On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 14:44:15 GMT, L. M. Rappaport
wrote:

On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 17:43:30 -0700, Dick LeadWinger wrote (with
possible editing):

Thanks everyone for the good ideas. I will look into the Gerber and
American Standard.

Dick

FWIW, we're looking to add a new toilet to our downstairs half bath.
What's been recommended the most in the past has been Toyo. Surprised
that nobody has mentioned them in this thread.

As an aside, reducing water is unlikely to help with your septic
system. It isn't clear liquid which clogs it. For vastly better
septic health, you should be sure that your dishwasher and laundry
room drain into separate gray water disposals. For us, that is just a
simple dry well. I'm not an expert, but I'm told that the phosphates
in detergents are what hasten pumping.

We have two septic systems on the property - one is 30 years old and
neither has ever been pumped. (and neither one produces any smell
either). I think that's because of the separate line for the
dishwasher and laundry.

Excess water is definitely our problem. It isn't that the system is
clogged, but rather that the leach field is saturated and can't take
the amount of water we are trying to put into it. The liquid backs up
into the septic tank and the system overflows. When we get it pumped,
about 200 gallons come out of the leach field back into the tank.
This whole problem started with heavy rains which pooled in the yard
and soaked the leach field. This is our 6th home with a septic
system, so we are familiar with their use and care. Here, it costs
$.32/gallon to pump out a tank. Ours is 1,250 gallons. We not only
have to pay for the 1,250 gallons, but all the water that comes back
from the leach field. You can see that pumping out every four weeks
is a wallet killer.

We use about 5,000 gallons/month not counting the drip irrigation
system. That's way too much for 2 people. Today, we should be using
35 to 45 gallons per person per day. We live in Arizona where water
is a precious commodity. Arizona only recently (2001) approved the
use of gray water. There are strict rules (the major ones are cannot
pool where people can reach it, and it must be contained on your own
property.) Your system would be in violation as our gray water cannot
come from the kitchen sink or dishwasher. Also, it cannot come from
the laundry if you wash diapers or other infectious garments.

Someone in our neighborhood had the same problem and were able to fix
it with a gray water system to allow the leach field to "rest." I
think a combination of new toilets and a gray water system will help
us too. If not, we are looking at many bucks to make another leach
field in the front yard. This will involve tearing up about $10,000
worth of landscaping just for starters.

Dick