I live out in the country, on a lake. I have a septic system which we get pumped out about once every four years. The pumping guy told me that they dump the sewage out on a farmers field. After a few years, they are allowed to let cattle graze on that land. A year or two later, they can grow people food on that land. Evidently the sewage helps build up better soil for the farmers, plus they get paid for the rental period that they cannot graze cattle or grow food on that land. Sounds like a good deal for the farmers.
I am only retelling what I was told by a pumper serviceman a number of years ago. I don't remember the exact number of years between dumping, when safe to graze cattle, and when safe to grow food. But that is the system they had in place - he told me that maybe 3 years ago at the last time I had my septic tanks pumped.
According to my source of instant knowledge, Alexia, she reports that it takes 2-3 years for human sewage to become safe for growing food - depending on the weather where the sewage is dumped. That timeframe sounds about right from what I was told by the pumper truck guy.
When I was in the navy, we visited a number of third world countries where they grow their food in fresh human manure. When we pulled into a foreign port and bought fresh food and vegetables from those countries, we would have to clean them in a bleach wash before cooking. It was safe to eat after that, but none of us liked the thought of eating food grown in human manure.
Makes me wish I was a younger guy, when watering the plants was easier! The personal plumbing still works, but the water pressure in the old pipes is not the same as it was when I was a younger man. Getting older has challenges for both sexes.
