Composting Toilet
No urgency? - Composting lavatories in parish churches
Is your church without a lavatory? Does this prevent people from visiting or attending services? Are you unsure if you can bring water or a sewage system into your church? 'Focus On' this month investigates three case studies to see if a composting lavatory is a suitable solution for churches without toilets.
Ringwould St Nicholas
Ringwould parish church gained a lavatory in November 2007 after 850 years without one! Members of the parish felt that not having a lavatory was preventing people from using the church, particularly as there was no hall nearby for people to use.
Early investigations showed that the cost of installing a full flushable lavatory was untenable. This was down to the cost of laying sewage pipes through the churchyard, and also from the archaeological impact and problems that would arise through disturbing graves.
Jean Winn, Lay Chair of Sandwich Deanery and Treasurer of Ringwould explains: "We came to the conclusion that a compost lavatory was relatively cheap, less disruptive and ecologically friendly. It doesn't require water or sewage connections and our investigations showed us that the lavatory was user-friendly, not at all like a camping lavatory and the only waste product produced is compost!"
The parish council decided to house the lavatory in the vestry - during other re-ordering works. Locating the loo in the vestry means it has disabled access and is kept relatively warm - important not only for users, but also for the compost, which needs to be kept within a certain temperature range.
Composting lavatories do not need a water supply but they do need electricity for the heater that keeps the compost dry. As Ringwould church does have a water supply, the council chose to include a handwsah basin with a tap.
The cost of installing the compost lavatory was around £10,000 - which included the loo (c.£1.5K) and the building works to house it.
The congregation fundraised for the project and were delighted to receive a cheque from one elderly member of the congregation for £5,000 specifically for the toilet, explaining that the gift was made because 'old people need toilets!'
Has the lavatory been the success Jean envisaged? "We surveyed our congregation before we installed the lavatory and around 85% were in favour - the remaining 15% were anxious about it. Now I would say around 99% of people are pleased it is there. We have not had any problems with the loo. We have all been surprised at how little it smells. It is also silent because there is no flush mechanism. It does the job."
What tips does Jean offer to parish councils considering a composting lavatory? "See one in situ before you buy - indeed come and have a look at ours. I would also recommend that you make sure no more than two people are responsible for looking after it - whilst it is easy to care for, its maintenance does require some continuity."
Jean can be contacted on: 01304 361030, jeanelizwinn@aol.com
Eastling St Mary
Eastling church are currently half way through the site works required for the installation of a composting lavatory. The loo is being installed in the tower, where a small room is being created using partition walls. The project to include a toilet forms part of a plan to create better disabled access to the church and is the prelude to plans to re-cast the bells which are also housed in the tower.
The church believes that the project will help open up the church for further use by the community. It is also felt that installation of a lavatory will be helpful for visitors, particularly those attending weddings and funerals who have travelled some distance to attend.
The parish council considered a number of options including an external portaloo, but as Priest-in-Charge Revd Caroline Pinchbeck describes, this was thought to not 'aesthetically attractive' in the grounds of a medieval building. Caroline said: "We have no water and we felt we couldn't bear the cost of bringing mains water and sewage through the churchyard, so the composting lavatory solution was perfect. Housing it in the tower meant that we avoided secular planning, although we did of course need a faculty."
The project is costing around £16,000 (for the loo and improved disability access). The church has fundraised for over two years and has been successful with grant applications, as well as local fundraising through events such as the annual Bluebell walk.
Caroline feels that the work (which is just three weeks away from completion) has invigorated the church community and shows the wider community that the building is cared for and that the church is active. Installing the loo is also an early win for those involved in fundraising who are now re-energised and looking at raising funds for the bell work.
Boughton-under-Blean St Peter and St Paul
Boughton-under-Blean are in the process of seeking a solution to their loo-less situation. The church is undergoing re-ordering to create a 'welcome area' to contain kitchen facilities as well as a toilet.
Revd Jean Burrows, Priest-in-Charge at Boughton-under-Blean explains: "Our plans are about making people feel more welcome. Children and older people particularly benefit from having a loo in the building. Without a lavatory, some people may stay away, and occasionally parents will take young children to the back of the graveyard if absolutely necessary.
"We liked the idea of a composting lavatory as it is ecologically friendly - You are left with no mess, just some compost at the end of the process. We also did not want to dig up the churchyard to lay sewers."
The plan is to house the lavatory at the back of church in a space with a window and a memorial - creating a small room boarded with sound proofed materials.
The church is fed with water as far as an outside tap. As kitchen facilities form part of the plans, the parish council wants to bring the water inside for making drinks, and also for hand-washing within the lavatory. The original plans include a soak-away system to avoid waste pipes linked to sewers.
Whilst the church has obtained a faculty, it has run into difficulties with the local council who feel that the plans for the soak-away could lead to contamination of the water table.
Jean says: "If the church did not need the kitchen facilities, we could proceed with a composting lavatory and hand gel for hand-washing - as this requires no water. We are, however, investigating installing a cess-pit which could solve the dirty water problem, and would actually mean we could have a flushable lavatory if desired."