In 1969, construction began at the site of what is today Ontario Place on Toronto’s waterfront. Conceived as an effort to revitalize the city’s lakeshore following the intense industrialization of the 1960’s, the architectural endeavour was ambitious for its time, using previously unexplored construction techniques to support the designs to follow.

Those techniques involved the sinking of three Great Lakes freighters to create three fifty-acre parcels of land, anchored to the lake’s bedrock and covered with landfill. In previous years, much of the city’s waterfront had been developed using landfill in similar ways. Ontario Place, however, is an excellent example of what can be done by recycling old, man-made materials and creating an artificial reef capable of supporting enough weight to permit the development of the park’s existing attractions.

Before you toss that rusted old dinghy, think about its possibilities.

What is Grey Water?

On islands the waste that is produced from washing machines, sinks, dishwashers and other appliances is known as grey water or sullage. Grey water comprises about 50-80% of water used in the home and it differs from black water which is primarily composed of chemicals and biological contaminates such as feces. Many island owners use a septic system that collects and treats both black and grey water. Other island owners choose to keep there black and grey water separate, instead opting to treat their grey water and return it back to the natural environment.

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About Composting Toilets

On many remote islands septic tanks or municipal sewage treatment is not available. As a result many island owners purchase composting toilets to manage human waste. A composting toilet is “a system that converts human waste into fertilizer or soil through the natural breakdown of organic matter into its essential minerals.” The process of converting human waste into safe and useable compost material can take anywhere between 3 months to a few years to complete depending on factors such as climate and temperature.

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How Septic Systems Work

A septic system, is a small scale sewage treatment system common in places such as on private islands where is not possible to have a connection to the main sewage pipes of a municipality. Traditionally a septic tank is a large, concrete or steel tank that is buried outside of the home.

Today the design of the tank usually incorporates two chambers which are separated by a dividing wall and has openings midway between the floor and ceiling of the tank. Wastewater enters the first chamber of the tank allowing solids to either float to the top in the form of scum or sink to the bottom in the form of sludge. The sludge is broken down via anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that exist without oxygen. The scum and other liquid components flow through the dividing wall into the second chamber where further settlement takes place.

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Ultraviolet water purification lamps produce UV-C or “germicidal UV.” UV light is capable of killing microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, molds, algae, yeast, and oocysts like cryptosporidium and giardia. Ultraviolet purification is considered the most effective technology for eliminating biological contaminates in a water supply available to homeowners. There are no known organisms immune to its effect and it’s generally regarded as being able to kill more than 99.99% of bacteria. Next to bacterial eradication the biggest advantage of UV purification is that it does not introduce any chemicals into the water, it does not alter the taste, it produces no byproducts and it does not alter the pH or any other properties of the water. In addition the system is energy efficient requiring the same amount of power as a 60W light bulb. The downside of UV filtration is that it has no effect on chlorine, heavy metals, smell or other chemical contaminates. UV lamps (bulbs) need to be replaced on a yearly basis. It is important to remember that UV light is not visible therefore the lamp may be producing light but not necessarily UV light. Therefore, after one year there is no guarantee that the lamp is producing sufficient UV to kill microorganisms. UV lamps cost between $450 and $700 depending on the type of system and replacement bulbs cost approximately $80.

Image obtained via: http://www.breathepureair.com/biozone_bulbs.html