8 shower heads on septic looking for grey water diverter

Users who are viewing this thread

tjetson

New Member
Messages
13
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
winnipeg
Hi,

I have a huge shower on a septic system and in the summer time I was wanting to have the drain diverted to the sump pump pit to be injected outside to the plant beds. The drain will come down in a finished basement that will be covered with drywall.

Is there a product that can be controlled with a switch that could divert the water one way or the other that could be buried in the ceiling?


thanks for the advice
 

JohnfrWhipple

BATHROOM DESIGN & BUILD
Messages
3,225
Reaction score
102
Points
48
Location
North Vancouver, BC
Grey Water Switch - Counter Weight Design

I've never heard of a grey water switch before. I think you most likely have to go one way or the other.

When I worked in the Carribean they made these "Basements" which where not basements but rather massive water reserves. When the rains came the water would hit the roof and the down spots where designed so a little leakage filled a reservoir and when this had enough water in it the pipe would fall forward and the second down pipe would line up with the gutters rain water.

This principle was so that dust, dirt, salt and crap would first be washed off the roof. Then when the water coming was cleaner it would enter the basement container. Perhaps you could design your sump to hold more water and when there was a lot of flow the sump would fill up higher. Maybe there a second pipe hooked up to your sump pump???

Hope this helps you some. Must be freezing in the Peg? I graduated from Kildonean East back in 86 and built my first bathroom in South Saint Vital the following year....
 

JohnfrWhipple

BATHROOM DESIGN & BUILD
Messages
3,225
Reaction score
102
Points
48
Location
North Vancouver, BC
Grey Water Diverter - Three Way Option

You could use a "three way valve" to divert one way or the other.

HJ. They make a three way diverter for waste water? How do you switch it? Is it powered like a the mini zone valves I have from Honeywell for my radiators...
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,798
Reaction score
4,412
Points
113
Location
IL
HJ. They make a three way diverter for waste water? How do you switch it? Is it powered like a the mini zone valves I have from Honeywell for my radiators...

Jandy neverlube 3-way valves are not certified for the purpose, but they work nicely. See http://www.dupagehealth.org/homeowners-guide "4. Diversion valves". No, that is not something you can cite as authority.
 

Cacher_Chick

Test, Don't Guess!
Messages
5,458
Reaction score
213
Points
63
Location
Land of Cheese
While some municipalities promote release of greywater, others strictly prohibit it. I would be sure to look into this before I modified my drainage system.
 

Jadziedzic

Active Member
Messages
310
Reaction score
60
Points
28
Location
New Hampshire
+100 on cacher-check's observation. Here in NH greywater diversion systems are illegal for anything other than using the water to flush toilets. We passed on the purchase of a home several months back because it had a greywater system that was installed by the home owner - a master plumber - during construction to offload the shower, tubs, and bath sinks from the septic system. A great idea conservation-wise, but still illegal and done after the septic plan was drawn up. If the septic system (30+ years old, apparently working fine) ever needed significant repair the state would mandate the removal of the greywater diversion system - and that would then require a larger septic tank, etc. (This property was near a lake so there were more stringent environmental regulations associated with the property.)
 

tjetson

New Member
Messages
13
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
winnipeg
cities make a lot of things illegal that shouldn't be and i know dumping the grey water outside don't meet code but its been inspected already.
Id like to water my gardens with the grey water in the summer and save the cost of hauling away good water.

i will keep google ing for powered 3 way valves in 2"
 

hj

Master Plumber
Messages
33,602
Reaction score
1,040
Points
113
Location
Cave Creek, Arizona
Website
www.terrylove.com
3 way valves can be manual or electric. They are NOT certified for drain use, because they are NOT "directional", but then NONE are because drains do not normally have valves in them.
 

JohnfrWhipple

BATHROOM DESIGN & BUILD
Messages
3,225
Reaction score
102
Points
48
Location
North Vancouver, BC
cities make a lot of things illegal that shouldn't be and i know dumping the grey water outside don't meet code but its been inspected already.
Id like to water my gardens with the grey water in the summer and save the cost of hauling away good water.

i will keep google ing for powered 3 way valves in 2"

Hey Jetson - please come back and share with us what you find. I'm sure hundreds of others just like you are looking for ways to lower there water bill and do more more for the environment.
 

Jadnashua

Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
Messages
32,770
Reaction score
1,190
Points
113
Location
New England
As has been already said...you should check with the local authorities. There are potential health issues with using grey water. Some places allow it, some don't, and even when they do, there are often restrictions. I think the primary reason controls aren't readily available to do this is because in many places, it's illegal, therefore the market is restricted.
 

Vegas_sparky

Digital Billy
Messages
486
Reaction score
42
Points
28
Location
LV,NV/ Nowhere,UT
When you find an appropriate 3 way valve, with a removeable handle, there are affordable actuator options that are available. If this valve only gets stroked at the beginning and end of season, you can get by with something simpler. 100-150 in/lbs torque is all you'll need, and length of time for changing positions shouldn't matter.
 

JohnfrWhipple

BATHROOM DESIGN & BUILD
Messages
3,225
Reaction score
102
Points
48
Location
North Vancouver, BC
Vegas how dare you add to this discussion. Didn't you just read Jim's post? OMG Man - there is no instructions to quote so it's wrong, wrong, wrong.

You have so much to learn here. When Jim speaks - you then know your work is done. Jim spends his life understanding everything. Double checking everything. The dude took two, not one Schluter workshop so he could build a shower out of foam for his mom. The man is a master.

Just recently he pointed out I don't know how to pooh in Turkey. Only moments later he was answering questions on steam valve installations. The man is a ****ing encyclopedia dude.


LOL - Sorry, had to get that out. What the hell did you just say? In English Sparky in English
 

Jadnashua

Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
Messages
32,770
Reaction score
1,190
Points
113
Location
New England
Just recently he pointed out I don't know how to pooh in Turkey. Only moments later he was answering questions on steam valve installations.

IF you actually read what I wrote, I said those instructions are necessary so that the locals not familiar with them, when using the 'western' toilets installed for the tourists, don't try to do their thing like they do at home. Many places do not use the 'thrones' we grew up with. I've had to clean off footprints from the seat more than once before I sat down.

So, John, if the local rules prohibit grey water reuse, are you prepared to pay any fine and fix their plumbing for them should they get caught while doing it? Or, pay for the doctor's bills should someone get sick because of it? Or pay for bottled water should someone's well become contaminated until things cleaned up again, if ever?

You can laugh all you want...there's a reason why many places restrict its use.
 

trickle

New Member
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Saskatchewan
My grandma used to have the hugest garden. 30 or 40 rows of veg will 2 giant rows of raspberries at the far end. She would get so mad if we played out there.

Sometimes we would be jumping cabbage and the pipe would start up like a sprinkler... then you ran away, on account of the smell.

My grandma did not have a diverter. Thinking back my best guess was she had a mound and a drain.

I have always been a beleiver that a high bacterial load during childhood is worth more than a flu shot any day. Still, sort of turns my stomach thinking back to all the times we ate carrots right out of the garden. Maybe a lesser load would have been fine.

***

I think a system like the OP proposed would be great, provided the system was designed for it. Even a garburator could be used with out feeling bad as it could still end up as compost.

Designed right, it would be a great thing, legal or not.

We are all adults. If OP came here for advice and continues even knowing is ilegal its on him, no illusions.
 

John Yates

New Member
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Napa, California
Our company makes a 3-way diverter valve which has received IAPMO UPC listing for DWV-drain, waste, and vent. It is manually operated, and can be electronically actuated inexpensively. The company is GREENERGY GROUP.
 

Bgard

Member
Messages
113
Reaction score
22
Points
18
Location
NW Indiana
as reach4 stated the jandy never lube three-way valve and an 24 volt actuator would be a good choice as the are completely ably to be disassembled to clean. they also make check valves. check on some swimming pool supply web sites for them the are fairly cheep.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks