Sanitizing with bleach and your septic system

[OntheLoose]

I moved to a house with a septic system after always being on a sewer system. I've lived in this house for a year and a half and I've had to pump the septic system twice!! I found out after much deliberation that all the bleach water that I have dumped down the line and into the septic system has killed the bacteria that eats the yucky stuff. I use a tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water to sanitize the fermenters and buckets and everything. Well now I don't dump any of that bleach water down the sewer line, and I would advise you to not do it either if you are on a septic system. (I brew a 5 gallon batch every weekend so this may have something to do with it too)

[Old CW4]

I've lived in rural or semi rural areas for the past forty plus years and have always been on septic systems. The first thing I do when moving to a new home is reroute the plumbing so the sinks and bathtubs/showers/washing machine go out to the garden. The "gray" water from the sinks/tubs contains lots of phosphates from detergents and so on. I usually route this to a settling pond and then to wherever I need water. I've raised some fine gardens and lawns over the years using this technique.

As for bleach, I use it sparingly. My heaviest use for bleach is to add a quarter or half cup in my well filter when I change the cartridge sediment filter, on average every two to three months. I don't brew for a week or so after adding bleach to the well filter. It does make for some really "cleansing" baths however.

You have to be really careful as to what you "pump" into a septic system in the way of acids, detergents, fats, and bleaches. A septic system is an efficient device if used properly. They can handle body wastes with no problem but "belch" if "fed" all the other chemical gunk we all use for cleaning, bathing, and laundry. To my unscientific understanding, one form of bacteria in the system at the tank starts to break down the sewage and other types in the leach field complete the process. It's a sort of digestive system and the end product is surprisingly clean water.

[corkybstewart]

Great thread. It reminds me that I need to have my tank pumped, but I disagree with your premise. Not only have I dumped bleach, iodophor, StarSan, etc into my septic system for years, but my dishwasher and washing machine routinely(way too often) dump bleach and other stuff into my septic tank. I've had no problems in the ten years since I had my leach line extended, which was I think the last time it was pumped. You have another problem besides a cup or so of bleach per week.
OldCW4, I'd love to be able to do that, I've read some articles on gray water filtration systems, but my house is built on a slab and I don't have access to my under the house plumbing. But if we build a new house that'll be a requirement, especially if we stay in the desert.

[Old CW4]

Corky,
Good comments. During our "active" years my now deceased wife and I were raising five kids, four of our own and an adopted Korean girl. Let me tell you, with five teen agers in the house, including two girls, the gunk and bathwater alone overloaded the system. Diverting the gray water was a dire necessity! After we did that, no more problems.
I agree with you on the bleach thing---it would take quite a bit to upset or destroy the bacteria in the septic system. I had my leach field here in NM redone about 15 years ago and, knock on wood, no problems at all since then. I have a weird, old adobe house of the original Spanish style, about 4,000 sq feet, and sitting on 3.5 acres so plenty of room to disperse gray water. My kitchen sink plus laundry room divert to a settling tank and I had to dig under the house to divert the two bathrooms. It was worth it. My back 1.75 acres are irrigated and farmed by a local chile farmer so I divert my gray water right into the header ditch. Grows some great chile and other veggies.
My beer brewing is done right on the front porch along with most of my implement rinsing, cleanup, etc. The grass grows great where I rinse and flush my pots, buckets, and utensils.
Anyway, septic systems are a great thing so long as they work.
Regards, Old CW4

[Fir Na Tine]

Star San and PBW that is.

I emailed Five Star and the response I got was that Star San is safe to dump into a septic system - through normal channels of course. Mixed properly, by the time it hits the septic system itself when flushed, it will dilute to useless proportions. And actually, I was informed that it's remaining properties will actually benefit the bacteria in a septic.

Plus, they advised me if I used PBW to mix the Star San solution (basically what's left after a day's worth of brewing/cleaning/sanitizing) and dump that. The two will knock each other's pH to a neutral, harmless level.

So pour it down the drain. Its good for it. When flushed with an equal or twice the amount of clean water, completely safe.

Bleach when dumped down a drain, is going to get diluted to the same level, so I dump it too. Just be sure to flush with plenty of water.

[corkybstewart]

When we bought this place back in 92 we had septic problems for 3 years. Then we found out the leach line was laid on a nearly solid rock slab. It worked great in the 100F summer days because of evaporation. but in the winter not so good. We had a guy come out and bust the rock slab and extend the leach line another 75'. We've never had a problem since. That's why I think you have a bigger problem ontheloose.

[OntheLoose]

I didn't mention that I have a wife and 3 kids. The older two kids are teenage girls. We almost always have laundry, dishwasher and a shower going. Also our septic tank is undersized. I've been thinking about seperating the grey water from the sewer and use the grey water to water plants.

The septic pumping guy told me that household cleaners were the number one problem that septic tanks have. We've been trying to buy the septic safe soap and I'm also trying to make the kids stop using anti-bacterial stuff.