Simple & Sustainable Bathroom Solutions You Can Build Yourself

Introduction

I am not going to lie, flush toilets are convenient, but they do come with some ecological problems. First, they require clean drinking water which we then sh*t in and contaminate. To now clean this polluted water requires energy intensive and costly infrastructure. What if I told you that there was another way that we could address this potentially harmful (to humans) material? Well...there is. 

Composting toilets offer an alternative, especially for those living off-grid, in drought-prone areas, or practicing regenerative design. They treat human waste as a resource, not a problem, and can be built with simple materials, making them accessible for almost anyone. I know what you are thinking, this sounds sh*tty, but hear me out.

What is a Composting Toilet?

Composting toilets are dry or low-water systems that convert human waste into compost through aerobic decomposition. Instead of flushing waste away, they use carbon-rich materials like sawdust, wood shavings or straw to balance nitrogen, absorb moisture, and eliminate odors.

Why Use a Composting Toilet?

• Save water: No need to flush gallons of clean water.

• Build soil: Create compost for food bearing (or not) plants and trees.

• Simple and affordable: Especially if you build your own.

• Perfect for remote areas: No plumbing or sewage required.

Types of Owner-Built Composting Toilets

Here are several low-tech, effective, and affordable composting toilet styles:

1. Humanure Bucket Toilet

Made famous by Joseph Jenkins' The Humanure Handbook, this is one of the simplest systems:

• How it works: A 5-gallon bucket is placed under a toilet seat. After each use, cover the waste with sawdust or another carbon-rich material. When full, the bucket is emptied into a compost bin designed for humanure and covered with straw or leaves. The material is then composted for about a year.

• Pros: Very cheap, effective, easy to build.

• Cons: Requires regular emptying. Will most likely never be something that can be permitted. Not odor-free if mismanaged.

2. Barrel Composting Toilet

A step up in volume and scale. This is similar in use to the bucket toilet, but rather than using a 5 gallon bucket, you use a 55 gallon barrel and the composting happens in there. This system is able to be legally set up and permitted in Arizona! David Omick has a great resource on this system

• How it works: Waste is collected in large barrels (typically 55-gallon drums). Once full, the barrel is sealed and left to compost for a year or more while a second (or third) barrel is used.

• Pros: Handles more volume. No emptying of buckets with the potential for human/pathogen contact.

• Cons: Heavier to move; requires multiple barrels for rotation.

3. Orchard Toilet

The "Orchard Toilet" is a design that I first heard from Greywater Guru, Art Ludwig. The premise is that a hole is dug in the landscape (outside of high water table zones) and human waste is deposited in the hole with carbon material added on top. When the hole fills, the toilet is moved, soil covers the hole and a tree is planted near the covered fertility hole. This is designed specifically for long-term, tree-based systems.

• How it works: A toilet seat is placed over a deep pit or chamber in the ground in an orchard or tree-growing zone. Once full (over weeks and months), the toilet is moved to a new site, and a fruit or nut tree is planted in the old spot.

• Pros: Minimal handling of waste; turns problems into fertility.

• Cons: Not suitable for high water tables or areas with strict codes; should be managed carefully to avoid pathogen risk. Need land to keep moving toilet

Best Practices for All Styles

• Always add carbon after each deposit (e.g., sawdust, shredded leaves, coconut coir).

• Keep the system well-ventilated and dry to prevent odors.

• Design for easy access to empty and clean.

• Let compost cure fully, typically 12 months before using near edible plants.

• Follow local codes and safety guidelines.

Closing Thoughts

Composting toilets, especially simple, owner-built styles offer a low-tech, regenerative solution to one of our most basic needs. Whether you're building a bucket toilet for your homestead or installing a barrel system at a permaculture farm, these systems put you in direct relationship with your waste and the cycle of life that transforms it into soil.