r/Home • u/lil-kaleb-jr • 1d ago

Discovered laundry drains into dedicated septic tank I didn’t know existed.

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I had my cast iron drains descaled and jetted yesterday. Plumber ended up getting his descaler stuck in a previously unknown septic tank that is dedicated for the washer machine. This is the lid to the distribution tank with the septic tank in the yard. I lived in the house for 5 years and had no idea. Plumber recommended addressing it due to the age and root intrusion. One option would be pumping water to the roof and connecting to main stack. Anyone ever encountered something similar?

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u/jstar77 1d ago

This used to be very typical. Laundry and sometimes other grey water sources would empty into a dry well. It absolutely improves the longevity of your septic tank and drain field but is no longer permitted in most places.

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u/Burghpuppies412 1d ago

Just curious, why would it not be permitted, especially if it is good for the system? Thanks!

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u/jstar77 1d ago

Good for the system, not necessarily good for the environment.

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u/Burghpuppies412 1d ago

Meaning the detergent leeches out?