Sewage Ejector Pump and Basin Quesion

[lzicc]

I purchased a house last year. It has a septic tank with a sewage ejector pump. It once was a septic tank with a leach field, but city sewage was put in up the at the top of the property, so now the tank is pumped into the city sewage instead of the leach field. The city sewer is uphill, so it has to be pumped. I want to replace the septic tank with either a grinder pump and basin or a sewage pump with basin. I want to put in a kitchen garbage disposal so I am thinking the grinder pump would be the better way to go. Any suggestions?

This will be install outside of the house, not inside.

 

[MMalabama]

Do they not both have a grinding action? Don't see how you could have a sewage pump that didn't grind unless it was just a effluent pump.

 

[Coyote machine]

I'd talk to the city the sewage is now flowing into and see if there are specific requirements you have to comply with by law. I would think there would most likely be restrictions and specs you need to adhere to whether you want to or not. I wouldn't do anything until you know the rules.

 

[Cord]

You should already have a grinder pump. Adding a garbage disposal should have no effect on the pump.

 

[wagne223]

Your county health dept is who you need to talk to. They make the rules, they approve the changes, and they charge you with a crime if you do it without asking them first.

 

[orezok]

Your county health dept is who you need to talk to. They make the rules, they approve the changes, and they charge you with a crime if you do it without asking them first.

I’m not understanding why there is any difference from gravity flow from your residence and pumped flow. It’s the exact same doo doo.

 

[oosik]

OK - too much mysticism here. There is a difference between a sewage lift pump and a sewage grinding pump. Example - I have a septic tank that gravity flows into a pump tank. Due to septic tank being baffled and having a very efficient outlet filter - NO SOLIDS make it into my pump tank. Pump tank is 1000 gallons. It has a sewage lift pump that pumps the effluent to my pressure drain field. My pump is DEFINITELY NOT designed to grind sewage. Think about it - do you really want to GRIND the total output of a household and discharge the slurry to your drainfield.

The sewage grinding pump is used when the total output of a house - solids, liquids et al - are going to be discharged to a public sewerage system. The grinding pump ensures that all discharge is ground into a liquid - thereby guaranteed transfer and discharge with very little plugging problems.

IZICC - it is a wise move to have a sewage grinding pump installed and have an appropriate sewage collection basin installed for the grinding pump to sit and work in. It will eliminate most all future problems. STRONGLY suggest you contact your local Health Dept to ensure your are aligned with the appropriate rules/regulations. If the current pump is IN the septic tank - then it darn well better be a grinding & lifting/transfer pump. If the pump is in the septic tank and IS NOT a grinding pump - I absolutely guarantee future problems.

OREZOK - the difference between gravity and pumped flow. Gravity USUALLY means all solid material has been left in the septic tank and only effluent(fluids) will flow by gravity to a drain field. Pumped flow can mean the same as gravity flow OR it can mean the grinding of all household waste and its being pumped to a public sewer.

Too many terms - too often used interchangeably when they actually mean something very different.

 

[orezok]

OREZOK - the difference between gravity and pumped flow. Gravity USUALLY means all solid material has been left in the septic tank and only effluent(fluids) will flow by gravity to a drain field. Pumped flow can mean the same as gravity flow OR it can mean the grinding of all household waste and its being pumped to a public sewer.

Too many terms - too often used interchangeably when they actually mean something very different.

My point is that the OP stated that the city put in a sewerage system. That is designed to handle solids as well as liquids for processing elsewhere. I would suggest that the OP abandon the septic system completely and just install a lift station and pressure main before the existing septic and pump everything to the city system. My statement was to indicate that whether he was located above the elevation of the city sewer and used gravity to feed it or below and used a pump, it is the same.

Why have the cost of maintaining a septic tank? Let the city deal with it as he will be paying for the city sewer anyway.

 

[lzicc]

I believe it is an effluent pump but will need to verify. It sits high in the septic tank. The solids go to the bottom and the enzymes break up the solids into liquid. That is how I understand how it works.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I would not put an effluent pump into a septic tank. A grinder pump sure. Also, as far as I know, the health department has 0 to do with sewage. We have a Sewage Enforcement Officer who handles anything to do with the sewage whether onlot or public. YMMV.