residential weekend course

sustainable water & sewage

venue: Redfield Community, Bucks

This course is about the collection, conservation and recycling of water, as well as sustainable ways of dealing with sewage. Water shortages are becoming a serious problem all over the world, and there are financial implications too, now that water meters are becoming the norm.

The course is run by Nick Grant of Elemental Solutions, and Dave (LILI) will talk about compost toilets on Sunday.

  • ecological sewage treatment, including both successes and failures
  • septic tanks to sewage gardens: intro to some of the things Elemental Solutions have been doing over the last 15 years or so - soil systems, reed beds, ponds, aquatics, Aquatron, composting etc.
  • an appropriate approach to sewage treatment; determining the best system for your application; exploding myths
  • water efficiency: principles and technologies - taps, WCs, urinals, showers; DIY to mainstream commercial solutions
  • rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling
  • case study: Nick's energy and water efficient cottage
  • compost toilets: a look at Redfield's compost loos; how to build one; how to use and maintain one; troubleshooting
  • Q&A; participants own situations and problems; group discussion

dates: see 'book online' below

more on sustainable water & sewage


how to book:
  

if you can't open the booking form, you need Acrobat Reader - it's free
arrive:
  
Friday evening at 6.30 for dinner at 7.30
depart:
  
Sunday after lunch (served at 1.00)
directions:
  
click here for directions by bicycle, public transport and car
what to bring:
  
pen and notebook; towel; wellies (for tour if wet); money for possible trip to pub (meals and bedding are provided)
NO DOGS PLEASE, as we have sheep
let us know:
  
if you are vegan or have any food allergies
accommodation:
  
3-4 people sharing single-sex rooms
sat evening:
  
either a trip to the pub in Winslow, or (depending on the weather) a barbecue and bonfire. You'll be able to meet and chat with other Redfield members
prices:
  
£190 high-waged; £170 waged;
£150 student / unwaged
Refundable up to two weeks prior to course (minus £30 admin fee)
No refunds for cancellations within two weeks of course
car sharing:
  
visit our car sharing forum to offer or request a lift
 

 

 

 


horizontal-flow reed bed installed by Elemental Solutions to treat the effluent from a pub in Worcestershire

 


 


 


home-made compost toilet in the main house at Redfield; there are also male and female waterless urinals, and compost loos in the visitor centre based on wheelie bins



 

 

 

 


the course will cover the practicalities of different methods of rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling; simplest of all is a water butt with a diverter from a down pipe from roof gutters