Waste Material Systems

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A live-aboard barge needs two waste systems, one for the toilets and one for dirty water.  We elected to build in holding tanks for both systems, at a considerable cost, but this is not common among the barges we have visited.  We had the grey water tank built into the forepeak and the cost was included in the sail-away price.  The grey water system connects all of the sinks and appliances using water and brings the effluent to a single pump tank.  When the water level rises in this tank a small pump is triggered and the grey water goes either overboard or into the holding tank.  The holding tank can be pumped overboard or pumped out at a station.  Unfortunately the latter are very scarce in France so there is little point in filling the tank except as ballast. We used PVC piping to connect the water outlets, except to the through-hull valves where we used flexible tubing.  Total cost, including two heavy duty pumps for emptying the bilge and the grey water tank, and the pump tank was in the order of 2900 Euros.  This included some help from the plumber when we discovered an error in my logic as to how water would best flow to the tank. For the toilet or black water system we installed two vacuum flush tanks from Sealand.  The two cost 6900 Euros, which includes two toilets and some special flexible hosing needed to connect the toilets to the tanks.  We had tried PVC piping but the joints would not maintain the vacuum required so we had to re-do this part.  Fortunately this was discovered before we had started to use the systems. Our primary reason behind installing the vacuum flush toilets was the water conservation benefits.  One flush of a regular toilet consumes some 5 gallons of water whereas the vacuum system uses only betwen one and two litres.  When we are putting all of this into holding tanks the less water stored the better. In all we are quite pleased with the vacuum systems.  They have required no maintenance to date and work as reliably as those on commercial aircraft.  It is an area for cost saving however, at least until the authorities mandate the use of pump-out stations.

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After a couple of years of use, these black tank systems continue to work flawlessly...which is a good thing!

Grey water, from the sink, washer, dishwasher, and bath, are piped to a central location through sloping PVC pipe

Two toilets are installed, each with its own black tank and vacuum system.

All the through-hull fitting and valves have to be installed before foaming insulation.

All grey water enters this box, complete with a float switch.  When the box is full it is emptied either over the side or into a grey water tank.