Flush with features

Last season, Dan Hawkins ran into a problem that was particularly pertinent to his members.

“We needed an additional bathroom unit located in an area that did not have power or potable water,” says the director of agronomy and facility operations at The Flying Horse Club, an 18-hole Tom Weiskopf design located on the north side of Colorado Springs, Colo.

This dilemma is all too common for superintendents looking for simple and affordable ways to improve their courses. To solve the problem, Hawkins turned to Clivus Multrum, a supplier of composting toilet systems.

In addition to the course and club athletic facilities, Flying Horse is part of a large planned community containing residential and commercial properties. It’s also a certified member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, an organization that provides education and certification programs to help courses protect the environment and preserve the heritage of the game.

At Clivus, Hawkins found the perfect solution: The composting M54 Traihead.

“The composting component was attractive to us, and it fit well with our environmentally friendly approach to maintenance on the golf course and grounds” says Hawkins.

The M54 is specifically designed for locations that receive low-volume use, such as parks and golf courses, where it provides a superior alternative to portable toilets. The unit, which is typically installed in less than two days, uses foam-core panels for the floor and walls. The buried composting bin serves as the base of the structure, and solar panels are used to power the fans that keep the unit odorless and self-sustaining.

“We’ve had comments from members about how great it looks,” says Hawkins. “Some say it’s nicer than our other fully functioning flush bathrooms on the course.”

The unit functions like a normal compost system, using microbes to break down the waste that collects in the basin belowground. The flushing kit uses compostable foam soap that carries the waste from the bowl to the basin using only a small amount of water.

“We hooked a small line from our irrigation system to provide minimal water for the flushing process,” says Hawkins. “Otherwise, it is very self-contained.”

The M54 Trailhead is available in both single and double-stall models in a variety of finishes to suit superintendent and course preferences. It’s also completely customizable.

“We did all of the work in-house. We were able to dress up the structure to match the existing style of the buildings on the property, so it blends well,” says Hawkins. “We put in windows and a skylight to provide interior lighting since we have no power connecting to the unit.”

The M54 also has the distinction of being the only composting restroom certified by the National Sanitation Foundation. The NSF takes into account the design and integrity of the unit and its components and evaluates the efficiency of the composting process under controlled testing in their laboratories..

“This unit allowed us to provide an attractive alternative for our membership that was cost effective,” says Hawkins.

William Olmstead is GCI’s assistant editor.