Waste not... Ah want not???

[Rune]

What do the people at the tower do with their waste. I mean you cant just leave it lying around, it would rot, cause disease and all sorts of issues would arise.

That being said there would be a free supply of rat meat...zom:(

[Luna Guardian]

Compost back yard? It's what I would do, waste turns into grade A soil, something you can't have enough in an apocalypse scenario

[TCM Revolver]

The sewer system would still work. You can still flush the toilet when the power and water goes out. :) I just wouldn't want to go to the waste treatment plant.

[Luna Guardian]

You sure? I'm pretty sure the toilets won't function at all if there's no power or water. How would you get water above ground without electric pumps for use in toilets?

[TCM Revolver]

When Kalani got to the tower, he had to use the rest room and then apologizes for not being able to flush. Michael said (paraphrase) "It's ok, we have someone come by and pour water in it every so often" As long as you put water in the tank, it will flush. We have to remember that toilets and sewer systems have been around since the days of Rome.

[Luna Guardian]

I didn't remember that part. I stand corrected.

Still, I think they would compost at least some of it

[nikvoodoo]

I didn't remember that part. I stand corrected.

Still, I think they would compost at least some of it

If they still had the garden they might, but composting does nothing but stink. That's one hell of a risk considering zombies are attracted by smells.

[Ra1th]

It brings up an interesting thought though, sewers need constant maintenance to keep them up and running... No one is doing that anymore... How long before it all fails and the streets overflow with sewage

[nikvoodoo]

It brings up an interesting thought though, sewers need constant maintenance to keep them up and running... No one is doing that anymore... How long before it all fails and the streets overflow with sewage

With the small amount of people alive that would use toilets the streets aren't going to be over flowing anytime soon. I will definitely agree that the system is likely to fail pretty quickly. I am also considering how deep underground sewage lines are in NYC and how much "empty" space is below them because of subways. I always felt that if NYC were to be rapidly depopulated in a similar manner, the sewer pipes would break and then fill up the subway system. So that's why I think the streets wouldn't over flow.

I honestly don't know what the LA underground is like. I assume there's some manner of subway system yes? Correct me if I'm wrong, I've never gone further west than Arizona.

[lectio]

In theory, the surrounding area would smell pretty funky by now - what with bodies, decomposing food, and garbage...I'm surprised the tower hasn't had more of a rat problem. And mosquitoes, too - there'd be standing pools of water, and no municipal services to spray pesticides. West Nile and dengue fever will be among the survivors' concerns. Typhoid fever and dysentery from contaminated drinking water is also a concern, as would be food poisoning and influenza. Nobody in the tower - save Saul - has had a serious medical emergency yet, but any survivors with diabetes, high blood pressure, or diseases needing treatment will find themselves running out of meds soon (diabetics on insulin would likely be in serious trouble by now). Anybody on anti-depressants or anti-psychotics will have needed to make a drugstore raid, and even those supplies will eventually dwindle.

With the waste issue, I suspect tower survivors would probably burn the solid waste and use sewers for liquid. They must surely be using a common latrine by now, since water can't be wasted to clear a toilet.

Come to think of it, nobody's had a dental problem yet, either. But what do you do when you've got a toothache or a broken tooth...and no dentist?

[Zombiehead]

With the small amount of people alive that would use toilets the streets aren't going to be over flowing anytime soon. I will definitely agree that the system is likely to fail pretty quickly. I am also considering how deep underground sewage lines are in NYC and how much "empty" space is below them because of subways. I always felt that if NYC were to be rapidly depopulated in a similar manner, the sewer pipes would break and then fill up the subway system. So that's why I think the streets wouldn't over flow.

I honestly don't know what the LA underground is like. I assume there's some manner of subway system yes? Correct me if I'm wrong, I've never gone further west than Arizona.
Yes, the Metro runs under downtown LA.

[nikvoodoo]

Come to think of it, nobody's had a dental problem yet, either. But what do you do when you've got a toothache or a broken tooth...and no dentist?
Well you better find yourself a pair of pliers or if it comes down to it...get yourself to a hockey pro shop and get a figure skate and go full on Cast Away on your face. Toothache is easy to cure, infections in the mouth can spread to the sinuses and then into your brain and kill you. That would be a kick in the teeth if you pardon the expression.

[TCM Revolver]

With the waste issue, I suspect tower survivors would probably burn the solid waste and use sewers for liquid. They must surely be using a common latrine by now, since water can't be wasted to clear a toilet.
Wouldn't that just spread the smell a further distance?? Imagine when someone in your neighborhood is grilling steaks, the entire community can smell it and the mouths start watering. Same principal, just stinkier.

[Teethingbiscuit]

Major systems should have a problem. If they have gravity fed systems then there would be no problems on the street side. I am happy with the septic tank I have after this thread. We have gravity fed water too so no worries about pumps going out without power. Though I am curious if the power here would fail as it comes from a small dam. Eventually with no workers, fuses and/or broken lines would stop the flow but I think we could fair well for some time.
Teeth

[Rune]

The sewer system would still work. You can still flush the toilet when the power and water goes out. :) I just wouldn't want to go to the waste treatment plant.

I dunno I didnt think you could use the water pipes for a toilet when the water went out.

[nikvoodoo]

I dunno I didnt think you could use the water pipes for a toilet when the water went out.

Its true. Back in 91 the entire city of Rochester, NY lost power and water for a week from an ice storm. and since this was before bottled water was standard issue, we would take buckets of snow from outside inside , and melt it for our needs. Including filling the toilet tank. we'd flush it twice a day and plug our nose the rest of the time.

EDIT: we also had to walk to school up hill both ways back then.

[Luna Guardian]

EDIT: we also had to walk to school up hill both ways back then.

And the wind was always blowing in your faces, where ever you went?

[nikvoodoo]

And the wind was always blowing in your faces, where ever you went?

Well of course. And we had no shoes. And we had to carry our siblings on our backs, unless they were sick and then we'd have to carry donkeys just so we wouldn't get to school too early.

[Luna Guardian]

Man, life was TOUGh when you were in school. Had fire been invented yet?

[nikvoodoo]

Man, life was TOUGh when you were in school. Had fire been invented yet?

It was invented, but we hadn't figured out that it burned you yet. My mother always missed the hair on the left side of her head...

[Zombiehead]

Its true. Back in 91 the entire city of Rochester, NY lost power and water for a week from an ice storm. and since this was before bottled water was standard issue, we would take buckets of snow from outside inside , and melt it for our needs. Including filling the toilet tank. we'd flush it twice a day and plug our nose the rest of the time.

EDIT: we also had to walk to school up hill both ways back then.
And no matter what direction you were going it's always 15 miles in the snow right?

[MrScott101]

wats elektrikity? I didn't even have shoes, and no toilet paper, we just used our hands

[HaveCrowBarWillTravel]

If they still had the garden they might, but composting does nothing but stink. That's one hell of a risk considering zombies are attracted by smells.

Composting Human waste isn't smart or safe because of all the desease we carry. That's why they use animal waste.

[mem]

wats elektrikity? I didn't even have shoes, and no toilet paper, we just used our hands

you live in arkansas too ? cool

[nikvoodoo]

Composting Human waste isn't smart or safe because of all the desease we carry. That's why they use animal waste.

I shall add this into the plethora of things that are generally thought of as worthless knowledge hence why I must know it. I always thought the reason human waste isn't used is simply because people would get all skeeved out by touching human waste as opposed to animal waste which was the traditional thing for centuries...if that makes any sense.

[mem]

You wouldnt want to do this in the confines of the tower, but in an apocalyptic time I would get to work on collecting methane from every form of waste i could. This is where people find those great time killers that keep the monotony of the same old routine at bay. Now could this light up the place? I am not sure.

http://climatelab.org/Landfill_Gas

and yes I was going to say "Who run barter town ?" but i decided not too

[HaveCrowBarWillTravel]

I shall add this into the plethora of things that are generally thought of as worthless knowledge hence why I must know it. I always thought the reason human waste isn't used is simply because people would get all skeeved out by touching human waste as opposed to animal waste which was the traditional thing for centuries...if that makes any sense.

Nik,
that's just crap...ehehehe.. em, stuff they teach when you go out in the field. Where to build your slit trenches.. how far..blah, blah blah.
Human waste will make you sicker quicker than anything in the world.

HOWEVER.. they could use it for defense to throw off any trackers. EWWW!