[RealRobD]

All of our gray water and sewage goes into a septic tank and eventually a leech field. I have 2 sump pumps, one currently collects gray water from the clothes washer, bathroom sink, tub and dumps it into the septic.

The other sump dumps into the side yard into a corrugated pipe and into a field. I'm tired of moving the pipe when mowing that area and if not moved frequently, it starts to kill the grass.
Is directing that pumps outlet into the septic tank > leech field ok?
My only concern is, could it be too much volume. During storms, the pump gets a lot of water.

 

[chandler48]

You are exactly right, don't run it into the septic tank. Too much volume. Sending gray water to your field may offend your inspectors or HOA, but it is done. Depending on the volume, you may could dig a dry well and direct the gray water there without having to move the pipe every time you cut the grass.

 

[RealRobD]

You are exactly right, don't run it into the septic tank. Too much volume. Sending gray water to your field may offend your inspectors or HOA, but it is done. Depending on the volume, you may could dig a dry well and direct the gray water there without having to move the pipe every time you cut the grass.

I was trying to edit my post but couldn't. The water from the 2nd pump is ground water only.



Anyway... Yes I've been thinking about a dry well for a few years.
The clay is so bad here that the peculation will be really bad, but in the end, I think it's probably better than the pipe on the lawn.

 

[chandler48]

Yeah, I got tired of sending 20 gallons of water per wash cycle of an older washing machine into a septic tank/leach field. I had a 41 acre cattle farm and one field directly out from the kitchen was a "hay" field. I redirected the water from the washing machine through perforated pipe across the head of the field. Super growth of grasses for hay every year. Face it. It was water, dirt and biodegradable HE detergent.

 

[Old Thomas]

I dug a hole and buried a few blue 55 gallon plastic barrels. I drilled holes all over them and put them in the hole with 6 tons of #1 crushed stone around them. Landscape fabric and lawn on top made them disappear. Even in clay, it never fails to take water.

 

[Mystriss]

Our basement sump (high water table) goes under the 2nd driveway into a wild area. We wanted to get rid of the pipe cause we have to pay to heat it all winter, but the folks up here said we were not allowed to put it in the septic tank by code - something about tank capacity.

I'd go for the well thing.

 

[AllanJ]

No problem 2with digging a dry well for the gutter water and rain water and sump pump water but the dry well should be some distance from the house. Alternatively you could put in a separate leach field, away from the existing leach field, for this. Such a leach field might be built in the same manner as a French drain or weeping tile system for example around the basement perimeter.

 

[Ghostmaker]

Do not run storm water to your leech field. It will make your septic fail earlier.