Yellowknife (May 05/04) - Spending a night talking toilets in a dingy meeting room isn't how most people would choose to spend their time.

But a dozen Yellowknife residents turned out for a talk on composting toilets and greywater recycling at Yellowknife Public Library, April 28.

Architect Stephen Fancott and Bill Fandrick of Synergy Solutions offered tips on water conservation and technologies at the Earth Week event sponsored by Ecology North.

Because 35 per cent of household water is flushed down the toilet, it makes sense for homeowners to look for alternatives, both for their wallets and the environment.

Fancott installed the composting toilets that have been operating at Blatchford Lake Lodge since 1999.

Composting toilets are a private household alternative as well, though Fancott is quick to point out that they are costly and require work.

"It really has to be a personal commitment about the environment," he said.

Fandrick's talk on the potential to recycle greywater from showers, kitchen sinks and other taps offered water alternatives to a town that trucks water to a large portion of the population.

Five houses in Ndilo and Dettah are currently using the $15,000 water recycling system that Fandrick hopes will be installed in more Northern houses.

"It doesn't solve the problem, but at least it reduces it by half," he said of greywater recycling.

The biggest hurdle is natural reaction to the idea of recycled water.

"People don't like the idea of washing in waste water," he said.