I know many envision me answering customer questions via cell phone while lying in a  hammock (produced by local women’s cooperatives) hanging from palm trees (in a sustainably managed grove) overlooking a powdery sand beach.

While that is true, the reality of running a small business selling water innovations no one else was willing to risk supplying involves a lot of headbanging details. Today’s: A customer could not find 3-inch Schedule 20 (thin wall) PVC pipe with which to make a vent chimney for his Swedish Separett Villa toilet, which has metric vent connections. Some, though few, customers have complained about this. I called one store, met him there, found out they didn’t have it, went to another, and then we settled for Schedule 40 3″, which is actually 3.5″ outer diameter, requiring a special coupling. Which I had to explain to the salesman, who clearly did not believe me. Fortunately, customer John Crowell was a good sport. He’s actually a former wastewater testing center technician. He plans to divert urine to tanks, the dilute it 8:1 with water and use it to irrigate his landscape.

I take my magic where I can get it.

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