I have a disgusting problem… HELP!!!

[KnowNuthin]

This first part of my post is a rant, as I can’t believe what was done to us and our property… feel free to skip to the third paragraph to avoid my vitriol… on we go…

We had some “guests” on our rural property, staying in their RV. Well, it began as one RV… they dragged two more here as time went on...The 30-to-40 year old trailers they bought couldn’t keep up with the rigors of full-time living of two adults, one adult child, two small children and three VERY unfriendly biting dogs (I was bitten once, Julie twice and our dogs were terrified of running on our 20 acre property for fear of being cornered and torn into).... Initially, they were invited to stay with us for six to eight weeks while they secured permanent digs... then came a herd of six goats... then chickens, ducks, rabbits and two cats...most of the time, they "didn't have the money" to pay their share of the utility bill... "We'll make it up to you..." . Two years later, while we were away, on vacation, they finally moved on, moving from our home in rural Montana to Lynchburg, VA.

All along, I was giving them suggestions on how to best take care of day-to-day living. Most, if not all, of my suggestions were dismissed out of hand… "he knows what he is doing, leave us alone" is all I got in return...occasionally, I would see a drum in the back of his pickup, thinking he was taking a full drum to town to dump it in a local RV dump... I shoulda known... now I’m paying the price… this is after they "cleaned up"...





Trash I can deal with, rent a dump trailer and load it up with the tractor... I'll give away the two remaining trailers or pay to have them disposed of, the biggest issue I have is eight 55 gallon drums of black tank waste...

I have no idea what to do with them... I've called our local waste water people (most of the county has individual septic systems, all the pumped out vault contents go to a central waste water facility)...

I've tried the "We Handle Any Type of Waste" companies, they only deal with "industrial" waste...

I really don't want to open my septic tank lid and dump it in there as 400 odd gallons would over tax our 1000 gallon tank...

I've considered loading all the drums onto a flatbed trailer they left behind (the one full of trash in the photo above). towing it to Virginia and leaving it in the offenders new driveway... that's probably my last resort (but not entirely out of the question)...

I'm open to suggestions ... Anyone?

Oh, and for those who read my entire rant... thanks for letting me vent...doesn't help my issue much but my mind is somewhat more relaxed now...

[wa8yxm]

If you know their names/addresses there are two things you should do (or 3)

To deal with the problem.. Look in ye old yellow pages (now a dot com) for porta-potties and give 'em a call. they have a pump out truck that can empty those barrels.. then you can dispose of the empties any way you feel is safe and proper (I do not know haz-mat laws where you are)

Seek legal advice about the bill if it's big enough but in any case send it to the violators and let them know that other than delivering cash. They are no longer welcome.

[ken56]

Actually, in spite of the long trip I think I would deliver to them the personal property they left behind. Make sure you can roll it off the trailer onto their property. No good deed goes unpunished.

[Grit_dog]

Kind of like my lack of experience handling snow….Im gonna guess the suggestions here, save for the backhoe and bury idea, don’t come from experience….lol.
Fresh sewage ain’t bad. Smells like money to plumbers and guys like me rebuilding a 9mgd sanitary sewer pump station right now.
But those barrels are like a row of ports potties at a Cinco de Mayo festival and left in the sun for 2 more weeks….even the turd burglar wont be able to eat his baloney sandwich within 100yds of them!
Commentary on the situation as a whole aside, I can plug a broken sewer line with 2 loaves of wonder bread and get a couple Ferncos and a chunk of sdr35 in place before the poop dam breaks. But I wouldn’t get within 20 yds of those barrels unless it was with a mini exc and a very gentle touch on the thumb button!

[time2roll]

KnowNuthin wrote:
I really don't want to open my septic tank lid and dump it in there as 400 odd gallons would over tax our 1000 gallon tank.....

I would dump one barrel per week until it is gone

[LMHS]

Get a little transfer pump and pump one barrel at a time into your septic system over time. If worse comes to worse, You can have a septic pump service come and pump out your septic system.

I wouldn't do the "dig a hole" on my land. I also wouldn't let them step foot on my property ever again, I don't care whose relatives they are or who I insulted, spouse or not. And yes, I told that same exact comment to my husband about both mine and his relatives.

[midnightsadie]

#one there no long relatives kick them out. call the cops and a bulldozer if there in it so be it. wife, she,ll get over it.there adults no your problem.

[ford_truck_guy]

I like the back hoe- dog hole and bury idea the best..

My buddy has 90 acres up northern PA, he burried a 55 gallon drum with holes punched in it so he can drain his RV when he boondocks up there..

[pianotuna]

transfer the drum contents to a pull behind black water tank.

[opnspaces]

Call the septic pumpout people tell them it's from the black tank frpm the trailers and in 55 gallon drums and ask if they will pump it and how small a hose they have.

If necessary buy a harbor freight sawzall for $30 - $50 and cut a bigger hole in the drum for the pump guy. Then throw the sawzall in the trash pile.
6 amp

Or
10 amp

If the barrels are full to the top also buy a big plastic storage box lid. Stand the lid on edge to catch splatter while you're cutting.

[wapiticountry]

Use a cutting torch to cut an appropriate sized hole in the top. That is assuming a septic pumping company will pump them out. They may very well say “no” since they have no idea if the barrels are full of something other than what you think is inside.
My backup plan, assuming you are on rural acreage, would be the backhoe, dig a deep pit, empty the drums, cover up with dirt and forget about it. Rinse and dispose of the drums at the landfill.
Personally I would at least think about telling the wife “your kids, you wanted them here, you argued to let them stay, your problem, you handle it”

[valhalla360]

KnowNuthin wrote:
I forgot one rather important detail… the drums have non-removable tops… there’s a one inch bung and a 2.5” (?) bung…. A standard septic truck suction hose won’t fit inside those holes…

This is the gift that keeps on giving…

Won't be fun but a Sawzall can make a larger hole.

[valhalla360]

KnowNuthin wrote:

wildtoad wrote:
Ok, why did you allow them to stay there in the first place, any for so long?

Wife’s daughter and son-in-law… I encouraged them to leave several times as hard as I thought I could get away with…

Happy wife… happy life (to a degree…)

Family issues are different from random kindness to strangers...totally changes the tone of the story. That said, have an exit strategy if you are going to help someone. Time frame, rules and expectations...most trouble makers will bow out if held to a standard...and you can still tell your wife, you tried to help.

A septic company should be able to drain the barrels but don't be surprised if thy are nervous about draining random barrels without some evidence they don't hold toxic waste or something else beyond sewage.

If you can't get a septic company to handle it, digging a hole is probably your best bet if you are out of sight of neighbors. If it is just sewage and not close to a shallow well, creek or other water source, it's pretty harmless. If it's just some "back 40" acreage not used for anything else, just dumping on the ground and letting it sit for a couple months isn't going to hurt anything. (Of course, officially it will certainly not be allowed.)

[KnowNuthin]

I forgot one rather important detail… the drums have non-removable tops… there’s a one inch bung and a 2.5” (?) bung…. A standard septic truck suction hose won’t fit inside those holes…

This is the gift that keeps on giving…

[BB_TX]

I would call a septic service.

Looks like you have some land. Build up a big bon fire, burn the barrels, then haul them to a metal recycler.

[TenOC]

Call the porta-poty company or sewer pump out company