DIYbanter - View Single Post - Septic tanks, garbage disposals, dishwashers.

(rile) wrote in message . com...
My son recently purchased the house my wife in which my wife grew up.
The house uses a septic system and a leech bed system. If I recall
correctly, the septic tank is used by one bathroom and the kitchen
sink. The washing machine is connected to a leech bed system
different from the septic system.
My wife is trying to convinces me that it would be safe for my son to
connect a garbage disposal to the kitchen sink as well as to install a
dish washer. I have heard that there are now "septic system safe"
garbage disposals but am rather skeptic. As to a dishwasher, I have
no idea on how that would affect the system except to maybe overtax
it.
The septic tank was recently emptied when a pipe leading into it from
the house was broken. My son plans to have it emptied every 4-5
years.
Any helpful comments would be appreciated.

From what I've seen, it is OK to install a garbage disposal and a
dishwasher but to make sure no grease or oily stuff is introduced to
the system. That makes sense to me. The only problem I see is what
happens to the small particles that go through the disposal? Are they
too small to cause a problem to the effluent pipes at the exit from
the septic tank or if it is emptied ever 4-5 years will that suffice
for those particles.