Waste Waste
*** long term use chickens as first line of defense. ***
In some situations you are going to be stuck at home without the ability to get rid of waste. I.e. war,grid down,infrastructure collapse situations etc. We will be discussing urban environments, with people packed tight together. The more room you have the easier things are. If you are in an apartment, you are going to want to put more thought and preparation into it.
In these types of scenarios you are going to need some way of dealing with your waste. While it is true that in general you will be producing a lot less than usual, you will still have to deal with chicken bones, rotten food from a failed freezer, food packaging, and of course your own waste.
Sanitation can quickly spiral out of control when normal services are cut off. My best guess is that people will continue going to the relive themselves on the toilet, even if they can't flush.
After a couple of days, they will move on to the next bathroom, assuming services will return to normal soon. Finally they will have to choose between a hole in the backyard and the bathtub. Either way is likely to leave their entire house as one big biohazard zone.
In summer, as flies get into the house they will spread bacteria and viruses onto every surface, quickly spreading disease. This in turn will jump from household to household as people trade or barter items. Remember: wash hands with soap and water often, even if under a water budget. If no help is on the way even a case of diarrhea can kill you or your family.
Level 0 (3 days)
In the short term, you can force a toilet flush by pouring a bucket of water down the toilet. (you have put aside some water... right?). You are probably going to want to follow the 'if it's yellow, let it mellow' philosophy.
Fridges keep food cold for 4-6 hours without power, while freezers can last about 2 days if you don't open the door. Be ready to throw out any foods before they start to rot. Fruit and vegetables can go to worm bins if you have them. All foods can go in the bokashi bucket if you have one prepared. If you don't have either bag spoiled food and seal in a bucket, then store outside. Bags alone outside will attract pests.
If the situation is safe, on the second day of the event I am planning on visiting every neighbor on the block, making sure they know they can force a flush with water. If they are short of water, draining the hot water tank should buy some time.
While it might seems like a simple courtesy call, my plan is to make sure people aren't turning the entire block into a biohazard zone. If the event ends in a couple of days, you seem like a friendly neighbor. If it drags on you can head off any potential problems.
If you live in an apartment building this would become even more vital. There are reports of people deficating in the hallways of apartment building after hurricane Sandy because people had already filled their toilets. While it might seem like a headache helping people deal with these problems, the alternative is much worse.
Level 1 (3 weeks)
If the power and water don't come on after the first few days, the pumping stations will probably fail, and you won't be able to do this any more. Basement toilets may back up with the pressure of everything trying to force a flush, so keep an eye on them.
All toilet bowls and sink drains MUST contain water. Deadly sewer gasses will come up if the water is removed. If you have animals make sure they are not drinking from the toilets enough to lower the water level.
If you had the foresight there are toilet seats that mount on a contractor bucket. Line the bucket with plastic bags and tie off the bags every few days and replace. A kids training seat would work in a pinch as well. My guess is you could take your toilet seat off the bowl and make that work if you were desperate.
Garbage will begin to accumulate. Don't throw piles of garbage bags in the backyard or public spaces. Start separating it all.
Wash out anything that contained food so it doesn't attract pests. Carefully consider how you may be able to reuse everything you have. A small percentage of the block might be getting desperate by the first or second week but the long game is to plan for what is going to happen if the event continues indefinitely.
Cardboard stripped of packing tape can be composted or used as mulch, as can paper or untreated wood. Cans and plastic bottles can be placed outside to collect and store rainwater, or even used to start plants in the spring. Shirts can be used as patching material, or broken down for thread. Use your imagination.
If the event ends, you can just toss everything. If not, you are prepared.
Now is a good time to check on all your neighbors again. My guess is after the first week people will start to get a little desperate. Politely try to discourage people from defecating in their backyards if possible. Help them build a bucket toilet if possible.
It is fairly safe to pee into your backyard (in the short term). Human urine is sterile and will even speed up your compost if watered down.
Human feces on the other hand contains high loads of pathogens. You can safely dig a small latrine in your backyard for short term use, but because of the small footprint of most backyards you probably won't want to use the backyard for gardening after you dig a few.
Apartments are going to be a nightmare. Again, people will be using hallways and stairwells as toilets, or throwing waste out windows or balconies. Now is the time to make arrangements to stay with friends or family in a house if possible.
If you haven't arranged a neighborhood watch, now is the time.
Level 2 (3 months)
If things haven't gotten better after the first three weeks, you are probably on your own, at least for a while. Outside help would have gotten to you by now if it was coming. The event is probably widespread and the army is likely protecting and maintaining infrastructure.
Garbage will begin to appear as people look desperately for a place to get rid of it. Everyone needs to be watching out for it and picking it up right away. If not people will start treating your neighborhood / block / house as the new dump. Try not to let anyone start a dump anywhere near your block or a local water source. It will attract pests and disease. People are going to be very belligerent if you call them on dropping garbage, so work in teams.
(Think I am being a little paranoid? I remember seeing a news story on a newly constructed development that started letting people move in before garbage pickup was arranged. A few people started tossing garbage on one persons lot, and before long everyone was doing it every day. This happened when people could still drop off garbage at a dump whenever they wanted. It was just more convenient).
If you started your food Bokashi bucket, it will mature 2 weeks after you finished filling it. Now is the time to shred all that cardboard and loose paper and start a new compost pile. If no one is coming, you are going to want to at least start start growing as much food as you can. I kept harping at not burying your feces all over the yard, and now it's going to pay off. You are free to grow as much food as you can without worrying about pathogens.
You are also going to need to figure out a long term strategy for body waste as well. My plan is to run all feces through a bokashi waste bucket. The fermentation process will kill all pathogens. Carbon (Toilet paper, leaves, Biochar, sawdust) can be added to stop smells. After fermentation it should be safe to bury it in a corner of the yard.
Most people are going to want to dig a latrine though. Ideally they should be placed 200 feet away from any buildings or body of water although this might be tough for most backyards.
Try to get it as deep as you can, with 4 feet deep being ideal. Keep it covered when not in use, as flies and bugs can spread disease. Dig your family latrine and don't share with other families, as this can also spread diseases. Try to wash your hands with soap and water after every use.
Once you finally fill in your latrine, make sure you label the area. (you probably don't want to garden in this area any time soon).
Remember, most other people will not be following these rules. Do the best you can, and try not to touch other people or their things after the first couple of days. Things are going to be a horror show at this point.