Can you dump into your sewer cleanout?

[moose074]

Originally Posted by LittleBill

Not to take away from the OP's original thread, but I was wondering if someone might have a ballpark cost to having cleanout's added to a septic system or city connections.

Thanks and be safe -

If you do it yourself less than $20 about hour of digging ( depending on soil, grass ect). If paying a plumber local rates and charging ( our local plumber charges two hour minimum at $150) why I do my own plumbing. Then you might have permit fees. I have gone to get permits and they tell me not worry about it. So I stopped.
Last estimate I got from plumber was 15 years ago, needed to water line from city line to my house about 200 ft. He was going to charge 2k. I rented a trencher/ ditch whitch for $50 half day $100 in supplies and I was done by 1 to include picking up and dropping off the rental.

[LittleBill]

Originally Posted by moose074

If you do it yourself less than $20 about hour of digging ( depending on soil, grass ect). If paying a plumber local rates and charging ( our local plumber charges two hour minimum at $150) why I do my own plumbing. Then you might have permit fees. I have gone to get permits and they tell me not worry about it. So I stopped.
Last estimate I got from plumber was 15 years ago, needed to water line from city line to my house about 200 ft. He was going to charge 2k. I rented a trencher/ ditch whitch for $50 half day $100 in supplies and I was done by 1 to include picking up and dropping off the rental.

Thanks for the info, I will look into the possibility of having one done.

Be safe -

[NevadaMiniLite]

Well I just returned from a boondocking trip. Pulled up in front of the house, got out the stinky slinky, unscrewed the cover to the sewer cleanout, inserted the 90 degree adaptor, and let er rip. Slicker than snot down the cleanout she went...If I am going to pay a monthly sewer fee, I am darn well going to get my money's worth!
No fuss, no muss, no mess, and saved myself some money going to the local RV Park to dump!
And luckily I live on a cul de sac so discretion was no problem.

[Dakota 1120]

Although a RV sump into the sanitary sewer at home would be convenient - it's not big thing to stop at the city park about 2 miles away (two available 24/7) or local fairgrounds 1.5 miles away and dump for FREE into the provided sewer dump - and never have to wait either.

[gw1800]

Originally Posted by MR.M

IN Colorado and some other western states collecting rain water is illegal as it's counted into the water shed and farm irrigation ,so out west if you do not own water rights you can not collect water from a rain . people do it but it will cost you a lot if you get caught by a ditch rider or someone from the water dept.

But I use that water to water the flower beds and garden. No difference than letting it hit the ground during the rain. If still goes back into the water table. I am not using it as household water and returning it to the sewer system.

The way you are talking would make it illegal to have a garden and let the rain water it.

[Rexjc]

Originally Posted by NevadaMiniLite

Well I just returned from a boondocking trip. Pulled up in front of the house, got out the stinky slinky, unscrewed the cover to the sewer cleanout, inserted the 90 degree adaptor, and let er rip. Slicker than snot down the cleanout she went...If I am going to pay a monthly sewer fee, I am darn well going to get my money's worth!
No fuss, no muss, no mess, and saved myself some money going to the local RV Park to dump!
And luckily I live on a cul de sac so discretion was no problem.

Works every time

[NevadaMiniLite]

Originally Posted by Dakota 1120

Although a RV sump into the sanitary sewer at home would be convenient - it's not big thing to stop at the city park about 2 miles away (two available 24/7) or local fairgrounds 1.5 miles away and dump for FREE into the provided sewer dump - and never have to wait either.

The nearest dump site for me charges $15 to dump. At home is free, and I can take all the time I want to flush my tanks, and no waiting for someone in front of me or hurrying because someone is behind me.

[catvet]

Originally Posted by lwbfl

Laundry detergent is way more harmful to a true septic system than chemicals. Besides, you don't clean your toilets in your house? One application of "anti bacterial" bowl cleaner will have a much greater effect on your septic system than many dumps with RV tank treatment in it. I have a septic system at one property and city at the other, I dump in both and have not had an issue in 30 years. I did have to remove my washing machines drain from the septic tank after it clogged up my drain field. This is not up to code but code didn't pay $1,500 for my drain field either.

Many years ago when my parents built their retirement home in Navarre Florida, they were required to put in separate septic systems to separate the laundry from the rest of the house. It was an expensive construction change that was eventually taken out of the local code for new homes due to the added building costs. It was originally added to pevent the drain field problems you experienced. I would imagine that the laundry "septic" was nothing more than an expensive french drain.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by lwbfl

.I did have to remove my washing machines drain from the septic tank after it clogged up my drain field. This is not up to code but code didn't pay $1,500 for my drain field either.

Sounds like you are a candidate for that old trick where you put a nylon stocking over the end of the washing machine drain hose to act as a lint trap.

[Aussieguy]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Sounds like you are a candidate for that old trick where you put a nylon stocking over the end of the washing machine drain hose to act as a lint trap.

Thanks for the reminder
Note to self

clean out lint/hair trap in washer

[Larry-NC]

In the winter you can also put a stocking over the dryer outlet and heat the house without blowing lint everywhere.

[Dakota 1120]

Originally Posted by catvet

Many years ago when my parents built their retirement home in Navarre Florida, they were required to put in separate septic systems to separate the laundry from the rest of the house. It was an expensive construction change that was eventually taken out of the local code for new homes due to the added building costs. It was originally added to pevent the drain field problems you experienced. I would imagine that the laundry "septic" was nothing more than an expensive french drain.

A separate drain field for laundry makes no sense.
Growing up on a farm, all the sewage went into a septic system .. for the 8 people that lived there.

ALL the waste water went into the one septic system .. dishwater, bath water, sink water, toilet water and all laundry water used to wash laundry for 8 people and NEVER an issue in the septic system since about 1943 when it was installed.

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by Dakota 1120

A separate drain field for laundry makes no sense.

Growing up on a farm, all the sewage went into a septic system .. for the 8 people that lived there.



ALL the waste water went into the one septic system .. dishwater, bath water, sink water, toilet water and all laundry water used to wash laundry for 8 people and NEVER an issue in the septic system since about 1943 when it was installed.

X2. Most of our farms are still on septic and no laundry soap related problems. Usually a leach field problem is created by lack of maintenance.

[Chuck_S]

I wish my sewer bill stayed at "winter" water use rates all summer. Considering putting a separate water meter on my irrigation system to avoid paying a sewer fee for all the water that has to go on my lawn in the summer.

The County will put the separate meter in the system for about $500 -- but the 100' of trench and water pipe to my irrigation system seems to be several thousand dollars. Still working out a break-even point.

Not a darn thing to do with dumping my camper at home, of course. I just pump the tanks into a toilet off the garage and it goes in the county sanitary sewer.

-- Chuck

[rk06382]

Originally Posted by Dakota 1120

A separate drain field for laundry makes no sense.
Growing up on a farm, all the sewage went into a septic system .. for the 8 people that lived there.

ALL the waste water went into the one septic system .. dishwater, bath water, sink water, toilet water and all laundry water used to wash laundry for 8 people and NEVER an issue in the septic system since about 1943 when it was installed.

High water table & clay in the soil is sometimes part of the problem. That was the issue with my parents house sewer problems. That is why I made sure my house was on city water & sewer when I purchased it.

[Dakota 1120]

Originally Posted by rk06382

High water table & clay in the soil is sometimes part of the problem. That was the issue with my parents house sewer problems. That is why I made sure my house was on city water & sewer when I purchased it.

The farm acreage does have some clay and gumbo spots here and there. NO idea water table as all the water came from an atesian well some 1200 or so feet deep and was about 50 grains hard so all water in the house went thru a water softener system.

The waste water (including water used for butchering some 100 chickens, maybe 20 turkeys and a cow annually) went into the septic system - from the house into one septic tank, then overflowed into a 2nd septic tank and then thru about 120' of perforated pipe into a sump hole with a mactator pump at the bottom regulated by a float. When the water got high enough, it would pump out the sump hole with the discharge going into a grove of trees. The grass and trees grew extremely well too.

Initially there was only one septic tank but when it collapsed, it was excavated, and the twin connected septic tanks installed. I don't recall the septic system ever being pumped out by a septic service company.

[lwbfl]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Sounds like you are a candidate for that old trick where you put a nylon stocking over the end of the washing machine drain hose to act as a lint trap.

It's not lint that causes the issue. The tank was installed in 1979 and the folks that lived there used powder detergent. When the drain field failed, we dug it up and you could literally scrape the detergent off the inside of the drain pipes. It just clogged up all the drain holes. The company selling me the new lines said it was very common so I removed it from the tank, gave it it's own drain. It was many years later that I discovered that the liquid detergent is so watered down that it really wasn't necessary. No other issues there from 1994 to 2018 when Hurricane Micheal moving company dismantled and removed the entire house there. I've managed several compounds with large water treatment plants though, they still advise against dumping laundry detergent into the system. I never asked why, that way I don't do extra work to stop again LOL!