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LARGER VIEW of
a home photo lab - lots of photo chemicals into the septic system might be a problem at this property Does Chlorine in Drinking Water Harm the Septic Tank?

Effects of chlorinated drinking water on septic systems:

Does using a home chlorinator to disinfect drinking water risk harming the septic tank or drainfield? Discussed: What are the effects of a drinking water chlorinator on the septic system tank and drainfields? Does a drinking water treatment or purification system harm the septic tank or drainfield? Effects of reverse osmosis or RO systems on septic systems.

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Effects of Drinking Water Chlorinators or Use of Bleach on Septic Systems

Water chlorinator system © D Friedman at InspectApedia.com Is my chlorinator or chlorinated water going into a private septic system likely to harm the septic tank or drainfield?

[Click to enlarge any image]

Do some septic systems require chlorine or other disinfectants?

Will chlorine, bleach, or Clorox™ damage the septic tank or leach fields?

This document explains how to extend the life of the septic system by being careful about what goes into it.

Here we discuss the environmental effects of chlorine introduced into building water systems from incoming water treatment and disinfection systems and the environmental effects of chlorine used at normal levels in household cleaners or in laundry bleach.

First lets say a word on chlorine in outgoing wastewater to be discharged into the environment. Some septic system designs include a final disinfection stage that may be used to reduce the level of pathogens in wastewater before it is discharged into the environment. Properly-designed and maintained, the wastewater discharge from those systems is not harmful to the environment, plants, animals, or waterways.

However, in general, the discharge of chlorine into the environment - into soils - is undesirable in both arid soils and in tropical or temperate soils. At sufficient concentrations chlorine in soils kills important soil bacteria necessary for both the break-down of other contaminants and for healthy plant life.

Finally, the discharge of chlorine into ocean waters or into bodies of fresh water is probably of no measurable consequence or of little consequence. Details are

at WASTEWATER BIOCOMPATIBILITY.

Using a chlorinator on well water

Water chlorinator tank © D Friedman at InspectApedia.com

At homes where the water supply is not potable due to bacterial contamination, a common temporary solution is the installation of a chlorinator.

Often this consists of an injector which doses incoming water with chlorine, a holding tank to give the chlorine time to work, and a post-processing charcoal filter to remove the chlorine from the water.

It's preferable to find and correct the source of contamination.

In a properly-operating chlorinator the level of chlorine in the house drinking water will not harm the septic system.

Watch out: However, high levels of chlorine, such as from an improperly adjusted or malfunctioning chlorinator would be a problem for the occupants who would not want to be drinking such water, and might be a problem for the septic system too.

Details about Chlorinators for Drinking Water Disinfection

Details about how to install, use, troubleshoot or repair chlorinators for water disinfection & treatment are in our separate

article CHLORINATORS & CHARCOAL FILTERS.

Effects of chlorine treatment of well water on Water Tests & Real Estate Transactions

For a discussion of what happens when people dump chlorine into a well see

Septic System Effects of Use of UV Lights as an alternative to drinking water chlorination

Photo of a UV light water sterilizer - ugh

An alternative to chlorine for partial treatment of wellwater is the use of a UV light system. This method, used alone, will not add chemicals to the building water supply and thus it won't add chemicals (such as chlorine) to the septic tank, drainfield, or groundwater at the property.

UV (ultra violet) lights [photo] which are sold to treat bacterial contamination in water do not place any chemical into the water supply.

However if drinking water is contaminated with bacteria, a UV light is a not necessarily the best solution as other drinking water contaminants may be present too.

Septic System Effects of Use of an RO = reverse osmosis treatment system for drinking water

Unlike a chlorinator or a UV light system, a reverse osmosis system will add water volume load to a septic system, even though it won't add chemicals.

For a discussion of the effects of other water treatment systems on septic tanks and drainfields,

see REVERSE OSMOSIS CONCENTRATE DISPOSAL

Reader Q&A on Using Bleach in Septic systems

On 2018-11-02 by (mod) - normal household uses of bleach should not harm a septic tank

A normal household usage levels laundry bleach is not going to damage the septic tank.

Even though you're doing more laundry because you have more occupants and some babies, there's also more Wastewater being used so you're also diluting the bleach. However heavy usage of a septic system maybe more than its design can handle.

On 2018-11-02 y Erik

We have a septic system and a large family (10) with babies.

Is putting bleach into the laundry (as a disinfectant) going to adversely affect the septic system (hinder the helpful bacteria in the septic tank from doing its job of breaking down solids? How much bleach is safe to put it?

Question: can you use clorine bleach?

(May 26, 2011) Anonymous said:
can you use clorine bleach

Reply: in your washing machine yes; as an aerobic septic system final treatment, no

If you are asking if it's ok to use chlorine bleach at normal usage levels while doing laundry, yes that should not be a problem.

See TOILETS, DON'T FLUSH LIST for a list of things you should not flush down drains

Question:

(Aug 5, 2011) Don Winters said:

Is it advisable to use dishwasher detergent that contains chlorine or would it be better to avoid chlorine as much as possible in a septic system? I thought septic systems relied on bacterial action and it seems that chlorine could inhibit such action.

Reply:

Don, at normal household usage levels the chlorine in dishwasher detergent won't harm the septic system.

Search InspectApedia for - TOILETS, DON'T FLUSH LIST - for more detail.

(Oct 31, 2014) Anonymous said:

Hi Don, What do you consider normal levels from a dish machine?

Reply:

Anon:

The use of manufacturer-recommended dishwasher detergent products in the recommended doses should not harm the system. The physical quantity recommended varies a bit by product and whether it's a liquid or powder.

Question: why doesn't our drinking water chlorinator kill the bacteria in the septic tank?

(Oct 24, 2011) Gerry S said:

If chlorination kills harmful bacteria in drinking/tap water, why does it not kill the organisms in a septic tank/system as well?

Reply:

Gerry the ability of chlorine to kill bacteria depends on its concentration and the duration of exposure of the bacteria to the chlorine solution.

In a septic tank, at normal use levels, the concentration of household bleach is not enough to kill bacteria.

Question: on a Well/Septic System.

(Dec 9, 2012) clyde pearce said:

I am currently on a Well/Septic System. A new water plant is offering to pipe treated/chlorinated water to our home. Will the chlorine in the treated water ruin my septic system?

Reply:

Not at normal concentrations.

Question: can't get the bleach into the septic - pipe full

(Feb 29, 2016) Anonymous said:

Why is the pipe I put my bleach in full?

Reply:

Sounds as if your septic tank or outlet piping or drainfield are blocked or flooded.

Watch out: you should not be using bleach in your aerobic septic system.

See AEROBIC SEPTIC DISINFECTANTS - Calcium Hypochlorite


...

Continue reading  at AEROBIC SEPTIC DISINFECTANTS - Pool Chlorine or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Chlorine Disinfectant Articles

Suggested citation for this web page

CHLORINE IMPACT on SEPTIC at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to SEPTIC SYSTEMS

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