Upgrading Septic System

PhilNH5 · Apr 2, 2002

Brett,
I am up in NH now. But I lived in Rising Sun, Cecil County, MD for 10 years. Cecil is up in the corner on the border of Delaware and Pennsylvania. Not quite the eastern shore but some folks (Gov Donald Shaeffer included) refered to us as the eastern shore.

Phil

Anonymous Poster · Apr 2, 2002

Phil, do you need a Terps R #1 TShirt up there?

WVBill · Apr 2, 2002

Mike:

A water softening system doesn't HAVE to use Sodium. I had real hard water - and clay soil - when I moved in to my new house 3 years ago. After doing the research, and finding the septic web sites warning of Sodium use, I went ahead and put in a normal water softening system. I just use Potassium Chloride in the softener instead os Sodium Chloride. Works just as well as the salt and I have never found anything indicating that Potassium can harm either the septic tank operation or the leach field. The Potassium is more difficult to find in stores than Salt and is slightly more expensive - but probably less than replacing the faucet every couple of years.

Inspector507 · Apr 2, 2002

Don't use Pottasium Chloride if you have iron in the water

BobT · Apr 2, 2002

Randy,

Thanks much. I went over to the link you provided, and am going to try a shot of the Septic Seep. It sure is worth $100 versus the $6,000 for a whole new field. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again.

RJohnson · Apr 2, 2002

I have attached a link to the National Small Flows Clearinghouse which takes you to their newsletter about septic systems, the winter 2001 edition contain information about water softners and the summer 2001 contain information about chambered leach fields. I have found the site to contain a wealth of information and it is very objective in its presentation.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/nsfc/plarchiveframe.html>http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/nsfc/plarchiveframe.html</A>

Randy

patrickg · Apr 2, 2002

That is a great septic system leach field product. It has enourmous "surge" capacity and in general works better than gravel or chomped up tires (which are slightly better than gravel). Interesting product, costs a bit more for materials but you will get most of it back in reduced labor if the installers are experienced and honest. Funny how we call them leach fields when very little liquid actually leaches out into the ground around the site, no more than a few inches in most cases. The liquid is primarily removed by transpiration of plants growing over the "leach" field and evaporation from the surface.

Best of luck on the upgrade. I have no idea at all about putting that product through the woods but due to my ignorance if I were doing it I would get a second opinion like maybe from the manufacturer and or get a writen guarantee that it will not plug with roots for x years where x is equal to or greater than 5 years or whatever makes you happy.

Patrick

patrickg · Apr 2, 2002

BobT, Liked your post except for the part about no bacteria in grey water. In these days of cold water wash/rinse e. coli from washing underwear goes down the drain. If someone in the household has the flue or worse the virus can end up in the grey water...and on and on. There is a lot of good grey water info and debate avail by surfing the web. Some folks irrigate (spray) with it where there is litle or no chance of human contact or contact with food crops, ESPECIALLY stuff we don't cook. Carrots, letuce, radishes and like that would not be smart to pull up, wipe off, and much on if they had grey water contact.

Patrick