• During a three month kitchen and bathroom renovation I disconnected the house from town water, town sewer, town stormwater and installed solar panels - in 1996. The renovated kitchen is full of natural light. The gas and electricity was disconnected in 2015 when battery prices were lower.
In 1996, 30 years ago, I disconnected my inner Sydney city terrace house from town sewer, town water, town stormwater, and installed solar panels.
Key points:
Anyone can do it
Very simple water, sewage, stormwater, energy systems available from local hardware stores
Rainwater is cleaner than town water;
Over 2.5m litres of water and treated sewage has been kept in the backyard.
No fixed charges
For three decades I’ve paid no fixed charges for town water, sewer or stormwater.
• Town water locked off with a metal shroud; the town water monopoly, Sydney Water , has the key
The town water pipe has been blocked off and a shroud has been locked on the tap; the town water monopoly, Sydney Water, has the key.
Over 2.5m litres of water and treated sewage has been kept in the backyard.
• Cement-filled town sewer pipe
• My recycled sewage water is used to hose the garden, flush the toilet and wash clothes
I provide house tours most months for up to 20 people who book on my website. Uni students (engineering, architecture, landscaping, etc), Council and government employees, and homeowners and others visit and inspect the energy water and recycled systems. Over 2,000 people have visited.
There’s now a national Sustainable House Day and people open their sustainable houses across Australia. This year’s event is on Sunday 17 May and you may book to see my house and other houses here.
Since 1996 I’ve paid no sewage or water bills. Since 2015 I’ve paid no electricity or gas bills. When I used the word “sustainable” in 1996 it was rarely used.
Today the word “sustainable’ is widely used and has become a woolly, often meaningless word. Today, when used by governments, companies, consultants it’s just used to greenwash what they do.
But “off-grid” is specific. The words accurately describes what the house does and what I do for both food which I grow and buy direct from farmers, how and why I garden and compost.
Being off grid I feel free, safer from gaslighting governments, companies and all those who greenwash.
And I feel I my love for Earth, who each day is so generous to me and all here.
Michael Mobbs