Water Softner recycling.. to sump or septic?

[Bradley V. Stone]

Ok, this is eating me up. Mainly because every spring I have a huge
patch of dead grass.

We have a well, and a culligan dual stage water softener. IT's set up
to spit the recycled water into the sump hole, which pumps out to the
yard.

This of course kills the grass from cycling all winter. A big dead
spot.

I've been told that pumping into the septic is not good, and I've also
heard the opposite. Will the grass over the drain field die if I do
this, or will it adversley affect the "brew" in the septic tank?

Looking for ideas here. We have no where else to pump the water in
the winter since we have to heat wrap the hose and only go 20'.

[Gary Slusser]

"Bradley V. Stone" <bvs...@onebox.com> wrote

The latest research has shown no effect from softener discharge into a
properly operating septic tank.. Local code may not allow it though, so
check with your codes enforcement officer. No the grass over the drain
field won't die, the water percolates downward from the perforated
pipes, not up unless the pipe can't drain and water builds up.

To prevent the problem you can also redirect your sump pump discharge to
another area.

I believe the problem is too much water rather than what is in the water
or new grass wouldn't grow there. If your drain line from the sump pump
runs downhill it shouldn't freeze as long as it can drain the line
instead of polling and freezing.

Gary
Quality Water Associates

[Bradley V. Stone]

Thanks for the tips. I know it's the salt that kills the grass. I
can't grow anything in the big spot until I mix in some good compost
for a few weeks, then I can grow grass.

We have many neighbors that pump it into their septic. Some do, some
don't. Ask if you should and you'll get a 50/50 split on that. Even
from the septic guys.

On Sat, 03 May 2003 19:19:55 GMT, "Gary Slusser" <qwas...@ptd.net>
wrote:

[Oscar_lives]

Use Potassium Chloride instead of the salt. It is healthier, and the
potassium will actually fertilize your lawn instead of killing it.

"Bradley V. Stone" <bvs...@onebox.com> wrote in message
news:3eb3e393...@news.gotocrystal.net...

[Bradley V. Stone]

Ah, good idea. Can I just dump the KCl into the tank on top of the
salt already there, or should I clean it out.

Would KCl cause more or less possible damage to septic/drainfield?

On Sun, 04 May 2003 19:30:22 GMT, "Oscar_lives" <nos...@nospam.com>
wrote:

[Bradley V. Stone]

Also, what about KCl affecting any pumps? If I go the sump route
(currently) there's the sump pump. If I go the septic route, then
there's the lift station pump.

[Me too.]

I think that it's just too much water for septic. I re-routed mine to
orange burg drain pipe to street.

"Bradley V. Stone" <bvs...@onebox.com> wrote in message
news:3eb3e393...@news.gotocrystal.net...

[Gary Slusser]

"Oscar_lives" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote

> Use Potassium Chloride instead of the salt. It is healthier, and the
> potassium will actually fertilize your lawn instead of killing it.

But what about the chloride part? And isn't too much of even a good
thing bad at some point?

Gary
Quality Water Associates

[Gary Slusser]

"Bradley V. Stone" <bvs...@onebox.com> wrote

> Also, what about KCl affecting any pumps? If I go the sump route
> (currently) there's the sump pump. If I go the septic route, then
> there's the lift station pump.

Sump pumps last a long time in tough environments but I wouldn't mess
with my lift station pump, chlorides are a corrosive. You can't make
this decision until you know how much ion exchange you are doing. I.E.
If you have say 4 gpg of hardness you have nothing to worry about, it
you have 28, then you do. And ion exchange is all the positive charged
ions, not just the calcium and magnesium that makes up the hardness.

Gary
Quality Water Associates

[Gary Slusser]

"Me too." <bs...@home.com> wrote

> I think that it's just too much water for septic. I re-routed mine to
> orange burg drain pipe to street.

So you wouldn't do an extra 1-2 loads of laundry if the kid, hubby, wife
etc. came home from being away for a week or so right? How about a
weekend guest or two? Washing curtains, the dog, and an extra shower or
three or a bubble bath? Most all of which uses more water than a
residential softener's regeneration. So as we should see, 'additional'
water is not a problem for a properly operating septic system. And in
many cases, an improperly operating septic system (many are without
showing any symptoms).

In some places you really don't want to get caught doing that street
thingy.... Especially for such an irrational reason. lol

Gary
Quality Water Associates

[Me too.]

Well, my iron remover dumps 60 gal. twice a week out. That's 120 gal. less
in my system a week.

"Gary Slusser" <qwas...@ptd.net> wrote in message
news:exBta.579$5h4....@nnrp1.ptd.net...

[Gary Slusser]

"Me too." <bs...@home.com> wrote

> Well, my iron remover dumps 60 gal. twice a week out. That's 120 gal.
less
> in my system a week.

The third party research can be found in the consumer area at:
www.wqa.org Any septic tank should be able to accept 60 gallons twice
a week and if not, there is a real problem with the system. In some
areas your filter would have to be connected to the septic to be legal,
in others it's not allowed.

Gary
Quality Water Associates

[AGE]

In many municipalities, townships, and villages, this is ILLEGAL
especially if they have sewered storm water systems. Their recourse
is to DOUBLE your water bill if you have municipal supply. Of course,
if you are rural, no sidewalks, etc., you may just be damaging your
neighbors property ;-)

AGE

"Me too." <bs...@home.com> wrote in message news:<h4jta.640$n4....@tornadotest1.news.pas.earthlink.net>...

[Me too.]

I agree. I'm just eliminating an additional 120 gal. that need not be put
there.

"Gary Slusser" <qwas...@ptd.net> wrote in message

news:O5%ta.757$5h4.1...@nnrp1.ptd.net...