[just_found_out]

Hi. I've been reading about PO all week. I'm really worried about it, but the part that worries me the most is going to the bathroom. I just can't imagine digging a hole in the ground and going squat. Will the toilets still work after we hit peak??

[HEADER_RACK]

Oh it's going to be sooooo bad for some when TSHTF. Cause this is what they are worried about (flushing toilets ).

I woild like to help you but I'm beside myself right now at your question.

[sparkey]

J_F_O

Yes and no. Toilets are strictly mechanical devices, if there is sufficient water available, you can flush. However, sanitary sewer systems, and wastewater treatment plants, are not. Most collection systems are largely gravity pipes but even small cities systems have lift station (pump stations) that require electricity. And treatment plants use a large amount of electricity to impart air into the wastewater for BOD destruction and oxidation of ammonia, among many other electricity demands.

Alas, water treatment uses electricity also, and the distribution systems are all pressure pipe, requiring pumps to impart and maintian the pressure. I'm not sure what scenario you envision post peak, but frequent brown-outs and black-outs will require significant changes in the way we use water and how we treat and dispose of wastewater. If you envision something worse than that (TEOTWAWKI), then you won't be able to flush, but that will be the least of your problems.

[NEOPO]

In China, farmer's build outhouses on the side of their field's hoping travelers will bless them with an "offering".
Google "composting toilet", "human humus" and even "human humus machine".

Its the wasting of resources that we incorrectly refer to as "waste" and also the use or "waste" of hydrocarbons to do so.
A double DDD IMO.

Approx. 7% of all electricity is used for water and "waste" - not certain of the exact breakdown but I am sure its a significant amount for waste alone.

I think I am going to like this person Header Rack

[master_rb]

first of all i'm not a doomer but if i was i wouldn't worry about toilets but if my family can make it through

i guess different people have different priorities

[JPL]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('just_found_out', 'H')i. I've been reading about PO all week. I'm really worried about it, but the part that worries me the most is going to the bathroom. I just can't imagine digging a hole in the ground and going squat. Will the toilets still work after we hit peak??

[auscanman]

I find the fact that we flush our urine down the toilet to be yet another example of how we thoughtlessly waste energy. That urine could be concentrated, transported out of cities and be used as fertilizer, rather than adding to the expense of waste water treatment and/or polluting bodies of water.

I can imagine how horrified people like the OP would be with this idea!

[killJOY]

Even hear the expression, "shit in your hat"?

[threadbear]

I just assumed that we'll squat over rotating blades. TSTF, right?

[KhanCEO]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('just_found_out', 'H')i. I've been reading about PO all week. I'm really worried about it, but the part that worries me the most is going to the bathroom. I just can't imagine digging a hole in the ground and going squat. Will the toilets still work after we hit peak??

[topcat]

Brings back memories of the seventies:

If it's yellow, let it mellow;
If it's brown, flush it down.

[frankthetank]

I'm thinking a bicycle with a toilet seat for the seat. Just bike along and let it rip.

[EndOfSewers]

Hmmm, I live in a city on a river, with a natural gas fired power plant, in an oil exporting country. I expect that when TSHTF the govt will probably nationalize enough gas production to keep the lights on and the water treatment plant going, at least until someone invades us and takes it away.

[MonteQuest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('just_found_out', 'H')i. I've been reading about PO all week. I'm really worried about it, but the part that worries me the most is going to the bathroom. I just can't imagine digging a hole in the ground and going squat. Will the toilets still work after we hit peak??

[Aaron]

[joewp]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('threadbear', 'I') just assumed that we'll squat over rotating blades. TSTF, right?

[Twilight]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('just_found_out', 'H')i. I've been reading about PO all week. I'm really worried about it, but the part that worries me the most is going to the bathroom. I just can't imagine digging a hole in the ground and going squat. Will the toilets still work after we hit peak??