# Draining the washing machine elsewhere? Not into the septic...



## johncotexas

About to take ownership of my first piece of property and it comes with a septic system (among other things). I have a six month old in re-usable diapers with another on the way. Lots of washing going on! I am wanting to re-direct the drain from the washing machine and maybe other gray water drains somewhere other than the septic system. This was actually recommended to me by the septic inspector. We do have very sandy soil so drainage shouldn't be an issue, but it seems that I should come up with a better idea than having it just flow into the yard. Any ideas?? A water garden? Also looking for suggestions for biodegradable soaps. Thanks


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## Joshie

Why? Seems to me, especially with the cloth diapers, it should be drained into the septic system. Why did the inspector make that suggestion? Is there a problem with it? We've had several inspections on wells/septic systems and nobody's made that suggestion.

Why not use roof run off for watering plants? Do you have a cistern? 

We have a front loading washer and use laundry soap from Sears. We don't use a full scoop. A tub lasts 6 months or more for a family of 3. There are plenty of people on this forum who make their laundry soap.


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## Belfrybat

No, not a water garden without treatment of some kind as grey water turns black when it sits. You might consider a branched drainage system like outlined on this site:

http://www.oasisdesign.net/greywater/brancheddrain/index.htm
Here's another good page with more info:
http://www.oasisdesign.net/greywater/createanoasis/index.htm

What you want is for the water to go under mulch and not just stand on top of the ground -- otherwise it will go "rancid" and begin to smell. Another option is to pump it through a filter to take out the sediment, then the water can be used for other purposes (flushing toilets, etc.).


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## edcopp

Now everybody knows that a ping of formerly poopy water can contaminate most of the state of Texas. Bad, Bad. Of course the answer would be to spend $15,000 to $30,000 for an elaborate system. This would help the economy a lot, not yours but the economy of others who are depending on your cash.:cowboy:

Somebody that I know and who will remain nameless once got a metal trash can given to them. The bottom was rusted away. This individual dug a hole and piped the drain water into the old garbage can that was set upright in the hole. The can was 30 inches high and the hole was about the same depth. Water drained into the can in the hole and in a short time just went away. Magic or something. The lid fit on the can just like it always did. Looked like a lid laying there in the flower bed. The flowers around the can did/do very well. Cheap too.


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## ronbre

Gaia's garden has some good info on doing just that


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## beaglebiz

not legal in PA


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## ronron

We have a seprate drainfield for the laundry room and kitchen works great and the grass is always green there..


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## marytx

We also run the laundry and the kitchen, separately, out to the field. Funny, the grass is very green there, but the goats won't touch it.
I wouldn't try to garden on run-off, but I don't see why you couldn't water a tree or flowers with it. I liked it better when I had a flexible drain hose I could move around to different areas.


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## Kmac15

I really want this for my house. I would run it to an area that has fruit trees.


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## Ravenlost

beaglebiz said:


> not legal in PA


Not legal here in MS either, which drives me NUTS. I want my washing machine and kitchen sink to drain elsewhere, not fill up my septic tank!


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## suelandress

Doesn't the liquid portion just run into the leach field anyway?


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## Tilly

Having done this very thing with two in cloth at the same time, I would wait until they were out of diapers. Even with dumping the #2 into the toilet, you are going to have poopy water flowing out of the pipe. Not everything will dump out of those diapers. And it's not just poop, but that first rinse is going to have a lot of ammonia in it. Wait till they are out of diapers, then redirect the washer. The kitchen sink go ahead and redirect, but be very careful not to let leftovers go down the drain. We ran the bath tub water into a trough an watered the flower beds by bucket with that. 

Obviously, we didn't do this in Colorado, where it is not allowed......

Tilly


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## Cyngbaeld

Just get a 55 gal or smaller plastic drum for a surge tank. Put a hose bib on the lower wall. Connect a garden hose and move the end around occasionally so you don't get a puddle. Not a real big deal. If your land is too flat for it to drain, get a dirty water sump pump instead of the hose bib and pump the water out of the surge tank onto the lawn.


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## cathyharrell

A place we lived years ago had the water from the washing machine and kitchen drain almost out of the yard. I planted cannas there that my friend Norma gave me and they were really tall and beautiful.


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## Navotifarm

Real Goods sells a diverter so you can direct your bathtub and sink water to another location other than your septic field. When I lived in a mobile home with septic problems, I simply ran my washer water out to my compost bin - which was a pallet bin so had a lot of material in it. 
I did talk about this with a county inspector. It is supposedly not legal in Virginia but then, if you disguise it such as edcopp suggests, who's to know? Gourds like lots of nutrients and water. Could you plant a big gourd patch and run your washer water to your gourds?


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## Belfrybat

edcopp said:


> Now everybody knows that a ping of formerly poopy water can contaminate most of the state of Texas. Bad, Bad. Of course the answer would be to spend $15,000 to $30,000 for an elaborate system. This would help the economy a lot, not yours but the economy of others who are depending on your cash.:cowboy:
> 
> :


I gather your disparaging remarks were aimed at my suggesting a branched system. I think the total cost of the one I set up at my other property cost all of $35.00, including the hoses. I was able to water 10 trees with the system in this arid country. Well worth the cost of what I spent. I have no idea where you got the $15,000-30,000 price tag from??? The oasis system is geared specifically away from high technology to simple, gravity system, which is why I suggested that website. 
Your suggestion of a 30 gal drum would just dump the water -- why not put it to use?


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## ChristieAcres

If diapers are properly "rinsed out" and soaked in bleach water (or other compound to clean), then rinsed out again, before washing? I fail to see any reason why that water can't be diverted and used to water trees, shrubs, garden... Diapers should be put through a process before placing in the washer. I used cloth diapers 22 years ago... 

We have an outdoor soaking tub. When it drains, the largest apple tree gets watered. Belfrybat's branched system is a great idea!


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## Alice In TX/MO

No reason? Well, there's illegal for one. In my county in Texas, NO use of grey water is legal. I have residential rental properties, including three septic systems. I know about this stuff.


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## ChristieAcres

Really sorry to hear that. Too bad TX is so clueless not to allow the type of system WA STATE does:

http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/WW/GreywaterFact.PDF

I am sure glad you posted, Alice, as it is very important we homestead in ways that follow the laws in our State.


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## Alice In TX/MO

They also will not allow composting toilets to replace standard systems in new construction or remodeling. :grit:


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## RosewoodfarmVA

I ran our kitchen sink drain and washer into a 3" pipe that goes about 200ft from the house and empties into a natural drain ditch where the water mostly soaks in in the first 15 ft or so of the ditch. No smell, wouldn't even know it's there unless you're walking through and step in a mushy place. All the chemicals and detergents used in kitchen soaps and laundry detergents will wreak havoc on the bacterial balance in a septic tank, as well as the higher volume of water which causes undigested material to flow out of the tank and clog up the drain lines. Don't know if what I did is legal, don't really care. What I don't want is to have to dig up all my drainfield lines and replace them because the tank wouldn't digest properly and all the sludge ended up clogging the lines. That's big $$ like $10,000 or more.


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## Belfrybat

Alice In TX/MO said:


> No reason? Well, there's illegal for one. In my county in Texas, NO use of grey water is legal. I have residential rental properties, including three septic systems. I know about this stuff.


What county are you in? It's not illegal in all of Texas. The city of Austin promotes the reuse of grey water, but it can't just run out on the ground -- it must go through mulch or other subsurface methods. In my area of Texas, there are no laws concerning draining grey water, except the State regs. 

And I would think the inspector who suggested the OP drain greywater away from the septic would know if it were illegal or not.

Here's a link to the State regs concerning greywater. I suppose individual counties can enact laws superceding state. 
http://greywateralliance.org/texas.html


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## Belfrybat

lorichristie said:


> Really sorry to hear that. Too bad TX is so clueless not to allow the type of system WA STATE does:
> 
> http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/WW/GreywaterFact.PDF
> 
> I am sure glad you posted, Alice, as it is very important we homestead in ways that follow the laws in our State.


The Texas State code is just about the same as yours -- greywater must be used subsurface and for irrigation of plants and trees. In Texas it adds another use: watering the foundation of houses to stop the slab from cracking. 

http://greywateralliance.org/texas.html


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## Alice In TX/MO

Jackson County, Texas. It's half way between Houston and Corpus Christi.


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## meanwhile

We have a Gray Water system that uses Slow Sand Filtration to clean the water which then re-charges an old Spring System. Much of our information came from these sites:
http://www.harvestingrainwater.com/

http://greywateraction.org/

And from the Oasis site suggested above. We also bought the books from DryLands people. After trial/error, our system now is simply one line from the house (Washing Machine, one sink in the Laundry Room, and the Dish Washer and Kitchen Sink) which takes all the Gray Water into one long line down the hill. It runs about 100 feet away from the house. Then we have only two lines "branches".....one "dumps" the water into a natural small gully that makes its way down hill further towards our "bottom land".....and the second line "dumps" the water also into a nearby natural gully but is about 80 feet sideways and away from the first line. We switch lines every week if all of us are at home, every other week when it is only the 3 people home.

Our Gray Water sinks into the land and is uphill about 600 feet from a natural spring area. That water is "tapped" and gravity flows into a Cistern another 400 feet away. We have the water tested yearly and so far no problems at all. 

We did try a "grease trap" system and we also tried several filter clothes, screen methods and a "sand box" to "pre treat" the water. After one year of watching, we decided we did not need to "pre treat" but we do not use much soap at all! If you use the soap many regular households use, I predict a problem with grease/soap. 

For example: We only use 1 Tablespoon of dishpowder in the dishwasher and in many loads of clothes we use no wash powder at all. Some clothes simply need a "rinse" and do not need the soap. With Diapers, however, you will need the soap and I am not sure what would be the result of Clorox, which we do not use. You can find soap and other cleaning suggestions on all of the above web sites. 

We monitor our system weekly and so far have no odors, no damage to any trees, no soap suds and no problems at all. The water sinks into the ground fairly quickly although it may be damp after a good rain. 

Another factor to consider is how much land do you have and how far from the property line will your Gray Water be located and how far will it travel? 

Good luck.


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## meanwhile

One more thing to add: Do NOT use those black landscape type pipes that have "corrugated" sides. The lint and or soap scrum will collect in the groves. Use smooth pipes only!


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## Shygal

suelandress said:


> Doesn't the liquid portion just run into the leach field anyway?


Thats what I thought? :shrug:


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## Win07_351

One of the biggest problems with washing machines draining into septic tanks is the lint. It doesn't settle too good and a lot of it runs into the leach lines over time.


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## johncotexas

Thank you all for your thoughts and recommendations. I have been also looking onto Permaculture techniques as well that would pretty much turn gray water back into usable clean water again. We are on 10 acres that is very sandy but also very flat so there is no hill to run down. I suppose the simplest system to start with would be the multiple branch idea mentioned by Belfrybat and others. Let the digging begin! Thanks again!


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## Txrider

lorichristie said:


> Really sorry to hear that. Too bad TX is so clueless not to allow the type of system WA STATE does:
> 
> http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/WW/GreywaterFact.PDF
> 
> I am sure glad you posted, Alice, as it is very important we homestead in ways that follow the laws in our State.


It's a county thing, not a state thing.

I've seen several separate grey water fields in Texas, as well as some plumbed so the greywater goes into the field without passing through the septic tank.

These days much depends on soil type as well, with some counties making people use an aerobic sprinkler type system for black and grey water.


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## edcopp

Belfrybat said:


> I gather your disparaging remarks were aimed at my suggesting a branched system. I think the total cost of the one I set up at my other property cost all of $35.00, including the hoses. I was able to water 10 trees with the system in this arid country. Well worth the cost of what I spent. I have no idea where you got the $15,000-30,000 price tag from??? The oasis system is geared specifically away from high technology to simple, gravity system, which is why I suggested that website.
> Your suggestion of a 30 gal drum would just dump the water -- why not put it to use?


No, not really. 

My remarks were hatched right here in Ohio. In my county the cost to begin to design any system begins with a $150 fee for a permit. Bear in mind that kitchen sink water is considered Black Water here. I guess that the inspectors at the local health department must poop in their sinks. The other rules are equally far out.

I thin it is our water, a good resource; and we should be able to use it as we wish.:run:


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## Cabin Fever

lorichristie said:


> If diapers are properly "rinsed out" and soaked in bleach water (or other compound to clean), then rinsed out again, before washing? I fail to see any reason why that water can't be diverted and used to water trees, shrubs, garden... Diapers should be put through a process before placing in the washer. I used cloth diapers 22 years ago...
> 
> We have an outdoor soaking tub. When it drains, the largest apple tree gets watered. Belfrybat's branched system is a great idea!


Wondering how well your system works in the winter?


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## arabian knight

Cabin Fever said:


> Wondering how well your system works in the winter?


For sure. As one that has lived here in the cold for many years and have only been on septic, You want to have water to go into the tank and especially HOT water, as it keeps the tank from a freeze up.
Taking nice long HOT showers, and such keeps the water in the tank tepid.
In years when low snow fall and very cold so the frost goes down deep, you want to have that HOT water to enter the tank, and not just cold water from flushing the toilet etc.


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## ChristieAcres

LOL- First off, we "winterize" all our lines that aren't buried, live in a mild climate, and don't use the soaker tub in the Winter, oh and the apple tree doesn't need watered in the Winter- I am in the Pacific Northwest... The OP was talking about using water from her washing machine. I simply shared what we were doing with ONE soaking tub, although I didn't go in to insulating the line, how deep it is buried, etc... Now, the tub? I know some people like to take baths outside in a soaker tub (not to be confused with a HOT TUB), but you won't find me in one in the Winter:run:

Oh it is all a moot point as the another HTer wrote about TX law prohibiting her using that water.


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## taylorlambert

We have ours seperate from the septic tank. The soaps and things used in the washer will kill the good bacteria. Dad has been putting therm in for 50 years, I ve been at it nearly 12. I took a 200 pound sand filter off an old pool. I buried it and put a line in it and one out. I filter my soaps that way then run it down to the lower garden. Lots of folks here have tank problems from grey water in their tanks. Sometimes I we take the excavator and dig a pit about 8 feet deep. That usually get us down to sand, ordig down to 12 feet and put in 3 inch stone and set 2 well tiles on top of each other. 

Then we back fill it makes a larger leach feild and takes care of the grey water. About 5 years ago I had a customer that had a ton of Alabama clay in her yard. Her septic tank was going to the top every day. We taled it over about reusing her water. We took a tank and put an aerator in it and then dug some 3 foot deep 2 foot wide trenches about 5 feet long each. She then plants canna lillies, and other water lovers that and a fe ever green trees. They really use up the water.


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## Patt

All of our greyt water was run out to our pasture in our old house and it runs into a French drain system here at the new one. Never had any trouble with it but we haven't diapers around here for 18 years either!


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