Stormwater isn't supposed to end up in your septic tank. Unless you have a hole in your tank or your tank cover is damaged, a rainstorm – even one that's heavy – isn't likely to flood your tank.
Discharging this water to the wastewater systems is illegal and needs to be addressed. Gutters and downspouts should drain onto your property or into the city stormwater system, not the wastewater system.
Gutters and gullies should only collect rainwater and connect to the rainwater drain. Wastewater pipes should not be connected to the rainwater system. If the rainwater gutters and gullies are connected to the wastewater drain, rainwater could overwhelm the drain and cause flooding.
The septic tank should only be connected to the sewerage system so rain water should not enter the tank. if these two are connected you would see a rise in the flow in the sewerage lines during rain and this is not good as it overloads the septic system. any interconnection should be corrected.
Wastewater generated in your home exits through a drainage pipe and into a septic tank. The septic tank is a buried, water-tight container that holds wastewater for separation and treatment.
It's common to associate a septic tank with toilet use, but another big outlet to the septic tank is the washing machine. Wastewater from a washer is typically harmless for septic tanks, but you should be aware of certain factors and conditions that can impact a septic tank.
These must go in your septic tank
in the toilet as they can block the system. "Grey water" is water from your bath, shower, kitchen sink, washing machine and dishwasher. These often contain chemicals, oil and other pollutants. These must go into the septic tank.
Here are some steps to keep fluid out:
Put a gutter downspout screen on your roof to keep debris and leaves out of it, which can cause it to clog up with sediment and limit its ability to drain water away effectively. Next, ensure your downspouts are not emptying out on top of the ground near your septic tank.
Household septic tanks are typically pumped every three to five years. Alternative systems with electrical float switches, pumps, or mechanical components should be inspected more often, generally once a year.
A full septic tank doesn't allow enough room for incoming wastewater, and it can cause slow-flushing toilets or slow-draining sinks and bathtubs. This can lead to leaks in the leach fields, which causes wastewater to build up on your yard. If your septic tank is full, have it pumped as soon as possible.
Standing water can lead to severe problems for your foundation. If the water cannot run off your gutter as intended, it'll eventually overflow and leak around your home's foundation.
Sometimes they go down to the weeping tile and out into the city drains, and sometimes they are diverted to a gravel pit somewhere nearby (away from the house) where the rain water can simply re-enter the water table.
When heavy rainfall saturates the soil around your septic tank, it limits the system's capacity to release liquids into the soil. This can cause abnormally high levels of liquids to fill up the tank. If you don't see flooding on the grass around your drain field, it's possible your tank may need pumping.
Do not put cigarette butts, paper towels, sanitary tampons, condoms, disposable diapers, anything plastic or similar non-biodegradables into a septic tank system. Avoid washing food scraps, coffee grinds, and other food items down the drain. Avoid using a garburator to dispose of kitchen wastes.
It Helps Your Septic System Work Better And Lasts Longer
Not using greywater for irrigation causes the septic tank and drain field to filter more water. That's why septic tank owners should install a gray water system to utilize their wastewater instead of overusing their septic tank.
In general, a septic tank should be inspected every 1 to 3 years and pumped every 3 to 5 years.
Your septic tank naturally contains good bacteria, and you won't really need to do much to put good bacteria in the septic tank. You can use additives like active yeast, rotten tomatoes, or store-bought septic enzymes or chemicals if you'd like, but typically, the system will produce beneficial bacteria on its own.
As rainwater floods over your drain field, the effluent from the septic tank will have no place to drain because the ground under the drain field is already saturated with water. This will make the septic waste to start backing up in the house and to overflow on the lawn.
Leaky faucets and pipes. If you find your septic tank filling with water more quickly than it should be, check your pipes and faucets to see if they're leaking and dripping water down the drain and into your septic tank.
One of those is to make sure your storm water runoff is as far away from your septic system as possible. You can also create a slight mound over the septic system, so water flows away from it instead of sitting on top of it. An annual inspection is a good idea as is having your septic tank pumped on a regular basis.
The average cost to pump a septic tank is $423, with most people paying between $289 and $557. Septic tank pumping isn't the most glamorous task, but it's one that you should definitely stay on top of every three to five years to keep your system working properly and avoid an unsightly (and smelly) mess in your yard.
To reiterate, running a washing machine with a septic drainage system isn't the issue. It's how much water you push through to the tank and soakaway that's the big concern.
The septic tank has a specific capacity and can only handle a limited amount of wastewater at a time. If excessive amounts of water enter the septic tank, it can overflow and cause water to pool in your yard. To avoid this, space out the showers.