When Pyramidal Solids Block Your Toilet System

If you have a direct drop toilet, where the seat sits straight over the chamber below, you may one day meet the dreaded “pyramid”. It’s a cone-shaped mound of waste and paper that builds up directly under the toilet chute until it reaches the bottom of the chute and blocks it. It’s a common problem in composting toilets, long drops and outhouses on rural properties, bush blocks and in parks.

How the pyramid forms

In a direct drop system, waste falls straight down into the same spot every time. If the pile isn’t breaking down fast enough, it simply stacks up. Toilet paper binds the pile together and it slowly grows upwards like a stalagmite. It’s especially common when:

the toilet gets heavy use, such as on a busy weekend or at a shared site
the pile is too dry or too wet for the composting microbes to do their job
harsh chemicals or deodorisers have killed off the good bacteria
thick or “quilted” toilet paper is used.

The signs you have one

The pile reaches the chute, the toilet won’t take any more, and there’s often a strong ammonia smell from the urine trapped in it. Some owners try to knock the pyramid down with a rake or pole, which is an unpleasant job and only buys a little time.

Why chemicals make it worse

A composting toilet relies on biological activity to break waste down. Chemical deodorisers and disinfectants mask the smell but kill the very microbes that should be shrinking the pile, so the pyramid grows faster.

Prevent it with biological treatment

ProPower Toilet Treatment works with the system instead of against it. Its beneficial probiotic microbes improve the microbial environment in the chamber, helping break down solids and paper so they don’t pile up. It also consumes the ammonia smell from urine and helps dissolve crystallisation, with no harsh chemicals or synthetic scents.

For regular treatment, simply dilute it with water and spray it directly onto the solids.

How to clear an existing pyramid

If the pile has already reached the chute, the ProPower team recommends:

Mix a full bottle of ProPower Composting, Marine or Bio Septic Toilet Treatment into a bucket of water.
Pour it down the toilet over the top of the pyramid so it soaks into the pile.
Leave it for a couple of weeks so the microbes can digest the pyramid.
Then empty or rotate the chamber as normal.

No poles, no harsh chemicals, and no nasty job. Once it’s clear, keep up regular spraying to stop the pyramid coming back.

Shop and learn more: Composting Toilet Treatment · Dosing guides