Just interested in a toilet without the horizontal long auger system, but a toilet that would automatically flush a certain quantity of stored and augured wood shavings into the toilet with each raising and lowering of the toilet seat.

Clint

Hi Clint,

Humm.... not exactly sure what parts you would want! The auger, flush pedal, gears, etc. are the essence of the toilet.

Please take a look at: www.earthauger.org/toilet.html and let me know what part(s) you are interested in. Please reply at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

It shows how the sawdust delivery system works for the pedestal - for the squat, we don't have that system yet, and the cover material would just be stored in a bucket and put in by a cup.

How much do you just sell the toilet without the auger system?

Do you have some drawings?

How is the carbon source introduced and stored?

Clint

Hi Ben,

"Usually, dry toilets are complicated in "muslim countries" as they wash rather than whipe, can you tell us about social acceptation ?"

We are currently evaluating our pedestal and squat interfaces for their use for washing and diverting wash water to the same container - the demonstration of six toilets in Dakar (Pikine area) was installed in July - I'm here in Dakar now and we'll be doing the official review in the next few days. I'll write more when I get that feedback. If you saw the national TV clip about this project that I referred to earlier (with Seydou Niang), it seems as though it has been accepted fairly well. Yet, I'm sure some changes will be suggested!

"Did you notice any problem with hard paper put on the toilet ?"

I haven't noticed an 'operational' problem with hard (or any) toilet paper. However, I recommend that paper and sanitary products go in the waste basket rather than the toilet. My main reason for this is that the horizontal tube dries the compost out significantly, so the resulting end product has noticeable tissue remaining, and I don't like its appearance in the end product. However, I'm currently working on a concept for further treatment that makes the end product very desirable and will likely have no problem with paper. Stay tuned!

"At the time you were centralizing toilet construction in US, if a small plastic piece break can a family repear it ?"

All our pieces are now injection molded, and each fairly inexpensive. I believe any repairs that have taken place in our African demos have been done by the installer - they have been minor, and more related to installation problems (such as getting cement in the gears). In one instance in the US the owner easily fixed his own when I sent him a part. Our evolving approach I think will be to establish a trained distributor/retailer/installer that has extra parts at hand for this.

"Last question, are you planning to make one for upscale market, I'd be happy to test and promote a version with ceramic nice seat in France."

Why not! I think there could be a strong European and US market! I've been focusing on our main goal of providing as low as cost unit as possible to or close to the BOP - so it may be awhile. I have some good DYI homeowners in the US who are now using them and some actually have put their own seat on!

I think this is a great toilet, which actually historically goes back to the very first patented toilet invention utilizing earth to flush long before the use and abuse of water to flush.

This device introduces and inoculates a carbon/biological source and promotes a natural aerobic composting environment when compared to the introduction and use and abuse of water to flush, only providing and promoting an anaerobic less useful and productive environment.

Clint

Chuck, Marcos,

Congratulations !! I've been following your work from the start and am very impressed about the travel done.
It's a pleasure to see the partnerships in African cities starting, and I deeply hope that you'll expend as your invention is great.

I've got a couple of questions if you may :

• Usually, dry toilets are complicated in "muslim countries" as they wash rather than whipe, can you tell us about social acceptation ?
• Did you notice any problem with hard paper put on the toilet ?
• At the time you were centralizing toilet construction in US, if a small plastic piece break can a family repear it ?

Last question, are you planning to make one for upscale market, I'd be happy to test and promote a version with ceramic nice seat in France.

Best,

Ben

Two new Ghana EarthAuger demonstrations!

Last week we gave an assembly and installation workshop at the community of Anyakpor, Ada Foah (www.earthauger.org/adafoah.html)

The project was led by community activist Isaac Adjaottor with all the support of the area and village chiefs and local officials. This project has greatly benefited by wonderful help from Diane Kellogg (who initiated the contact) and Dana Ward and Samira Salifu (PSI) who are providing logistics support. Six EarthAuger toilets were funded by the Seattle (UN)Run (part of the UN World Toilet Day Urgent Run).

This week we did a similar assembly workshop at the PSI office in Accra, followed by an installation of two EarthAugers in the community of Mankyi within the Mayira zone about 30 km north of main City of Accra (www.earthauger.org/accra.html)

As a very encouraging initial sign, each of the two households are already taking names of the neighbors who are also interested in having EarthAugers - apparently liking the design and low cost.

My french is very rusty, but i don't need to understand french to grasp how happy the users is with the new compost one in all system toilet!

Take a first look at other posts in the forum and check out how they lay-outed the presentation of their creations.
As a person with engineering experience - I can immediately understand the function and benefit of EarthAuger, when just looking at what you got in your website.

But as a layman I would prefer your video, but I think it's rather lengthy for uploading in a forum. Take some snippets from it, make a album with explaining text - and it will be a success

Thanks, Henrik!

That's a very nice note. I have not looked into reddit, but will at your suggestion. We're pretty pleased with the response we're getting.

You might be interested in the Senegal National Press Report on the EarthAuger experience in flooded areas in Dakar You Tube that i just received from our local partner Seydou Niang.

This is an amazing invention. Very happy that you share it here! More people should know about it. Do you use reddit anything? I think it would be loved at either:

1. www.reddit.com/r/Design/
2. www.reddit.com/r/DIY/
3. www.reddit.com/r/engineering/

Just ideas how to spread your awesome product.

best regards
Henrik.

Last week we had an evaluation of the four EarthAugers installed in Cotonou, Benin. These have been working for almost a month and a half - and we were very pleased to note the following:

- All four EarthAugers were functioning very well, with only minor adjustments and improvements suggested/needed. Housings were generally quite clean, and there was an amazing lack of odor and flies.

- A number of the neighbors next to the participants were interested in getting a toilet, and that one participant that has a pay-per-use toilets dumping into a lake was interested in a demonstration business using the EarthAuger adding to/ replacing her current toilet system.

- All this positive feedback comes as somewhat of a pleasant surprise to us, as the operating conditions far exceeded what the EarthAuger was designed for (4-6 users; the four toilets had 7,9, 15 and 15 users. We still recommend 4-6, but this ability to handle over use is encouraging.

For further information on the project, please visit: www.earthauger.org/benin.html