# Interesting Septic Info



## charly (May 5, 2010)

Had a home inspector ( Engineer) looking over my house , for a couple who wants to buy our home. We got talking about septic health. I mentioned I heard lint was not good for the leach fields as it could plug things up. But next he blew me away with something unexpected. Anyone who is getting Chemo treatments he said, should not use a septic system. That person using the system will completely wipe out all the good bacteria. Kills the system. I'll bet not one doctor has ever mentioned that, to any patients. How about once the system is pumped, where's that end up? LOL!


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## Flatbedford (May 5, 2010)

Just think of all the anti-biotics and other drugs that pass thru people and into septic systems and water treatment systems. Pretty scary when you think of how much we are poisoning ourselves.


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## charly (May 5, 2010)

I new of a guy that use to spread the pump outs onto his fields for fertilizer , to grow his cow corn. Now because of exactly what you said, all the drugs, etc. , they want to ban using it for that purpose. So now the cost of a pump out will go up and up.


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## begreen (May 5, 2010)

Funny you should mention that. We just had our tank inspected. He said you can tell a dead tank right away. Now sewer doesn't smell great, but it is tolerable. The smell of a dead tank will gag any sewer veteran and it has a sickly whitish grey color. Most often it happens due to a large quantity of antibiotics or chemotherapy. But it can also happen when a large batch of bad wine is dumped down the drain, or a lot of bleach or if a meth lab is dumping there.


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## Flatbedford (May 5, 2010)

We are not always good at considering the all the costs of things. Chemicals and their disposal, oil and it's spills and military protection, etc.


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## Flatbedford (May 5, 2010)

Bad wine? Interesting.


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## kenny chaos (May 5, 2010)

The engineer told the husband to quit flushing his rubbers and the man
said, "I don't use any."


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## oldspark (May 5, 2010)

kenny chaos said:
			
		

> The engineer told the husband to quit flushing his rubbers and the man
> said, "I don't use any."


 Boots?


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## charly (May 5, 2010)

Kenny, That's good !!


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## semipro (May 5, 2010)

These same sort of problems occur at municipal waste water treatment plants.  Look up "endocrine disruptors" some time.  It should scare you.  They are making their way into our water supplies (e.g. rivers) because they make their way through conventional treatment processes. Many suspect these cause early onset of puberty in girl, frogs changing gender in mid-life and so on.  

one discussion: http://www.epa.gov/endo/pubs/edspoverview/whatare.htm


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## kenny chaos (May 5, 2010)

Semipro said:
			
		

> It should scare you.






No, it shouldn't and it won't.


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## semipro (May 6, 2010)

kenny chaos said:
			
		

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Why not?


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## kenny chaos (May 6, 2010)

Semipro said:
			
		

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There's watch groups out there.  I've gotten many notices over the years that I was involved in a class action
lawsuit because the phone company over-charged, or a company falsified reports, etc.  You and I can't keep everyone honest.
There're those who will police that stuff.
eg.- past bans on paraquat
     -agent orange
     - new world wide ban on methyl bromide
     - soon to come ban on atrazine
     - etc., etc.

There's always the issues of power and money to get around.

Get scared about what's going on that you can do something about, and use that fear to guide you.

I got me a new bicycle.  Haven't ridden in over 30 years.  I even got an mp3 player.
My two biggest passions rolled into one.  Life is good again.


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## basswidow (May 6, 2010)

There is no treatment known at this time to remove trace pharmacuticals from waste water.  All of the birth control pills that are taken and then disharged in urine in cities at the head waters of river systems - goes right into the sewer system which is treated for solids and such and then dumped into the river where it goes down to the next municipalities fresh water intake.  Where it is treated as drinking water.  So the children in that town are enjoying pharmacuticals in their drinking water.  Because no system is in place to remove pharmacuticals from waste water or drinking water.  The cycle duplicates itself all the way down to the bay and ocean.

By the time the Potomac River reaches Washington DC,  it's nothing but recycled sewer water full of pharmacuticals from all the towns that feed into the watershed.  The male fish have eggs.  I would not let you children drink tap water.  It's not that people are flushing pills,  it's all the people taking treatments which pass thru their bodies into their waste and into the sewer system - which doesn't treat it.

Never thought about Chemo and a septic tank.  I do know - you shouldn't rinse paint brushes in your sink if you are on a septic. And tampons are also a no no


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## oldspark (May 6, 2010)

Crap runs down hill so move north.


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## semipro (May 7, 2010)

kenny chaos said:
			
		

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So you're saying that:

- if you found today that the bike you just got was known for bad welds on the fork and
- that others with the same bike had gotten hurt when their forks broke while riding and
- that regulators had yet to compel the manufacturer to recall the bikes

you'd ride it anyway without taking any precautions like checking for a defective fork?


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## peakbagger (May 7, 2010)

I would disagree with the broad comment made that "





> There is no treatment known at this time to remove trace pharmaecuticals from waste water.  All of the birth control pills that are taken and then disharged in urine in cities at the head waters of river systems - goes right into the sewer system which is treated for solids and such and then dumped into the river where it goes down to the next municipalities fresh water intake.  Where it is treated as drinking water


". Wastewater can be treated a couple of ways to remove trace contaminants but its expensive and therefore the technology isnt used in most places except where there is severe fresh water shortages. Drinking water supplies have the same comment, the technology is there but does it make a lot of sense to treat municipal water to ultrapurity standards when most of it is used to flush toilets and water lawns. Reverse Osmosis filters work real well in removing these contaminants and thats why a large amount of the bottled water sold in the US is municipal drinking water run through a reverse osmosis system.


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## basswidow (May 7, 2010)

peakbagger said:
			
		

> I would disagree with the broad comment made that "
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It's not that it doesn't make sence because most municipal water is used to flush toilets and water lawns.  The treatment of waste water and treatment of drinking water for municipalities is only done to the standards set by the EPA and nothing further.  It's about money.  

I should have stated that there is no municipal treatment currently being conducted to remove trace pharmacuticals.  Why?

Biological wastewater treatment plants are not designed to remove any specific compounds. They are designed to reduce the concentrations of all of the constituents of municipal wastewater to levels that are protective of all of the uses of the water into which the treatment plant discharges. Most wastewater treatment plants throughout the country meet this standard. Treatment plants are designed to enhance the natural processes of biodegradation that occur in rivers when organic material is discharged to a water system.

When the treatment facilities were built, they were designed to handle the environmental health and safety problems that were known then. *According to the U.S. EPA, "currently, there are no municipal sewage treatment plants that are engineered specifically for PPCP removal or for other unregulated contaminants*. Effective removal of PPCPs from treatment plants varies based on the type of chemical and on the individual sewage treatment facilities." [Source: www.epa.gov/ppcp/faq.html#ifthereareindeed]

You are correct that there are methods to remove trace pharmacuticals,  BUT there is NO ONE method that takes care of all and certainly nothing that has been developed to attack this problem on a larger scale for say a municipal treatment facility.  So like it or not - it's something we have to deal with.

Alot is being done to look into this and alot of money is also being poured into proving that the trace pharmacuticals don't pose a public threat.  It's not just pills taken and then pass thru our bodies.  Our pets are on drugs, and livestock are injected with drugs.  Their waste also goes into the watershed.  

Enviormentally - we are drugging our world and no one seems to be noticing.


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## woodsmaster (May 9, 2010)

So whats a person on chemo supposed to do, rent an outhouse. I think I would use the septic then pump the tank after chemo.


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## charly (May 9, 2010)

Good question, on using the septic. My wife wound up having chemo treatments, using the septic, and at the time , we new nothing. She also had radiation follow up treatments. I later was told too, you shouldn't even sleep in the same bed with someone going thru radiation treatments. How true that is, I don't know. We have since pumped the tank, before even finding out about chemo killing septics. Ahhhh!  What they don't tell. They only tell you to pay your taxes!


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## mayhem (May 28, 2010)

xclimber said:
			
		

> We got talking about septic health. I mentioned I heard lint was not good for the leach fields as it could plug things up.



I'm kind of wondering how you expect to get lint in your leech field in the first place?  Is there alot of lint that comes out in the clothes washer or are people flushing the lint trap residue from thier clothes dryer?


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## charly (May 28, 2010)

I guess is must come off certain types of fabric as you wash your clothes. I saw a lint trap they make for your septic tank, advertised on some web site. It goes on the outboard pipe in your septic tank. You lift off the lid and pull a removable screen out of a tube and wash the lint off the screen. I'm sure dog and cat hair will plug things up too, if they're on clothing, blankets, etc.


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## James Gautsch (May 28, 2010)

I've been using this lint trap for about 15 yrs.  Does a great job. Filters are easy to change and clean.

http://www.septicsolutions.net/store/Filtrol160.htm


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## charly (May 28, 2010)

Thanks JMG, I'm glad I wasn't talking out my butt! :coolcheese:


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## BrotherBart (May 28, 2010)

mayhem said:
			
		

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Any washing machine made by Whirlpool regularly expels the lint ball into the drain. They brag about it.


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## savageactor7 (Jun 6, 2010)

Around here the only thing going into any septic system are toilet flushes ONLY.

Bathroom sink, shower, laundry, kitchen sink are routed into a dry well distribution box and leached away from septic tank.

The wife adds riddex once a month to freshen up the bacteria but I really dunno if it works.


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## charly (Jun 6, 2010)

Someone posted earlier on here, who works at a water treatment plant, never to add anything to a septic system. Myself, I would stick with that.


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## Oldmainer (Jun 6, 2010)

Hi Folks...would it be true to say that we...USA...are the most drugged up and operated on society on the face of the earth? The providers of drugs and Doc's are laughin' all the way to the bank... and we are the poor suckers sufferin' because of it... A few years ago I read a brief history of medicine in the state I lived in (NH)...it was most interestin'. Said Doc's were just a notch above being purveyers of voodoo and witchcraft until well into the 1900's. Said 95% of folks...back before 1900... got over whatever ailed them on their own without goin' to a Doc...can't say I blame um there... and the other 5% died... Have a good day...and don't forget...there's a pill for everything... Franklin


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## charly (Jun 6, 2010)

Oldmainer, I couldn't agree with you more. At 56 , I don't take a pill for anything. All natural remedies for me. Some folks will never see the writing on the wall. A pill just covers up what's wrong, never correcting what's really wrong. Like painting over rust. And like you said, they're raking in the money, big time. People buy massed produced, sprayed food and then go to the doctors to cover up what the food started in the first place. A perfect circle for the crooks. Support local organic farms when you can and avoid the pill all together. Sorry if this is getting off the subject.


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## Cowboy Billy (Jun 11, 2010)

15-20 years ago I did a job in wane co waste water treatment plant. And I doubt I have drank city water more than five times since then. I am 44 and don't take any pills either. I have to laugh at all the pill adds on tv the it seems all the side effects are worse than what they are trying to cure. I have found the best medicine is good hard work. The best I feel is after a few weeks cutting a splitting wood.

My septic is only hooked to the bathroom. Everything else goes into its own leach field.

Billy


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## allhandsworking (Sep 28, 2010)

I'm a septic newbi.  I just had a new very expensive engineered septic system.  Complete with tank baffle and leaching rings.  Some questions
How often do you pump the septic tank?
My wash and dish washer drain into that system
I can divert cloth washer to a dry well is it necessary?
Should I use a septic additive
Is there a safe dish or cloth detergent?
We have 4 in the family and I'm conserative with the dish and clothing detergent.  My soil is like beach sand north shore of long island.


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## charly (Sep 28, 2010)

allhandsworking said:
			
		

> I'm a septic newbi. I just had a new very expensive engineered septic system. Complete with tank baffle and leaching rings. Some questions
> How often do you pump the septic tank?
> My wash and dish washer drain into that system
> I can divert cloth washer to a dry well is it necessary?
> ...


 I was told never to add anything to a septic, by an engineer. We use Ours laundry soap. I would say it depends on your building codes as far as your gray water going into a dry well. Dish soap we use Sal Suds. Last's a long time. Depends on your use as far as the septic. 2 people we went 6 years and were only about half way to where it would be getting critical to have a pump out. I was also told to clean the distribution or "D" box out every second pumping.


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## allhandsworking (Sep 28, 2010)

xclimber said:
			
		

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Is the d box the first part of the sept tank were the fats float to the surface?  And is sal suds sept safe?  Most detergents say " septic safe" but Are they really?


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## charly (Sep 28, 2010)

allhandsworking said:
			
		

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D box is the box after your septic tank. It's where all your leach field lines come out of. No Sal Suds does not say septic safe. It's says biodegradable, came from our local health food store. It's made by Dr. Bronner's.


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## basswidow (Oct 8, 2010)

allhandsworking said:
			
		

> I'm a septic newbi.  I just had a new very expensive engineered septic system.  Complete with tank baffle and leaching rings.  Some questions
> How often do you pump the septic tank?
> My wash and dish washer drain into that system
> I can divert cloth washer to a dry well is it necessary?
> ...



All of my piping goes into a septic tank and leech field.  I was told to pump it once every 3-5 years.  We have 4 in my family and just had it pumped for the first time (3 years in the house).  Guy said it looked great and we probably would have been good to go 5 years.    We do not add anything to aid the septic.  We use regular detergents and cleaners for the most part when doing laundry and cleaning.  We have a dishwasher - but no disposal.  I tell the wife - no bleach in cleaning the toilets, but I think she uses it on the whites.....  so Go figure?


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## Flatbedford (Oct 8, 2010)

I have lived with septic tanks all my life. We have never done anything specific to Maintain them. Just the occasional pump out. Keep as little grease as possible in the system. The more complex proteins are harder for the bacteria in the tank to break down.


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## GunSeth (Oct 13, 2010)

I was at the Depot picking up a part for my toilet when I saw all the items you can add to your septic to improve the bacteria.  Never really thought about the septic and what we should and shouldn't be putting in there.  Does anyone else use these septic helpers?


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## oldspark (Oct 13, 2010)

I could not find any where on line that said additives where needed unless they were selling them, enough bacteria in your crap I guess.


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## Highbeam (Oct 13, 2010)

Yeppers, you've got plenty of bugs in your "deposits" to keep the tank in excellent health. Provided, of course, that you don't poison it with huge amoutns of bleach or other chems that might kill the tank. In that case, the additives won't help you anyway. 

No additives required. Not even recommended. No benefit except lightening your wallet.


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## GunSeth (Oct 13, 2010)

Highbeam said:
			
		

> No additives required. Not even recommended. No benefit except lightening your wallet.



Thanks!  I will continue to contribute to the septic's bacteria the old fashioned way!


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## Wooddust (Oct 13, 2010)

Have ours pumped every 3 years. I have a 300 gallon tank at my cabin that only gets toilet and bathroom sink run to it and plan to pump it after 3 just to see how often it needs it with the small use and low amount of water it gets. I do add bacteria based on the re from the guy who installed my new system at the house.


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