The three compartment ones we use do indeed sometimes have an effluent that doesn't have a noticeable smell. The bio action goes fast here in rural areas. It is, of course, a soup of bacteria for the same reason. There is not enough oxygen in a normal septic to support enough air breathing bacteria to really clean the waste. That only occurs in outhouses here. When I moved to CC we had only outhouses. The first couple years we used a horizontal branch for an outhouse. The waste would disappear in an hour with no odor.
Natalie couldn't deal with that so Paul Steele built a open bottom box with toilet seat, which he moved everyday to different spot in the yard.We passed one day and Natalie was sitting there pants down so we stopped to chat. She wasn't too friendly. Paul had to build an outhouse next day.
Edited by Dane (08/25/10 03:44 PM)