okclumberjack
Member
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I have a water softner(salt) & it drains into my septic tank is this ok?????
septic tank
- Thread starter okclumberjack
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dschuffert
Silver Member
I have always understood that to be bad. The brine kills the bacteria needed to break down waste efficiently in the septic tank. My water softener recharge materials are pumped out into a tile going out to my field and my home waste water goes to the septic tank.
sandyc
Veteran Member
Watch the salt in the septic. You might want to charge the septic system with some ridex. A grey water dry well would work for the softener discharge. Make sure it is away from your water source
jimgerken
Veteran Member
Mine is plumbed directly into my drain, and goes into the septic system. Except the poster above mine, I have never heard of anyone doing anything other than simply plumbing it to the septic system. I have never heard that it was harmfull to the septic. I have never had any trouble with my septic system, and it is 45 years old. That being said, it still may be a great idea to seperate the salt rinse from the septic system, if you can.
I wish softeners had a seperate fitting that allowed plumbing the brine rinse to a seperate drain/holding tank/whatever. The volume of water that comes out of one is quite large, as it backflushes, brine rinses, etc. The brine rinse alone though, is where all the salt is. to allow that to be drained to a seperate "system" of some kind would be really nice. In my case, I would like to use that brine again, to water the asparagras bed and other places, to kill the grass and weeds. Low tech, effective, safe, and could be "free" if I could capture it out of the brine rinse cycle of the softener.
I wish softeners had a seperate fitting that allowed plumbing the brine rinse to a seperate drain/holding tank/whatever. The volume of water that comes out of one is quite large, as it backflushes, brine rinses, etc. The brine rinse alone though, is where all the salt is. to allow that to be drained to a seperate "system" of some kind would be really nice. In my case, I would like to use that brine again, to water the asparagras bed and other places, to kill the grass and weeds. Low tech, effective, safe, and could be "free" if I could capture it out of the brine rinse cycle of the softener.
kiotiken
Veteran Member
Not from what I understand. Ours drains into the sump pit and pumps out to the ditch at the road. Our tank is concrete, which wouldn't tolerate salt. If you have a newer plastic tank, you may not run into the same issue but I'm not sure if there are other issues to watch out for.
GolfAddict
Veteran Member
Mine drains into my septic, always has. I had not ever heard of it being a problem (prior to comments in this thread) and never really thought about it. If you can easily drain it elsewhere, it does seem like it would be a good thing to do.
I think that's a great idea - wish some brand offered that option!
I think that's a great idea - wish some brand offered that option!
Dr Dave
Platinum Member
I would like to recycle the brine for a liquid deicer/snow melt, I wonder how many gallons are produced in ayear. I would need a large poly tank, if it was vented, maybe some water would evaporate off.
rec I like the salt lick idea too.
Dave
rec I like the salt lick idea too.
Dave
Crow4x4
Member
Yup mine goes in the sump pit and then goes out to the edge of the woods, never freeze in the winter and your right the deer love it all year round.
Dingeryote
Silver Member
Like most here, I always understood that the brine raised **** with the critters in the septic tank.
We ended up having to go with a softener, and I ended up mentioning it to a buddy that does the agronomy thing for a living, and specializes in soil micros. Bacteria and such are his bread and butter...so to speak.
He flat out told me not to worry about it. The volume of water from toilet flushing, showers, etc. more than makes up for the amount of discharge from a softener cycle, and the critters aren't affected much. So far, he was correct, and we have had no issues.
We ended up having to go with a softener, and I ended up mentioning it to a buddy that does the agronomy thing for a living, and specializes in soil micros. Bacteria and such are his bread and butter...so to speak.
He flat out told me not to worry about it. The volume of water from toilet flushing, showers, etc. more than makes up for the amount of discharge from a softener cycle, and the critters aren't affected much. So far, he was correct, and we have had no issues.
California
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My neighbor has his brine drain aimed at his gravel driveway. He says that's the one place he doesn't intend to grow anything. It doesn't seem to harm the flowers alongside.
OldMcDonald
Platinum Member
I am about to install a second septic tank - a long house, new en-suite at the opposite end to the existing bathroom and uphill to the present septic tank. All grey water, including the laundry water, will be piped into the drainage field after the septic tank. Detergents, shampoos etc. are not good for the beasties in the septic tank either.
Tig
Elite Member
I asked the building inspector about this. He didn't care. Dumping in the yard was fine with him.
In the past, I've dumped to sump pump and dry well. I have never dumped to septic. After all, it's clean water. As I recall ,brine is the first flush of the cycle. The rest is just water.
In the past, I've dumped to sump pump and dry well. I have never dumped to septic. After all, it's clean water. As I recall ,brine is the first flush of the cycle. The rest is just water.
buickanddeere
Super Member
No it's not. Septic tank is for black water from toilets. Grey water from sinks, showers, laundry and water softeners should have it's own grey water drain system.
Not a peep of trouble with the septic system here after swapping the water softener and laundry to a separate grey water system after nine years and one pump out that wans't even required. Previous owners had all manner of problems and pumped at least once a year.
jimgerken
Veteran Member
How did he do that? Does his softener have a seperate drain port for the brine rinse cycle? Or did he just plumb the regular main softener drain out of the house? I guess the latter would make sense, if you couldnt do the former.
California
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- An hour north of San Francisco
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- Yanmar YM240 Yanmar YM186D
I don't know. My place is beyond him on a shared easement. That was his explanation when I asked why there is a portion of the driveway that never dries enough to be dusty.
oldnslo
Super Member
When I put the addition on my home the County code here in northern illinois won't allow grey water drain systems, everything MUST connect to your septic tank. Prior to this the kitchen sink and clothes washer were connected to separate grey water drain field.
I guess based on this and depending on your location, having separate drain lines could pose problems when or if you ever have to under go an inspection.
I guess based on this and depending on your location, having separate drain lines could pose problems when or if you ever have to under go an inspection.
OldMcDonald
Platinum Member
oldnslo, That is plain stupidity. Has anybody ever challenged them? I would dearly like to know their reasoning. The additional water from the grey usage can be enough to prevent the correct working of the septic tank - several people in the house taking showers everyday, more laundry due to more people, and more dishwashing is bad for the little beasties. Only a couple of people in the house who take the sensible line and only shower every few days will perhaps never experience problems.
There is no need to have a separate drainage field. The grey water should be connected to the septic drainage field as soon as practicable after the septic tank.
There is no need to have a separate drainage field. The grey water should be connected to the septic drainage field as soon as practicable after the septic tank.
Dr Dave
Platinum Member
There is no need to have a separate drainage field. The grey water should be connected to the septic drainage field as soon as practicable after the septic tank.[/QUOTE]
This is how mine is done, I have since, rerouted the washing machine else were. I was afraid lint may plug up the drain field.
This is how mine is done, I have since, rerouted the washing machine else were. I was afraid lint may plug up the drain field.
Sonny580
Veteran Member
I am down here in central Il., and EVERYTHING gotta go into the septic tank!!!--- stupid,--- yes, BUT its the law here! thanks; sonny580
