Okay, folks. This is it: The unavoidable conversation that every prepper just pretends isn’t important; we’re going to talk about your poo. In the world of survivalism and prepping, the conversation almost always revolves around a predictable list of essentials: food, water, shelter, warmth, and weapons. These are the “sexy” parts of the apocalypse, the elements we see glamorized in movies and books. But in a real, long term grid-down situation, a far more mundane and devastating threat looms large, one that is almost never discussed and rarely planned for; sanitation. The truth is, without a proper plan for managing human waste, the modern world would swiftly descend into a public health crisis that could wipe out communities long before any other disaster does.
The danger lies in the swift reemergence of diseases that have been largely eradicated in the developed world, like the things you would only die from in the ‘Oregon Trail’ video game. Once our modern sewer systems fail, the very things that keep us healthy (toilets, drains, and treatment plants) become vectors for deadly pathogens. Diseases like cholera, dysentery, and typhoid fever, which are spread through contaminated water and food, would return with a vengeance. The sanitation infrastructure we take for granted is a delicate system that relies on constant power and maintenance. When the pumps that move wastewater to treatment plants stop working, a clock starts ticking. For those in areas with high water tables or where gravity doesn’t do the work, this backup could happen in a matter of days, turning homes and communities into biohazards.
The first step in preparing for a sanitation crisis is understanding your current system. Most people in cities and urban communities are on one of three types of sewer systems:
- Sanitary Sewers: Also known as foul sewers, these systems are dedicated solely to carrying wastewater from homes and businesses to a treatment plant.
- Stormwater Sewers: These are designed to move rainwater and surface runoff directly to a nearby body of water without treatment.
- Combined Sewers: As the name suggests, these systems handle both wastewater and stormwater, carrying them together to a treatment plant.
If you’re someone who has an RV or camper with a blackwater tank, these can be very effective “sanitation lifeboats” as they provide you with a way to keep your waste away from your food and your group, but again, this is temporary. Eventually, you’re going to have to dig a hole.
For those in more rural areas, a septic system is common. While a septic system offers greater autonomy during a grid-down event, it is not a permanent solution. These systems rely on bacteria to break down waste, and they still require periodic pumping. In an extended emergency, the tank will eventually fill up, requiring a disposal solution. Furthermore, some septic systems, particularly those with sand filters or in low-lying areas, may require pumps that are also dependent on electricity. Once you understand how your waste is currently handled, you can begin to develop a personal plan for when the system fails. The goal is simple: isolate human waste and prevent it from contaminating your living space and water sources.
First, let’s chat about short-term solutions. In the initial days of a power outage, you may be able to extend the life of your toilet by using greywater (the untreated water from rain cisterns or pools) to manually fill the tank of and flush the toilet. However, this is only a temporary fix. It doesn’t address the fact that the sewer lines are backing up, and eventually, the waste will have nowhere to go but back into your home. A key strategy for those in low-lying areas is to seal all drains with heavy plastic sheeting and duct tape to buy precious time and prevent immediate backflow of your neighbors’ blackwater.
Now, for the longer term; in an extended emergency, more robust solutions are necessary. These options range from the simple to the complex, and the best choice depends on your resources and living situation.
- The Latrine: The most basic and accessible solution is a simple latrine or outhouse. This involves digging a deep hole (at least 5-6 feet deep) away from your home and any water sources. A latrine provides a contained and sanitary way to dispose of waste, and it can be covered with dirt or lime to control odors and pests. The military has used a variety of latrine systems for centuries, from deep pit latrines for extended stays to simple straddle trenches for temporary encampments.
- Composting Toilets: These systems are designed to process waste into a usable compost material. While effective, they require significant daily maintenance, including adding a carbon-rich medium like wood chips and manually removing waste. Improper maintenance can lead to foul odors and health hazards. Also, something that most people who don’t own a composting toilet probably don’t know; they don’t work in the cold. If there isn’t enough heat to actually facilitate the composting process, you’re just making frozen poo. Biolet makes some amazing toilets that I have personally used off-grid.
- Incinerating Toilets: These are high-tech and expensive options that use propane or electricity to burn waste down to a sterile ash. They are a clean and efficient solution but require a continuous supply of fuel, which may be difficult to acquire in an emergency. I personally own a Cinderella propane incinerating toilet at my off-grid cabin where it gets too cold for other options.
- Biogas Toilets: An emerging and innovative technology, biogas toilets convert human waste into clean cooking gas and safe effluent. While expensive, they represent a sustainable, off-grid solution for long-term survival, transforming a major liability into a valuable resource. The Biogas toilet also requires some amount of heat, just like the composting toilet as the process of breaking down human waste can’t happen when it’s cold. A pro-tip: I have personally witnessed in colder climates is to put your biogas “bag” in a greenhouse, and harvest the gas from there. Homeboigas.com has some excellent solutions for this. If you really want to step up your prepper game; buy one now, store it, and thank me later.
Regardless of which solution you choose, the most important step is to acknowledge the problem and make a plan now. A lack of sanitation is not a minor inconvenience; it’s a catastrophic threat that can lead to disease, dehydration, and death. The least sexy part of your SHTF reality is that you’re more likely to die of dysentery before you ever plow through those 10,000 rounds of 5.56 you’ve been hoarding for the eventual roaming bands of marauders. While stockpiling food and weapons is important, true preparedness involves thinking through all the ugly and unglamorous details. A sanitation plan, coupled with a supply of basic antibiotics for when you eventually do bump into your poo, is the ultimate insurance policy against the unseen enemy lurking within every clogged drain.
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Note: This essay was written by AC of the Stakeholder Prepping Podcast and is based on the research done for Episode 8 of the podcast.
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