean no animals, no veggie garden, no 1986 Fleetwood motorhome parked on the land, etc.......
And for that you'll have to deal with the local gov....


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## olywa1978 (Aug 10, 2014)

Wow. Well, thanks guys for the input. This is a bit of a blindside to me, I didn't anticipate the government having an issue with what I THOUGHT were reasonable goals for myself. I've put a lot of thought into my planning and ensuring that nothing I did would hurt nor draw the attention of others. I received $12,000 in a lump sum cashout from my last employer, which I used to secure my land, buy my home on wheels, acquire everything to run solar power, extra generators, water well supplies, a chainsaw, extra lanterns/flashlights. I have got everything in line to actually get out there and do this, but I really thought that what I had planned was entirely safe and would be acceptable to anyone concerned. I did not anticipate having to pay for permits and and develop ANYTHING up to code initially. Again, this is my first time buying land or homesteading and never bought a house. Completely new at this game. I have everything I need now and I have just over $1,000 left, which I figure will cover my land payment, food, gas, dog food, etc. for a short bit when I get down there, until I can work out a new source of income. I just don't have any money left to be paying permits or taking on spendy projects mandated by the government. I'm couch surfing at the moment and was planning on getting down there and doing my thing in the next week or so. I wasn't planning on having to pay any permits until next Spring, when I start constructing my cabin. I'm a little discouraged at the moment, but I guess I will check out the Klamath County web sites and see what I can find. Thanks for the help everyone! Mike


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

olywa1978 said:


> Wow. Well, thanks guys for the input. This is a bit of a blindside to me, I didn't anticipate the government having an issue with what I THOUGHT were reasonable goals for myself. I've put a lot of thought into my planning and ensuring that nothing I did would hurt nor draw the attention of others. I received $12,000 in a lump sum cashout from my last employer, which I used to secure my land, buy my home on wheels, acquire everything to run solar power, extra generators, water well supplies, a chainsaw, extra lanterns/flashlights. I have got everything in line to actually get out there and do this, but I really thought that what I had planned was entirely safe and would be acceptable to anyone concerned. I did not anticipate having to pay for permits and and develop ANYTHING up to code initially. Again, this is my first time buying land or homesteading and never bought a house. Completely new at this game. I have everything I need now and I have just over $1,000 left, which I figure will cover my land payment, food, gas, dog food, etc. for a short bit when I get down there, until I can work out a new source of income. I just don't have any money left to be paying permits or taking on spendy projects mandated by the government. I'm couch surfing at the moment and was planning on getting down there and doing my thing in the next week or so. I wasn't planning on having to pay any permits until next Spring, when I start constructing my cabin. I'm a little discouraged at the moment, but I guess I will check out the Klamath County web sites and see what I can find. Thanks for the help everyone! Mike


I'd find out if it is legal to live on your land in an RV. As for septic, I'd highly recommend you build an outhouse with a composting toilet! In this County, the outhouses are "grandfathered in," but it isn't legal to just put in a regular outhouse. One with a composting toilet, is! I'd also look into your grey water disposal options. 

I wouldn't panic over "Residential" zoning. That just means you can build a home on it, usually. Do you have any CCR's? Our zoning is Residential and we are legally living in a motor home while we build (we have RV hookups and have a legal approved septic system). We also have an orchard, garden, chickens, and live rural. All you need to find out? Your zoning restrictions. You can go online to find out. Also, read your Title Report.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

olywa1978 said:


> Wow. I didn't anticipate the government having an issue with what I THOUGHT were reasonable goals for myself.
> Mike


Sounds like you need to wake up a little... Any time you want to do anything any more, the government is VERY interested in what you're up to.... They have a lot of interest in what you are trying to cut them out of...


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## blufford (Nov 23, 2004)

Maybe this web site will help answer your questions.
http://www.deq.state.or.us/wq/onsite/aboutseptic.htm


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## bellcow (May 12, 2014)

it looks like you have to ball rolling at this point. if you can quietly move onto the property and be low key about it I would do it. the only way you are going to make it is being completely out of sight of the public. long narrow driveway with a gate and keep it locked. also know that not everyone may think what you're doing is cool so when you meet folks be careful talking about your set up.

when you start on your cabin you are going to have to play by their rules. find out online as much as you can.

good luck. sounds like a grand adventure.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

Geez looks like the fees are in the thousands of $ just for well and septic permits, maybe you can just camp on your land? Did you look at the building codes for the house? GEEZ.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

It is expensive to just prepare a property to build on in OR and WA. That said, I feel for olywa1978, as he just wasn't aware of what would be required to legally build on property. 

olywa1978, if you go look at my thread, you can see what we are doing:

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/general-homesteading-forums/countryside-families/511044-closing-property-week.html

We bought a property with an Approved Septic and Well. It cost us just under $900 for all the well & water tests we had done. Since we are building, we can live in our motor home here legally. In addition, since we have proper RV hook-ups for septic and water, we are fine there also.

Since I work in Real Estate, I am familiar with all the costs. So, we knew it would still be expensive. However, knowing we could save thousands with an existing Well and Septic, made our plans more realistic. We don't have to pay for a Septic Permit or a Well Permit, or the expense for each. In addition, the 2nd growth Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar are plentiful on our property. DH will be building our log home with both (structural will be Douglas Fir). Yes, we will be submitting our plans and will go through the legal process of building our log home. It is expensive, but we knew that going in and are prepared to pay the costs.

Doing everything in stages is making it possible for us to build out of pocket. 

Unless you are going to camp out where you cannot be seen from the sky, you won't be under the radar. County Assessors utilize Google Earth (ask me how I know this).

Don't give up on your dreams, but take some time to do some more research. You may wish to consider seeking employment to earn the money needed to proceed further. 

If I was single, I would go with a tiny home on a trailer with a composting toilet and little rocket mass stove. I'd have a system for the grey water. Then, I would work to save the money needed to accomplish each requirement (Well, Septic...permitted and approved). Then, I'd go through the process to legally build a nice little cabin. I'd keep my tiny home for guest quarters and vacationing (just hook up the trailer and haul my tiny home behind my truck).

It would probably take a guy like you a month to build your tiny home on a trailer... You don't need a permit for that!


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## olywa1978 (Aug 10, 2014)

Mixed opinions, but honest all the way around, I'm thankful for the time spent replying and feeding me info you guys. Yes, this is my first time buying ANYTHING, as I've always rented up to this point and I did not fully understand the costs and legal struggles that I'd be faced with. I just thought it would be as simple as camping on MY property and slowly developing it one step at a time at my own pace, without much interference, as long as I wasn't bugging anyone or becoming a nuisance, which I'm not. I'm courteous and polite to people, but I am pretty quiet and somewhat private. Just burnt out on the hussle and bussle of "normal" life and looking for a slower pace is all, so that I can open myself up to enjoy the important aspects to life. I want to step back from technology and big brothers grip just a bit and get back to our basic roots. Yes, I want a more primitive and manual lifestyle. I have no desire to FULLY develop my property, since my goal IS to be "off-grid". I understand that septic involves safety issues for myself and everyone in the nearby vicinity and I will ensure that I am careful there. If I have to, then I will initially take my rv somewhere else to dump my holding tank when it gets full, until I am able to get a "proper" system in place. Are there usually places around where people can go to empty holding tanks and leave?

LoriChristie, thank you for understanding my deal and offering your insight. I don't know much about compost toilets, but I will definitely look into that if it is something that might keep the bureaus off my back for a bit, while I get my bearings. I haven't even made it to my property yet, still tying up some loose ends here in WA. As for your home on a trailer idea, I already invested $5,000 of my retirement in my RV, so that's where I'll be living, while I work on my cabin, which probably won't be until spring, if I'm still able to afford it after all the associated permits and fees.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

> LoriChristie, thank you for understanding my deal and offering your insight. I don't know much about compost toilets, but I will definitely look into that if it is something that might keep the bureaus off my back for a bit, while I get my bearings. I haven't even made it to my property yet, still tying up some loose ends here in WA. As for your home on a trailer idea, I already invested $5,000 of my retirement in my RV, so that's where I'll be living, while I work on my cabin, which probably won't be until spring, if I'm still able to afford it after all the associated permits and fees.


Your welcome! We are also living in a motorhome, since the timing necessitated that decision. After one Winter in it, DH may feel the motivation to build a tiny home on a trailer... DH is only one man and he is working as hard as he can, so I am not being at all demanding. Okay, one thing...

Since I am working as a Realtor with my income paying for everything right now, I stomped my proverbial foot and insisted DH include a loft in the little cabin he is building. I need an office space, here!!! The alternative is to remove the dining table or couch, replacing with one with a desk and comfortable office chair... DH would rather build a loft. This little cabin is being built for our water system and will temporarily be our utility room. 

Of course, with all the comments from HTer's, it wouldn't be a bad thing to have another warm dry space!

You might want to keep a look out for a large trailer...after Winter, you might want to build a tiny house, too (no permit and is a total win-win for temporary living). For us, the building process will only be limited by my income to pay out of pocket, and the permitting process itself. That means living in this motorhome for up to two years. I will reserve my judgment, as I am simply not there yet...by the middle of Winter, I'll know for sure! That tiny home on a trailer may be so appealing to DH, he goes for the idea...

In the meantime, you may consider collecting a LOT of building materials. Since we have always done this, we have all the windows and a lot of the lumber needed for our current building. We also have all the glass for porch skylights for our log home, and plenty of good double paned windows, our entire kitchen of cupboards and cabinets, and we will be collecting even more.


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## bellcow (May 12, 2014)

you did not say what size site you purchased, so let me say it like this. if its 2 ac. it may not work and you need a plan "B". if its 4 ac and wooded it may work out. if its say 8 ac or more and some what wooded so you have some privacy it should work out ok. again its about how much attention you draw. I've seen deer camps around here that never get a second look and they can be pretty nice. of course they are out of site of highways but may only be 100 yards off the road.

to me its about the size of the site. the out house is a good idea but get the water well figure out first.


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## peartree (Jul 18, 2014)

Forcast said:


> Geez looks like the fees are in the thousands of $ just for well and septic permits...


AND you will also need a drainage field to go along with the septic tank, which is not cheap. At least your 'house' is small, which means things won't be the most expensive. In any case, you have to live up to national codes, at the very least. Doesn't matter if it's in the center of 25 sauare miles of desert, if you don't follow code, some mousy little beaureaucrat will come knocking.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Did you buy some of this land?
....James

http://www.landwatch.com/default.aspx?ct=R&type=5,67;6,2116;268,6843&r.PRIC=%2c11999

Or this.

http://www.billyland.com/County-Land-for-Sale/Oregon/Klamath-County


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## bryant (Aug 8, 2014)

olywa1978 said:


> Hey all, I am brand new to the Homesteader world and I have an important question about some undeveloped land I just purchased in Klamath County, Oregon. I signed the agreement and everything is great, but their was a disclosure about the land being zoned for "Residential only" and that, to reside on the land I will need to first furnish a "legal" septic system on the property.
> 
> I'm not sure what their idea of "legal" is and I'm hoping you guys can help clarify this for me. If not, then I'll have to call and deal with all the bureaucratic hoops. Being an off-the-grid homesteader, here is what I had planned for my septic system and, hopefully you can tell me if it's sufficient or not.
> 
> I purchased an old 1986 Fleetwood Bounder motorhome with a septic holding tank. Basically, I was going dig a 3'X3' hole (3-4 ft deep) next to where the RV will be parked and install some kind of hatch on it. When the RV holding tank is full I will drop the tank drain hose in the ground, drain my tank, then pour a layer of lime over the contents to mask the smell and aide in the decomposition of the waste. My property is probably a good half mile (at least) to the nearest water source (spring). I also plan on driving in a 25-ft hand pump well 100-200 feet from my septic system. Does this sound like something that would be "legal" and pass an inspection? I'm hoping I won't have to install a full on tank, run waste pipes all the way to wherever and all that. To me, that's not homesteading, I can't afford all that and I wanted to do it the safest NATURAL way that I could. Any help? Thanks. Mike


http://http://www.deq.state.or.us/wq/onsite/onsite.htm is the place you need to get with. The system you describe is not a septic system, it is a cesspool system. 
apparently the state handles all septic regulations 


trust me, you do not want to find that you are in violation of state regulations when it comes to sewage, all sorts of fines, penalties can result from it, including being fined for pollution laws violations.


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## Jluck (Jul 26, 2014)

Klamath County is pretty good to work with from my experience. There will be clearly defined septic requirements for your soil type. Lots of folks still dig out houses too. Don't ask type of deal. If your building a proper structure/home you will need a legit septic system.


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## Teatime (Sep 1, 2014)

Hi,
Not to raise another alarm but are you SURE you can "camp" on the property for a while? I am looking at land in the same area and for many of the parcels it says that you are not allowed to basically camp on your land longer than a very short amount of time, like a few weeks. If the land is zoned as residential, you can't live in anything that has wheels for the longterm. PLEASE check into that!

I know what you're going through. I really, really want to live on remote, beautiful land and the technology exists to live off-the-grid in a comfortable and environmentally friendly manner but these codes and laws are frustrating and cause expensive fees for people who are just putting up small homes.

I found an incinerating toilet with attached under and above ground solar incinerating tank system for waste which, with a grey water collection and treatment tank that would enable me to reuse grey water for my landscaping and gardening, would be BETTER than an old-fashioned septic system. Especially since I'm only having a 400-square-foot cabin built just for myself! (I could understand the need for a regular septic system if I was building a regular-sized house for a family of 4 but that's not the case here.)

I'm hoping that the Planning officials will approve the technology and my plan because it makes sense. At about $3,000, it's not terribly cheap but it makes sense, it's easy to maintain, it's very environmentally friendly and won't contaminate anything, plus it's efficient. Obviously, if I were to ever build a larger home to accommodate more people on my land, then I would need to go through Planning approval again and then a bigger septic system would be required. So there is no risk for them in allowing this for my little cabin.

But I won't buy land until I speak with the Planning folks, exchange information, have my lawyer talk with them, and make sure we're all on the same page. I hope you can find a solution to your dilemma. Is it possible for you to sell your RV and purchase a pre-fab cabin, instead? You can get them fairly cheap and make it work for you while you either make improvements to it so you can live in it year-round or build something else. 

The solar incinerating toilet system I described is called the ELoo. Here is the website, if you want more information. It includes a "white paper" showing the comparisons between it and standard septic systems, compost toilets, chemical toilets, etc. http://www.swsloo.com/eloo-models

Good luck to you!


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## olywa1978 (Aug 10, 2014)

jwal10, actually yes! I purchased one of the lots from Billyland. Are you just asking out of curiosity or is there something I need to know lol?


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## olywa1978 (Aug 10, 2014)

Teatime- The properties in this area are zoned for "residential only", but you are allowed to "camp" in an RV or whatever for no more than 14 out of a consecutive 17 day period. You could stay 4-5 nights there then drive your RV to a rest stop or RV park for a night, then keep doing that and you'll be within the requirements. Honestly, if you are way off the beaten path, then they have no idea how many nights you are really there, unless they have you on surveillance and they are too busy to focus that heavily on one person. The key is to introduce yourself and befriend any neighbors you might have around, which I have started doing. Be polite, offer to help them if needed, let them know that you are on their side and want to "look out" for each other. Ask them questions about the lay of the land, how things work and how they do things. If they see that you are a good person that means no harm and are just trying to lead a quiet, simple and honest life, then they will shed their wary skin and be less likely to monitor and report you for anything. If you just be a hermit and ignore everyone, then they might get suspicious and nervous about your presence and alert the authorities if they see something they don't like. 

As for my septic, I am going with the compost method, since it's just me and no family. When I first heard about it, it sounded disgusting, which is probably the case for a lot of the critics out there, but I suspect they are just ill-informed. Basically, you set a couple 50-gallon plastic barrels on the far side of your property. You build a box that will fit a 5-gallon bucket inside, connect a toilet seat and that is your throne. Fecal matter and toilet paper go in here and you collect urine in a separate reservoir. Each time you defecate, add a layer of either sawdust, wood ash/soil mixture or lime/soil mixture. This absorbs the moisture (which causes the odor) and odor and speeds up the decomposition. When your bucket gets full (or half full), take it and empty it into your vented collection barrel. The barrel HAS to be vented and not sealed, so that the gasses and moisture can escape. Fresh feces/urine added to the ground is bad, because of all the pathogens, but letting it sit for a while kills the pathogens, leaving you a rich supply of nitrogen and phosphorus for your garden. Feces needs to sit for one year in warm/dry climates and two years in wet/cold climates before it is safe to be added to the earth. Urine only needs to sit for one month, then you dilute it with water (8:1 water:urine ratio) and it is safe and beneficial to add to your garden. I've looked into this a lot and it's really gaining steam in popularity and it's far cheaper, simpler and more echo-friendly than a conventional and socially acceptable septic system. Read up on it and think about it as an backup alternative to your incinerator method.


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## norcalfarm (Feb 11, 2009)

I think you hit the nail on the head when you say "befriend any neighbors". That makes all the difference in the world. I have had friendly neighbors that broke the rules and unfriendly ones who did the same and breaking the rules bothers me much more with the unfriendly neighbors. 

I started out with a similar dream as you, although the place I am trying to develop is likely not as remote as yours. I am in it for $1,000 in municipal fees and $1,000 just in engineering. My septic will probably run me an additional $10-15k when it is all said and done. Very frustrating. To me it wasn't worth the risk of breaking the rules and then get caught and be on their "bad-boy" list. So I just play by the rules, that's why I am a year behind already and we haven't even broken ground.


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## Teatime (Sep 1, 2014)

I have been doing a LOT of reading concerning the DEQ rules and regs. I want to live an environmentally friendly and simple life but I do understand the need for public health and appropriate sanitation, too. 

And the impression I get is that they are open to new ideas and will work with folks. I'm open to suggestions, too. I think that between my willingness to install the solar- and wind-powered toilet/septic and a gray water collection system and their desire for proper sanitation and environmental protection, we'll reach agreement. 

After all, I'm putting a 300 sq. ft. cabin on about 2 acres just for myself. One of the DEQ projects on their website is to study how to encourage small house living and meeting people's needs because it's better for the environment and should be more affordable. Uh, yeah! So stop requiring a big septic system for a small house and encourage alternative solutions, instead! It's sad that a septic permit, perk tests and a septic system cost more than the cabin/tiny house!


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## Teatime (Sep 1, 2014)

How are you doing, OlyWa1978???? 

I've been spending a LOT of phone time with the Klamath County planning people, haha, and have wondered how it's all going for you? I'm buying a 2.5 acre lot pretty high up on Bly Mtn. Gorgeous land. I figured I'd better grab something before the marijuana vote because, if it passes, people will be wanting to buy rural land to grow weed! Prices will go up and availability will def decrease!

Here's hoping the septic process won't be a big, expensive pain! I have everything else covered! Hope you're making good progress!


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## Dnacontracting (Aug 16, 2020)

Hi I’m also homesteading in Klamath falls. Would we be able to talk. I just bought land and could use a few pointers. 


QUOTE="olywa1978, post: 7184013, member: 367252"]
Mixed opinions, but honest all the way around, I'm thankful for the time spent replying and feeding me info you guys. Yes, this is my first time buying ANYTHING, as I've always rented up to this point and I did not fully understand the costs and legal struggles that I'd be faced with. I just thought it would be as simple as camping on MY property and slowly developing it one step at a time at my own pace, without much interference, as long as I wasn't bugging anyone or becoming a nuisance, which I'm not. I'm courteous and polite to people, but I am pretty quiet and somewhat private. Just burnt out on the hussle and bussle of "normal" life and looking for a slower pace is all, so that I can open myself up to enjoy the important aspects to life. I want to step back from technology and big brothers grip just a bit and get back to our basic roots. Yes, I want a more primitive and manual lifestyle. I have no desire to FULLY develop my property, since my goal IS to be "off-grid". I understand that septic involves safety issues for myself and everyone in the nearby vicinity and I will ensure that I am careful there. If I have to, then I will initially take my rv somewhere else to dump my holding tank when it gets full, until I am able to get a "proper" system in place. Are there usually places around where people can go to empty holding tanks and leave?

LoriChristie, thank you for understanding my deal and offering your insight. I don't know much about compost toilets, but I will definitely look into that if it is something that might keep the bureaus off my back for a bit, while I get my bearings. I haven't even made it to my property yet, still tying up some loose ends here in WA. As for your home on a trailer idea, I already invested $5,000 of my retirement in my RV, so that's where I'll be living, while I work on my cabin, which probably won't be until spring, if I'm still able to afford it after all the associated permits and fees.
[/QUOTE]


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## jr23 (Sep 3, 2013)

before you do anything do a perk test .it is something you can do instructions are on line . if it passes the perk test then plan if not just camp and go to a dump station or get or make a compost toilet as for well usually you cannot go more than 15 to 20 feet over that you need a well driller and pay by the foot whether they find water or not. but for what you described you need to get a job asap or you will be out of money before winter .


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

My county does NOT allow composting toilets.


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## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

Another old post, this one from 2013! Any comments posted are most likely out of date. A lot of counties now have rules and regulations regarding grey water.....check with your county before installing any grey water system. I wonder what the fine would be.....


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## random (Jul 23, 2020)

This "Recommended" stuff really needs to be cleaned up.


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## SpentPenny (Jun 11, 2020)

I would be highly surprised if it is legal to live in a motor home in an area zoned for residential. And you will certainly not be allowed to dump the holding tank into a hole in the ground. If you have a legitimate septic system you could likely dump into that, but certainly not just into a hole. Health has improved in the country in the last 200 years for a reason.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

SpentPenny said:


> I would be highly surprised if it is legal to live in a motor home in an area zoned for residential. And you will certainly not be allowed to dump the holding tank into a hole in the ground. If you have a legitimate septic system you could likely dump into that, but certainly not just into a hole. Health has improved in the country in the last 200 years for a reason.


What do you think an outhouse does?


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## SpentPenny (Jun 11, 2020)

Lisa in WA said:


> What do you think an outhouse does?


Don't think it is legal to build a new one here now. There are legal lagoons here and new ones are being built. But there are strict rules for design and implementation and management of them. I will concede that at the end of the day they are just holes in the ground, but they are designed for the purpose and fenced such that no one can get very near to them except for maintenance. The only sewage that empties into them legally comes through the pipe dedicated for that. At any rate, they have to be inspected and permitted and not simply dug into the ground without specifications.


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## Rodeo's Bud (Apr 10, 2020)

I wonder if just using a portable toilet with service would be an option in these situations.

Here it only costs 75 bucks or so a month. Even long term it isn't a budget killer.

And they provide toilet paper and cleaning.


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