Outdoor shower

[winterh]

I am very conscious of doing anything that will harm the water quality of the lake. Thats the reason my small lawn looks so bad. I would never use fertilizer. I recently bought a home with an existing seasonal outdoor shower in addition to the indoor bathrooms. I love to use it but when I do I either use no soap or maybe a small amount of a natural bio-degradable soap. I do rent sometimes and in spite of my leaving the bio-degradable stuff and warning against soap use I find shampoo bottles in the shower. It is maybe 40 feet from the lake. There is decking on the floor so I am unsure exactly whats underneath but assume the water just soaks into ground. There is no runoff towards the lake but is the ground enough to filter whatever it soaks in? I am thinking of building another one further back from lake. How far back must I go to insure a good filter process and are there other steps that can be taken to make sure it does no harm.

[ishoot308]

I think it is wonderful that you care enough about the lake to ask this question!

Your outdoor shower should have some kind of gravel pit below it for all water to collect and seep into the ground properly with no runoff. If you were not using soap products in the shower I would not worry about anything as you are simply rinsing off and no difference between that and swimming in the lake.

With the above being said, we also have an outdoor shower and use it quite frequently. We supply and only allow environmentally neutral products to be used in it. As a matter of fact, we only allow and use these products throughout our island home and have the below notice posted in all of our bathrooms, laundry room and outdoor shower. We also inform any overnight guests ahead of time.

I think in your situation, it may be best if you supply the products to your renters and stock the outdoor shower with them. They are not very expensive...

Good Luck!

Dan

[FlyingScot]

Great sign, Dan!

We've been as diligent as we can at our place. It puzzles me that this is not universal.

[whalebackpoint'r]

Interesting and useful discussion. Thanks for posting.

[winterh]

Thank you. I am going to post that sign in all my bathrooms and showers

[ishoot308]

Thank you. I am going to post that sign in all my bathrooms and showers

PM me your email and I will send to you the original word document so you can edit the signature (or anything else you wish). I was unable to post the word doc here....

Dan

[Descant]

The amount of soil filtration depends on the type of soil. To the extreme, if you drain the shower onto ledge, no filter. The same would essentially apply if the ledge is only a foot down, etc. If you have lots of sand and grvel, that's a huge filter.
I think, officially, even gray water is supposed to go into an approved septic or sewer. While you may be conscientious, if you ever want to sell, or have a building inspection for some other project, the inspector may not be happy. It may be that for the low volume and the type of discharge, the "approved" system could be very simple, as described in earlier posts, i.e. a DIY system.
If you're relocating, can you discharge into your existing septic somehow?

[ishoot308]

The amount of soil filtration depends on the type of soil. To the extreme, if you drain the shower onto ledge, no filter. The same would essentially apply if the ledge is only a foot down, etc. If you have lots of sand and grvel, that's a huge filter.
I think, officially, even gray water is supposed to go into an approved septic or sewer. While you may be conscientious, if you ever want to sell, or have a building inspection for some other project, the inspector may not be happy. It may be that for the low volume and the type of discharge, the "approved" system could be very simple, as described in earlier posts, i.e. a DIY system.
If you're relocating, can you discharge into your existing septic somehow?

How is this worse than an outhouse with a dug hole??... Serious question...

Dan

[Descant]

An outhouse my exist as a grandfathered use. If you want to borrow money to build or buy, the bank wants to see indoor plumbing and approved septic.

I'm not a chemist or nutritionist, but I'd guess there is some difference in the "filtration" process for solids that decompose and break down as opposed to whatever non-biodegradable compound your tenants use in the shower. As I recall from the old days, proper maintenance of an outhouse includes periodic addition of limestone powder, and digging a new hole and moving the structure while there is adequate depth to cover the contents safely. Note that a toilet uses a lot of water and thus flows through the soil more quickly carrying "nutrients" to the down gradient lake. Not much liquid goes into an outhouse. Not even rainwater. I think 2-3 holers exist to distribute the fill under the outhouse, not so that three people can sit together and discuss the latest Sear catalog.
More than you wanted to know, huh?

The original question also had to do with the shower being 40 feet from shore. Presumably a back house or out house would be behind the main building and thus much further back from shore. A "certificate of occupancy" would require indoor plumbing. In Gilford, I think you can still live in a tent and have an outhouse, but only for one year while the approved residence is under construction. No camper trailers either. The town fathers want you to build something taxable.