Fixed location, ultra-low flush, sewage-holding vessel restroom system

Abstract

A restroom system can include a fixed-in-place restroom building, a flush toilet housed in the restroom building, a water supply system in communication with the flush toilet, and a sewage-holding vessel in communication with the flush toilet. Sewage can be received in the flush toilet and water can be supplied from the water supply system to the flush toilet in an amount less than 1 gallon of water per flush. Sewage effluent can be flushed from the flush toilet, transported to the holding vessel, and extracted from the sewage-holding vessel and to a sewage hauling vehicle tank. The sewage effluent can be transported away from the restroom system in the sewage hauling vehicle tank.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving sewage in a flush toilet in a restroom system, the restroom system comprising:
 a fixed-in-place restroom building; 
 a flush toilet housed in the restroom building; 
 a water supply system in communication with the flush toilet; and 
 a sewage-holding vessel in communication with the flush toilet; 
   supplying water from the water supply system to the flush toilet in an amount less than 1 gallon of water per flush; and   transporting sewage effluent from the flush toilet to the holding vessel.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises automatically locking one or more doors in the restroom building when freezing temperatures are sensed within the restroom system. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises non-residential use of the restroom system. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 extracting the sewage effluent from the sewage-holding vessel and to a sewage hauling vehicle tank; and   transporting the sewage effluent in the sewage hauling vehicle tank.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the restroom system further comprises a waterless urinal in communication with the sewage-holding vessel. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the restroom system further comprises an electric power supply system. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transporting sewage effluent from the flush toilet to the holding vessel comprising introducing pressurized air to the sewage effluent. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein supplying water from the water supply system comprises pressurizing the water. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising retrofitting an existing vault toilet restroom building with the flush toilet to provide the restroom system. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the restroom system inhibits freezing of water in the restroom building. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the restroom system inhibits freezing of water in the restroom building by passing air through a passage wherein the air absorbs heat from the ground before entering the restroom building. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the restroom system inhibits freezing of water in the restroom building by automatically flushing a toilet. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the restroom system inhibits freezing of water in a bowl of the toilet by circulating air through a base of the toilet. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the restroom system inhibits freezing of water in the restroom building by enhancing circulation of air using a flue stack. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the restroom system inhibits freezing of water in the restroom building by decreasing circulation of external air through the restroom building during times when an external temperature drops below a predetermined low temperature. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the restroom system inhibits overflow of sewage from the holding vessel. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the restroom system directs air through a ventilation system in the restroom building. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the restroom system does not include septic treatment features. 
   
   
       19 . A method comprising:
 retrofitting an existing vault or composting toilet restroom system with one or more flush toilets to produce a flush toilet restroom system, the retrofitting comprising:
 replacing a vault or composting toilet riser housed in a fixed-in-place restroom building with a flush toilet that is designed to use less than one gallon of liquid per flush in the fixed-in-place restroom building, the flush toilet being in communication with a sewage-holding vessel that was previously in communication with the vault or composting toilet riser; 
 connecting a water supply system to the flush toilet; and 
 connecting a power supply system to the flush toilet restroom system. 
   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises automatically locking one or more doors in the flush toilet restroom system when freezing temperatures are sensed within the flush toilet restroom system. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises non-residential use of the restroom system. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the vault or composting toilet restroom system is a vault toilet restroom system, and wherein the vault or composting toilet riser is a vault toilet riser. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the vault or composting toilet restroom system is a composting toilet restroom system, and wherein the vault or composting toilet riser is a composting toilet riser. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising installing a waterless urinal in communication with the sewage-holding vessel. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 receiving sewage in the flush toilet;   flushing the flush toilet, the flushing comprising supplying water from the water supply system to the flush toilet in an amount less than 1 gallon of water per flush;   transporting sewage effluent from the flush toilet to the holding vessel;   extracting the sewage effluent out of the sewage-holding vessel and to a sewage hauling vehicle tank; and   transporting the sewage effluent in the sewage hauling vehicle tank.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising connecting the flush toilet to a source of pressurized air. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the water supply system pressurizes water supplied to the flush toilet. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the flush toilet restroom system inhibits freezing of water in the restroom building. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the flush toilet restroom system inhibits freezing of water in the restroom building by passing air through a passage wherein the air absorbs heat from the ground before entering the restroom building. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the flush toilet restroom system inhibits freezing of water in the restroom building by automatically flushing a toilet. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the flush toilet restroom system inhibits freezing of water in the restroom building by decreasing circulation of external air through the restroom building during times when an external temperature drops below a predetermined low temperature. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the flush toilet restroom system inhibits freezing of water in a bowl of the flush toilet by circulating air through a base of the flush toilet. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the restroom system inhibits freezing of water in the restroom building by enhancing circulation of air using a flue stack. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the flush toilet restroom system inhibits overflow of sewage from the holding vessel. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the flush toilet restroom system comprises a ventilation system. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the flush toilet restroom system does not include septic treatment features. 
   
   
       37 . A restroom system comprising:
 a fixed-in-place restroom building;   a flush toilet housed in the restroom building, the flush toilet designed to use less than 1 gallon of water per flush;   a water supply system connected to supply water to the flush toilet; and   a sewage-holding vessel in communication with the flush toilet to receive sewage effluent from the flush toilet, the sewage-holding vessel including an outlet for extracting sewage effluent from the sewage-holding vessel.   
   
   
       38 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , wherein the restroom system is configured to automatically lock one or more doors in the restroom system when freezing temperatures are sensed within the restroom system. 
   
   
       39 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , wherein the restroom system is in a non-residential setting. 
   
   
       40 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , further comprising a waterless urinal in communication with the sewage-holding vessel. 
   
   
       41 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , further comprising a power system configured to supply electric power to the restroom system. 
   
   
       42 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , further comprising an air pressurizing system configured to supply pressurized air to assist in moving sewage effluent to the sewage-holding vessel. 
   
   
       43 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , wherein the restroom building houses a waterless urinal in communication with the sewage-holding vessel. 
   
   
       44 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , wherein the flush toilet is a first flush toilet and the restroom houses the first flush toilet and a second flush toilet designed to use less than 1 gallon of water per flush, the second flush toilet being in communication with the sewage-holding vessel so that the sewage-holding vessel receives sewage effluent from the first flush toilet and the second flush toilet. 
   
   
       45 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , wherein the water supply system comprises a water-holding vessel. 
   
   
       46 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , wherein the water supply system comprises a water pressurizing system. 
   
   
       47 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , wherein the restroom building is a vault toilet restroom building that has been modified for use with the flush toilet. 
   
   
       48 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , comprising means for inhibiting freezing of water in the restroom building. 
   
   
       49 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , wherein the restroom system is configured to inhibit freezing of water in the restroom building by passing air through a passage wherein the air absorbs heat from the ground before entering the restroom building. 
   
   
       50 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , wherein the restroom system is configured to inhibit freezing of water in the restroom building by automatically flushing the flush toilet. 
   
   
       51 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , wherein the restroom system is configure to inhibit freezing of water in the restroom building by decreasing circulation of external air through the restroom building during times when an external temperature drops below a predetermined low temperature. 
   
   
       52 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , wherein the restroom system is configured to inhibit freezing of water in a bowl of the flush toilet by circulating air through a base of the toilet. 
   
   
       53 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , wherein the restroom system is configured to inhibit freezing of water in the restroom building by enhancing circulation of air using a flue stack. 
   
   
       54 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , comprising means for inhibiting overflow of sewage from the holding vessel. 
   
   
       55 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , further comprising a restroom ventilation system. 
   
   
       56 . The restroom system of  claim 37 , wherein the restroom system does not include septic treatment features.