Grey water drain

[Bamaram]

Hey fellas. I need some advice on replacing a grey drain water pipe. The pipe only contains the washing machine and garage sink effluent. The pipe is 2" PVC coming out under my home and then is tied to a 3" corrugated drainage pipe under my back patio and into the back yard. I suppose I'll dig with a rented Deere 110tlb Diesel and tie into the drainage pipe as it exits the concrete patio. My plan is to tie into the drainage pipe with this Shop FLEX-Drain 25' Perforated Drain Pipe with Sock at Lowes.com I plan on lining the trench with drainage rock or some sort of cheap gravel.

How long of a run should I lay? I've got several acres so no problem there.

Should I use some sort of drain fabric under the gravel even with the sock?

What type of rock should I use?

Any other suggestions/wisdom?

 

[crash325]

The least expensive rock is called sewer or leach field rock.

The longer & deeper the better. 50' Is about the least I would run.

 

[Western]

Do you drain it above ground or below? I drain my wash above ground, where it exits the house, I have a 25' water pump hose I bought at TSC for like $12. I worried about the non-degradable fibers clogging up the sewer. With the hose I can move it around the side yard .

 

[Paddy]

Don't know the lay of your land, but I had a grey water line take most of the gray water. I ran it to the edge of the lawn where the woods started. I was underground 'till the woods. My woods sloped away so it was fine.

If you can do that, rent a trencher and don't make a septic field.

Patrick

 

[Gary Fowler]

If I were making a grey water drain and had the acreage like you speak of, I would just use solid pipe and pipe it to a sloping area (wooded would be nice) and let if diffuse naturally. As long as you put nothing in it that isn't biodegradable, you should be fine. Depending on your discharge amount, you may want to Y off at the end and split the effluent to more than one location so it doesn't create a cesspool especially if you have clay type topsoil. Sandy soil would soak up the water pretty easily. The less percolation you have the more you need to split it off.
I wouldn't mess with that type pipe either as it has very little crush resistance and is about the same price as Schedule 20 PVC. 2" solid pipe will handle any water discharge easily. If you are shallow burying it, you may even want to use Schedule 40 pipe for even better crush resistance.

 

[Gary Fowler]

One other thing, solid pipe is more likely to not settle into low spots in your trench and remain level thus not creating standing pockets of water.

 

[Bamaram]

Thanks for the advice guys. I like the idea of running pvc, but how would I couple the corrugated pipe with pvc? I cant get to the solid pvc without cutting concrete. I was worried about the crush resistance of the corrugated pipe. I will have to run quite a bit of pvc to get to an area where it would be ok for the water to drain. What do y'all think about running the grey water to my garden area? Shouldn't be anything in the grey water,but off brand tide and rinse water.

 

[crash325]

Thanks for the advice guys. I like the idea of running pvc, but how would I couple the corrugated pipe with pvc? I cant get to the solid pvc without cutting concrete. I was worried about the crush resistance of the corrugated pipe. I will have to run quite a bit of pvc to get to an area where it would be ok for the water to drain. What do y'all think about running the grey water to my garden area? Shouldn't be anything in the grey water,but off brand tide and rinse water.

Just anther :2cents: I say no, no, no.
You don't want it in your garden.
Over time gray water that just runs out on the surface will puddle up some place and after time it will start to stink.
The make adapters that will connect PVC to corrugated pipe.
Schedule 20 pipe needs to be 2 feet plus below the surface. Even 40 should be 2 feet if it is in an area than may be driven over, car of tractor.

Just me

 

[ustmd]

Hey fellas. I need some advice on replacing a grey drain water pipe. The pipe only contains the washing machine and garage sink effluent. The pipe is 2" PVC coming out under my home and then is tied to a 3" corrugated drainage pipe under my back patio and into the back yard. I suppose I'll dig with a rented Deere 110tlb Diesel and tie into the drainage pipe as it exits the concrete patio. My plan is to tie into the drainage pipe with this Shop FLEX-Drain 25' Perforated Drain Pipe with Sock at Lowes.com I plan on lining the trench with drainage rock or some sort of cheap gravel.

How long of a run should I lay? I've got several acres so no problem there.

Should I use some sort of drain fabric under the gravel even with the sock?

What type of rock should I use?

Any other suggestions/wisdom?

I have been researching a grey water system for our laundry (It is in the barn, so it is an easy conversion).

A couple of website I found interesting:

Laundry to Landscape Graywater Systems; Design and Parts

Backyard Graywater System

Most of the sites do not recommend using a perforated pipe for the grey water system. Supposedly they will clog with the suspended solids (lint, etc) in the grey water. Most of the sites recommend having some type system where you can inspect the discharge.

 

[medic0648]

Run it to a buried collector with a pump connected to a float switch and have it water the lawn/garden. The collector could be a 55gal poly drum and you already have fittings. Would also let some of the sediment settle. Just make sure you can clean it out from time to time.

 

[Bamaram]

Run it to a buried collector with a pump connected to a float switch and have it water the lawn/garden. The collector could be a 55gal poly drum and you already have fittings. Would also let some of the sediment settle. Just make sure you can clean it out from time to time.

Now we are talking!! You guys are a huge help. I'm going to buy a 275 gallon water tote, plumb in my 2" pipe and a 4" drain water pipe from run off from my drive way, and use the opening in the top to drop in a submersible pump to water my garden or back yard periodically. Now here is my question. Should I put something, some sort of substrate in the bottom of the tote to capture whatever may come through the pipe such as lint, detergent, or any thing else that may come through the pump of the washer or storm drain? I'm going to screen off the drain entry for the run off storm water so nothing can enter. I will periodically clean the bottom of the tank to remove whatever may get into the system. I will also plumb in an overflow pipe just in case the system backs up it will over run instead of backing up in the house. Thoughts on this plan?

 

[medic0648]

Probably keep the pump a couple inches off the bottom and have screen around it at least 2-4in away from the pump inlet to help keep lint out of the pump.

 

[Bamaram]

Good idea! Thinking I may remove the pump after each use or after the growing season is over to avoid sedimentation of the pump. I'll probably use a screen though.

 

[EddieWalker]

I would keep it as simple as possible. No gravel, no sleeves and for sure, no pump or storage tank that will require maintanance and upkeep, Just run it out to an area far enough out in the woods where it will water the plants and forget about it.

Why make it complicated?

Eddie

 

[Bamaram]

I would keep it as simple as possible. No gravel, no sleeves and for sure, no pump or storage tank that will require maintanance and upkeep, Just run it out to an area far enough out in the woods where it will water the plants and forget about it.

Why make it complicated?

Eddie

Well I don't really have woods to run it into without it getting on my neighbors land. I also want to use
it to water my garden. Shouldn't be very complicated. Should i use gravel around the tank or just pack dirt?

 

[ustmd]

Now we are talking!! You guys are a huge help. I'm going to buy a 275 gallon water tote, plumb in my 2" pipe and a 4" drain water pipe from run off from my drive way, and use the opening in the top to drop in a submersible pump to water my garden or back yard periodically. Now here is my question. Should I put something, some sort of substrate in the bottom of the tote to capture whatever may come through the pipe such as lint, detergent, or any thing else that may come through the pump of the washer or storm drain? I'm going to screen off the drain entry for the run off storm water so nothing can enter. I will periodically clean the bottom of the tank to remove whatever may get into the system. I will also plumb in an overflow pipe just in case the system backs up it will over run instead of backing up in the house. Thoughts on this plan?

If you are bound and determined to use a pump, either get a good filter for the pump or get a trash pump. There are a lot of suspended solids in laundry waste water and it will trash a normal pump very quickly.

Also grey water is not recommended for watering gardens with edible vegetables/fruits in them. It is okay for fruit trees, but should not be used for plants where there is a chance between direct contact between the grey water and the edible part of the plant.

 

[Bamaram]

First I've heard about not using grey water in a garden. I figure a good bit of sediment would settle out in the tank. Must of the sources I've seen say grey water is safe unless using bleach or washing diapers. Am I missing something? I was planning on using a trash pump. The one I've been looking at says it will safely pass a 5/8" sediment. I'll keep the pump off the bottom to avoid sucking up trash.

 

[schmism]

I currently have a grey water exit on my house. House was orginally plumbed so that the grey water air gapped to the floor drain in the basement. Except the clay tile that runs from the floor drain in the basement is crushed and only drains very slowly (out the back of the hill). So instead i re-plumbed to daylight at the face of the back hill leading away from the house.

Grey water empties out and simply runs down the hill. Chickens love it and by no means does it pool or stink or cause any issues even in winter (no iceing issues)

Oh and mine is plumbed in 3" solid PVC

 

[Bamaram]

Mine is 2" coming out of the house, so I figure I'll stick with the 2" pipe. Save a little money there. I also may use a 55 gal drum instead of the 275 gal tank. I got the back hoe reserved and it looks like good weather. I'll take some pictures and post up what I do. Thanks again everyone!

 

[TCJatko]

Mine is 2" coming out of the house, so I figure I'll stick with the 2" pipe. Save a little money there. I also may use a 55 gal drum instead of the 275 gal tank. I got the back hoe reserved and it looks like good weather. I'll take some pictures and post up what I do. Thanks again everyone!

I have a similar system where I capture effluent from the washing machine for use in the garden during dry spells. I got a couple of food-grade 55 gallon barrels from the dump (free), and hooked up the washer to pump into them. I use a shallow well pump to pump uphill to the garden. Be advised the water will stink pretty badly if you don't use it in two or three days.