I built a post and beam house outside of Boulder, CO and it was all about trying to practice building with a soft footprint. To live with a 300 degree view from Pikes Peak to Denver to the 14,000 ft. Continental Divide and beyond to Estes Park, was worth every hardship. Or so I fantasized. My wife and I found 35 acres on top of a mountain above the little frontier/fly fishing town of Lyons and had to decide in a few hours whether to dive in. I realized as I signed the papers that I was suddenly just the next guy who wanted to be the last one to close the gate behind him.
If I had known that I would have to dyamite a half mile long, six foot deep trench through solid rock to bury utilities (that's why they call it the Rocky Mountains, stupid) and set power poles by helicopter on a 50 degree hillside, I may have reconsidered. But, after the redwood house was completed and I awoke with a cup of coffee and Vivaldi on the CD, I watched the local mountain lion pass 10 feet in front of my french doors. I said every bruise and scar was worth it.
One of my goals was to be self contained and although whole house solar systems were not as far along as they are today, I wanted my wastewater to be considered. I sought out a regional septic designer who had come up with a wetlands system. It contained a multi-stage, insulated, plastic (sorry!) tank that did most of the work as opposed to the old, passive concrete tanks. After the tank, I dug a four foot deep field area which was lined then filled with a series of leach lines laid in various grades of sand and gravel. On top were planted numerous native flowers and grasses to further filter the remaining water. It flourished and became the first county reference for future systems.
The original design was inspired by the work done at Sol y Sombra outside Santa Fe, NM. Georgia O'Keefe's old adobe has been turned into a world famous, think tank conference center. ALL the water and sewage is handled onsite with a series of landscaped pools and gardens of lilies, irises and numerous aquatics cascading in a beautiful setting. At the end of the system is a clear pool of beautiful drinking water. It can be done people!!
Fast forward to today and a house being built in Topanga Canyon, CA. The water system is designed by Environmental Planning and Design (EPD) and the first to tackle the urban frontier. Their MicroSep TankĀ© is a multi stage unit coupled with self contained drainage pits and a seperate area to address roof runoff. The firm has been involved in the Audubon Center in LA as well as the Natural Resources Defense Council building in Santa Monica. Both are USGBC LEED platinum projects.
The technology is here and cost efficient. We just need to wake up the folks who wield the mighty pens.