Grey Water Disposal

[CADplans]

My home was built in ~1978,,
no thought was given to grey water disposal,, everything goes into the septic,, including the garbage disposal.
Yes we have always had a water softener,, and even one outside drain is plumbed into the septic.

We have had the tank pumped one time,, about 1998,, after the guy finished,, he asked why did I call him,,,??

He said the tank was perfect, and there was little solids in the tank.
Our daughters were born in the early/mid 1980's,, so there have been 4 people in the house for a long time.

AND,, my wife does like to cook,, the garbage disposal gets used a LOT!!

 

[buickanddeere]

I know of two black water systems that work much better after the water softener and washing machine were diverted to a grey water system .

 

[BigBlue1]

I know of two black water systems that work much better after the water softener and washing machine were diverted to a grey water system .

What were the problems with the systems that were fixed/alleviated with the change?

Rob

 

[Diggin It]

... such a thing would not be allowed anywhere near our horse estates.

You think road apples are healthier?

 

[Cord]

If you think the septic is for poop and poop only I壇 spend some time reading up on septic systems. The gray water isn稚 going to 登verload a properly designed system and typically it痴 beneficial to move the fluid through the system. I壇 leave it as designed and find the next hobby to occupy your time and resources.

Second!

Regarding softeners... I didn't want one. As a child I remembered our soft water tasting salty; you couldn't drink it because there was so much salt. We were having to buy salt at least once a month to recharge the brine tank. When I was forced to add a softener to my home, my friend sold me the system. He's a service tech for Culligan and he promised that I'd be happy. Now we have soft water and while it lacks taste, in no way is it salty. We charge our brine tank maybe once or twice a year with salt. The point is that the system that I grew up with was adjusted incorrectly as it should have not been using that much salt. I'm on a septic system now and I have no hesitation to discharge my softener water into the system. The percentage of salt is so low that it'll have negligible impact upon the bacteria count. The same for washing machines. If you have a HF washer, they use a fraction of water the old top loads did.

Remember, these systems are designed by people that are more knowledgeable than us. They're sized in anticipation of the gray water discharge. Spend your money on getting the settling tank serviced every three years and focus your energies on some other urban legend.

 

[Industrial Toys]

My house was built (for us) in 72-73. I had the Septic pumped once, around fifteen years ago. Everything perfect. I was facinated by the "solids" he had to scrape and pump out. Just what they possibly consisted of. Also, a diaper! We had renters in the 70s, so who knows.

 

[ultrarunner]

What were the problems with the systems that were fixed/alleviated with the change?

Rob

I had tenants with no end to septic issues...

The wife bleached everything and never having a problem before or after leads me to believe this was a factor.

Pump tank before each rental... about every three years... sometimes it is perfect... sometimes no so much and a couple of times it was full of condoms, feminine hygiene products and Swiffer Dust pads... these were the people with the bleach!

 

[BigBlue1]

I had tenants with no end to septic issues...

The wife bleached everything and never having a problem before or after leads me to believe this was a factor.

Pump tank before each rental... about every three years... sometimes it is perfect... sometimes no so much and a couple of times it was full of condoms, feminine hygiene products and Swiffer Dust pads... these were the people with the bleach!

Gotcha. That kind of abuse of a septic system certainly makes sense that it would cause issues, especially the excessive bleach. I think the real fix there was to purge the renters, not re-route the pipes. What kind of imbecile throws non-biodegradable material into the toilet like that? I fear for the future of our society...

 

[buickanddeere]

I know of two black water systems that work much better after the water softener and washing machine were diverted to a grey water system .

Leaching field size would have been fine in loam instead of clay or in areas without deep frost .

 

[Steppenwolfe]

You are asking others here to help you break the law? Do you own an oil change franchise as well, and dump the used oil behind the building?

You did not post your jurisdiction but I'm glad you are not my neighbor ... such a thing would not be allowed anywhere near our horse estates.

:drink: It used to be called respect... Now, it's do as you please.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

You think road apples are healthier?

God's all organic fertilizer... Can't be beat...

 

[MossRoad]

:drink: It used to be called respect... Now, it's do as you please.

Just like the friendly politics forum, eh?

 

[ultrarunner]

Gotcha. That kind of abuse of a septic system certainly makes sense that it would cause issues, especially the excessive bleach. I think the real fix there was to purge the renters, not re-route the pipes. What kind of imbecile throws non-biodegradable material into the toilet like that? I fear for the future of our society...

I see it all the time... just like pouring hot bacon grease down the drain and then calling the landlord because the pipe is solid lard...

You really can't get it out so to soften or break it up and send it downstream...

My Rooter Friend said the best thing that ever happened for business is the marketing of Flushables… flushable wipes, pads, cleaning products... etc...

The local sewage treatment plant had a story of fiber collected... the plant bales it like cotton... tons of the stuff comes through and it all has to be separated from the effluent...

I'm down to one property with Septic... even with good tenants... all it takes is a party to throw things out of whack...

The dishwasher sanitize and sterilize product was a new one for me... and it all ends up down the drain.

 

[dieselscout80]

My home was built in ~1978,,
no thought was given to grey water disposal,, everything goes into the septic,, including the garbage disposal.
Yes we have always had a water softener,, and even one outside drain is plumbed into the septic.

We have had the tank pumped one time,, about 1998,, after the guy finished,, he asked why did I call him,,,??

He said the tank was perfect, and there was little solids in the tank.
Our daughters were born in the early/mid 1980's,, so there have been 4 people in the house for a long time.

AND,, my wife does like to cook,, the garbage disposal gets used a LOT!!

CADplans, as I recall my parents had a similar experience with their septic as you have had.

We however have had the opposite.

The previous owner had the septic tank pumped and the drain field updated with easy flow drain field pipe (black pipe with foam chunks around it) unknown footage.

After 9 years the tank was full and effluent got into the drain field.

We had to add another 200' of drain field, but we used chamber for the 200' that are 24" wide and 12" tall.

The differences I can think of are: Montana vs South Carolina, we have heavy red clay (good for lining a pond) they had good loam soil, their system used (mid 1960's) used the same type tank, but they had block tile in a gravel bed for the field and at the end of the field they had a large pit filled with pit run rock (not crushed) and ours does have a separate grey water system for the clothes washer.

Their tile was spaced about an inch between tiles to allow water to drain.

Neither system had a garbage disposal.


I wish I new what to do to improve ours, but I know I plan on having ours septic tank pumped every five years from now on.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Just like the friendly politics forum, eh?

No respect there... but I assume you know that...

 

[MossRoad]

No respect there... but I assume you know that...

No gray water coming from that sewer.... pure septic material.

 

[TheFarmerInAdell]

Here we are required to have the system inspected every 3 years and most of the time it gets pumped then. I don't know anyone around here that can go more than 6 years without a pump. Our tank was installed in the 40's and is quite small (500 gal). In fact, the septic pumper recommended pumping every 2 years because the tank is small. The only thing we are allowed to run out into the yard is softener and sump pump. Everything else (all grey water) must go into the septic. When I moved into the house the kitchen sink ran into a floor drain in the basement that came out in the front yard. When I moved the kitchen I fixed it so it is correct now. The softener and the sump pump still go into that drain. I'm hesitant to replace my system because I might not perc for a conventional system. I really do not want a mound system with a pump.

Yes, I have a floor drain and a sump pump that leads to the floor drain because my house is hodge-podged together. I plan on putting in a dry well to accommodate that water. I also plan on putting a second drain in where the sump crock is so I don't need a pump to lift it from one side of the basement to the the drain on the other side.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

No gray water coming from that sewer.... pure septic material.

Yep... and part of this website, go figure...

 

[MossRoad]

Yep... and part of this website, go figure...

Just because it's there doesn't me you have to use it.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Just because it's there doesn't me you have to use it.

Now what sense does that make ??? If it's a scab... you have to pick at it...:confused3: