Septic system what if question (houses, water, soil, cost)
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Ok I am getting ready to build a new home, and what if question came to mind. If you run all the gray water (sinks, washer, tub and showers) through a separate drain line that would connect to the drain field with the septic tank discharge line. Of course all the black water would still go into the septic tank as normal.
The only down side would be the additional cost of pipe and labor to install a second gray water line in the home and out past the septic tank to the drain field. But the upside would be a better operating septic system without and soups and cleaners being drained into the septic system tank.
In PA that type of system isn't even grandfathered in. If you get a place inspected and that's what's been done, it has to be changed. At least on year round residences. I'm not sure about hunting cabins and such.
Besides that, you're still using the leach field so I really don't know as there would be an advantage.
In PA recreational cabins can be conditionally exempted from the building code, but NOT from septic requirements.
In PA it might be possible to gain approval, as an "alternate system", of a greywater system (their term for sinks/showers/laundry water) that still has a septic tank (as large as it would have been), followed by an absorption area that could be 40% smaller than it would otherwise be. That could be a significant advantage given how difficult it can be to site one of these things on good probed soil with many separation distances. http://files.dep.state.pa.us/Water/B...42014FINAL.pdf
What would be the benefit of having the gray water going directly to the leech field and tying in with the septic tank outlet at that location?
It is not unusual to see grey water discharge going into a garden or somewhere else. Only the black water truly needs to go through septic tank and to a leech field.
What would be the benefit of having the gray water going directly to the leech field and tying in with the septic tank outlet at that location?
It is not unusual to see grey water discharge going into a garden or somewhere else. Only the black water truly needs to go through septic tank and to a leech field.
Be careful with this situation. If you are trying to sell the home later, FHA financing might not be available with a grey water discharge directly to the lawn/garden/etc. For FHA, all waste water discharge much be through an approved septic system of some sort -- either standard sewer or an approved septic system.
This can also be an issue in some conventional lending situations as it can fall under the category of "health and safety" issues.
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I would do the conventional plumbing, but leave a plugged "T" under each of the gray water fixtures (similar to a cleanout). that you could tap into later, after passing all inspections. There is little advantage to running gray water into the leech field, but you can run it into an underground tank with a pump for garden irrigation. I would only use the tub and shower, however, and the washer only if you use a biodegradable detergent and no bleach. Soup and cleaning products belong in the septic system.
Be careful with this situation. If you are trying to sell the home later, FHA financing might not be available with a grey water discharge directly to the lawn/garden/etc. For FHA, all waste water discharge much be through an approved septic system of some sort -- either standard sewer or an approved septic system.
This can also be an issue in some conventional lending situations as it can fall under the category of "health and safety" issues.
I think whenever you own a home, if your focused on it's resale ability, everything needs to be as conforming to the standard model as possible. With as many inspections along the way as possible. So there are never any questions during the resale process.
Where we moved to, there are a great deal of older houses that grandfather nearly all codes, and that have been modified by extensively by generations of previous owners.
Well I actually meant SOAPS and not soups. lol The main thing we were thinking was we will have large bath tubs and most likely a large washer. With that much water going into a septic tank we thought about grey water by-passing the septic tank and going straight to the leach field. NOT laying directly on the ground. Like I said it's just a "what if" question. We would definitely have it inspected and make sure no laws are broken.
Well I actually meant SOAPS and not soups. lol The main thing we were thinking was we will have large bath tubs and most likely a large washer. With that much water going into a septic tank we thought about grey water by-passing the septic tank and going straight to the leach field. NOT laying directly on the ground. Like I said it's just a "what if" question. We would definitely have it inspected and make sure no laws are broken.
As has been pointed out, if your planning on resale, your best effort is to make it as rubber-stamp identical to all other homes as possible. Anything out of the ordinary may become a red flag to someone.
Black water must go through the septic tank and into the leechfield. Grey water does not have to go through either. If you combine both, fine. If you keep both entirely separate, fine.
IMHO, Combining them at an unusual spot, is best left to your code enforcement officer [and pay that he does not retire before you resale the property].
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