Garbage Disposal on a septic system

I retired and moved to a rural setting in Prescott Valley. Our new house has a septic and a garbage disposal. Should I be worried?

There are disposals designed for septic tanks. No problem with those. With regular disposals, the grind is larger and takes longer to break down in the tank.

In the long run, as long as you don’t go overboard with what you put down the disposal, it won’t bother it. If you put all your potato or carrot peels, coffee grounds, egg shells and used food down the disposal, then you will have issues.

Get some chickens instead.:wink:

I see little difference putting the cabage through the Disposal or through my stomach all ends up in the same place,

The difference is that it gets digested first going through most stomachs, whereas it is still raw until it gets decomposed in the tank.

We have a septic system with a disposal and, like Stephen said, don’t go hog wild with what you put down there. We use a compost pile and our garden loves it…

That’s what the bacteria does in septic tank or in my Fish tank filter it eats the poo or the leftover food.

Not a good idea unless the tank is oversized and the material going in very well ground.

Correct. But if it is raw food, and not digested through your stomach first, it decomposes more slowly and builds up and potentially clogs things.

It’s no problem as long as You don’t use it Gary…at least that is what my septic guy says. If you choose to use the disposal plan on more frequent pumpings and service to Your tank…

Exactly we have many agents who say you never need to pump your tank. When the client asks me I say that is correct never pump your tank and you might have to replace it in about ten+~ years and the cost can be up too $25,000.00 .
Those who pump their tank frequently seem to last a very long time .
I think it is best to spend $250;00+~ every 2 to 5 years depending on usage and how many people are in the home.

Garbage disposals are not good for septic system as stated above but more because the ground up food becomes suspended in the liquid layer of the tank and will migrate out to the EDA clogging the drain field. The treatment tank is made up of three layers, the bottom or sludge layer, the liquid layer in the middle and the floating scum mat on top. The problem with food particles from a disposer is they don’t sink and don’t float. This allows them to move with the effluent out into the EDA.

Here in NH, if you want a garbage disposer you need to increase the tank size by 50%, in Maine you have to install an effluent filter in the outlet baffle.

The problem with effluent filters and garbage disposers is they tend to clog very easy and have to be cleaned on a regular basis.

Normal pumping for treatment tanks is when the sludge layer makes up more than 1/3 the total volume of the tank. Usually every two years for a family of 4-5.

Well said Peter, that was my understanding of the question also, about garbage disposals and septics. :slight_smile:

I’ve had an onsite wastewater treatment system with a disposer for over eight years. We use it very sparingly, usually on stuff that’s too runny to go in the trash. All other garbage goes in the can. We have had no problems and have had very slow sludge accumulation.

As others have said, use it minimally and only with digestible food waste.

If a garburator would have been used when my septic was installed years ago, leaching bed length would have had to be double.

Just install one of these and your good to go, fresh citrus scent too.

Ducharme 095 (Small).JPG

Peter, I have that Brand, is that one made specifically for septic systems?:slight_smile:

That is just one model made by InSinkErator. Specialty item and more $$ than their non-septic models.

That’s what I thought without looking it up, but I bet they are all the same. :slight_smile:

Marcel, not to sure about that but it has a disposable bottle you plug into the bottom of it and I guess it sprays the liquid during each use.

Most of the pro’s I talk to say there’s really nothing on the market that you can add to a septic system that helps it or hurts it.

I think septic system and garbage disposal system should be separate. To increase your septic system lifetime, you should do it.

Get some pigs, you’ll never need a garbage disposal, or to ever buy pork chops, bacon or sausage.