MANHOLE COVER HOLE FOR PIPE TO PUMP CEMENTED JOINTS CONCRETE OR CLAY MANHOLE COVER
A driven well, which is successful in some locations, can be made by two men also, although it’s not an easy job. The point, a special length of pipe with a sharp steel point and screened openings to let the water in, is driven into the earth with a heavy maul or with a weight on a block and tackle. It is not practicable to sink such a well over 100 feet—a drilled well is easier and less trouble.
The ultimate source of your water supply should be definitely determined before you buy or lease a summer homesite. Before you start a well of any kind you would be wise to obtain the best available local advice.
Sanitation Important
The average city dweller is likely to overlook the important part sanitation plays in his daily life. Therefore, many summer homes are equipped with meager facilities for disposing of sewage. The old-fashioned “outhouse” which plays a rather comic part in song and story favored by such humorists as the late Chick Sale and James Whitcomb Riley, can hardly be considered an asset to the health and sanitation of a summer home community.
If such a building is necessary, at least follow the instructions given by the Department of Agriculture (see Farmer’s Bulletin No. 1227) so that it will be sanitary, fly-proof, easily cleaned, and as little of an “eye sore” as possible. A better type is the vault-privy with a watertight concrete vault, wide and shallow. It should have a trap at the rear to provide access for cleaning. A metal container may be substituted for the concrete work. This should have an airtight lid and must be removed frequently for cleaning.
There are a number of chemical septic tanks for sale, all of which dispose of waste matter by the action of bacteria and chemicals. They are not difficult to install. Further information may be obtained from the previously-mentioned Government bulletin.
Garbage Harbors Germs
Even though your cabin has running water and a regular flush toilet, the danger of waste disposal is not entirely eliminated. Garbage and refuse of all kinds are harbors for germs and flies can quickly spread disease germs gathered from such sources. The location of the water supply in relation to sewage disposal is of greatest importance, and it is not enough that the water source be above the distribution field of the sewer. It is a good idea to consult the nearest forest ranger, or some other person who is well acquainted with the locality, before making any such installations.
For sink drainage and kitchen waste a line of small sewer pipes, laid as shown in the accompanying [diagram], is fairly adequate. Garbage and other refuse that cannot be drained away should be buried in a good-sized pit. This hole should be as nearly fly-proof as possible, and each fresh lot of refuse should be well covered with dirt or sand or sprinkled with a chloride of lime solution.