Customer Reviews

The Composting Toilet System Book: A Practical Guide to Choosing, Planning and Maintaining Composting Toilet Systems

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After reading a couple of books about composting toilets and graywater systems that were either suspiciously poetic or a little too humorous, I was happy to find this book.

As someone who needs a variety of systems for a variety of high-use sites, I was glad to find a book that deals with this topic in technically and responsibly (in terms of public health). I showed this book to my local health agent, and he was far more amenable to permiting an "experimental system" afterwards, saving me a lot of money.

Also, after experimenting with various systems over the years, I am aware that some systems still described in books and magazines just don't work well. The authors of this book have apparently had the same experience, and I appreciate their researching this so completely.

Del Porto's book is the definitive composting toilet book at this time. There is nothing even close. His book covers all aspects of composting toilet systems and touches on graywater issues as well. He treats the composting toilet as part of the home system. If a person is seriously interested in installing/having a composting toilet, this book can save him/her all of the mistakes people usually make. He even (carefully) explodes some of the advertising myths that the purveyors of composting toilets would have us believe. The book covers ready-made systems as well as home built sytems. As trite as this sounds, the book truly is a must for someone considering intstalling composting toilet.

I would venture that the authors have forgotten more about toilets than most of the rest of us will ever know. There is no possible toilet configuration that does not receive at least cursory discussion. I only have 2 complaints about the book, both of them minor. First there were a couple of systems that I felt were described incompletely and critiqued a bit unfairly. Second, much of the book seemed to be a compilation of other writings without a lot of editing. Consequently there is significant repetition, and a presentation of information that is sometimes slightly disorganized and confusing.

I definitely think that the book is worth reading.

The Composting Toilet System Book is an impressive, comprehensive, reader friendly, and practical guide to choosing, planning and maintaining composting toilet systems for those seeking an alternative to traditional sewer and septic tank systems. David Del Porto and Carol Steinfeld collaborate to explain the technologies, sources, applications, graywater issues, and regulations relevant to a composting toilet system for the home, whether manufactured or site-built. Highly recommended.

This book was well worth the wait. Whether you want to buy a system, or build one, if it's not covered in this book, then chances are it doesn't exist. It covers wet and dry toilets, self-contained composters and also cental units. What I like about this book is that it discusses the pros and cons of each type of design in a very straight forward manner. The authors did a very nice job on this book. If you ever plan on, or are even thinking about a compost toilet system, buy this one now. I leave my copy on my coffee table for guests, it always stirs up a conversation. No sh_t....

This book has a textbook like structure, but it's incredibly easy to read through. There is tons of useful information too. Love it.

This book really offers straight advice on a wide variety of composting toilet systems... including the stuff you won't get from the manufacturers. It's a great reality check if you're considering a system like this. The authors clearly have first-hand experience with many types of toilets, and include a lot of information on pathogens, safety etc. Extremely thorough, well worth the cost.

Before I read this book I didn't know anything about composting toilets, except I had heard that they are 'green' and I am building a 'green' cabin so I decided to find out what it's all about ... when I first started the book I was not sure if I was up to having a composting toilet. I continued to read and laugh about 'skid marks' (I mean laugh out loud, there are funny parts in this book) but by the end I have decided that it is something I can do and we are going to do it. He made it understandable, he wrote about the details in an understandable way, and he explained why it is safe (big issue) and why it is environmental. So I am very happy I bought this book and I feel that with this referrence I can do this. And it was a fun read.