I have read on several different forums and subjects here of RVers dumping their wastewater into their home septic systems. If you do as I do and use RV chemicals to treat your tanks of the waste and odor then you are doing your septic system great harm. While RVs use chemicals to break down solids home septic systems use bacteria to break down your home wastes. Use of chemicals actually kill these bacterias and negate what a home septic system is designed to do.Because your home septic system naturally will receive more untreated waste than what you would have dumped from your RV this home waste will not break down as it should and can contaminate the ground around your leach field. Solid waste can reach the leach field causing it to clog. This can as well run off into drinking water or nearby streams, etc. Besides the fact the septic system bacteria will be killed the chemicals in RV waste water treatments can also be of great hazard to the environment.There is an article from the University of Arizona that explains this and provides a chart of chemicals that are harmful to your septic system and environment. Before dumping in your home septic verify that these RV waste treatments do not contain any of these chemicals.

Best thing to do is not put the chemicals in the RV tank to start with. Use plenty of water, keep the vent open, keep your air admittance valves for the sink drains working correctly, and don't flush with the fan on. Do this and you shouldn't get any odor in the RV.

The chems that use formaldehyde will cause problems but the rest wont.

coolmom42 wrote:Best thing to do is not put the chemicals in the RV tank to start with. Yep, either that or go to Wal-Mart and dump it in the storm drain. :BWe haven't seen one of those posts for awhile.

Sorry, but I have been doing it for 50 years and no harm has ever come to my system. Believe what you want, but my system works just fine.

Why is dumping waste in a home system any different than dumping in a campground septic system?

Dumping Waste in Septics | Good Sam Community

wnjj
Explorer II
Nov 28, 2016
moresmoke wrote:
I once paid good money for a professionally designed septic system. Had to argue with the designer that was insistant on locating the septic uphill of my well.

Unless your well is only a few feet deep, isn't everywhere on your property "uphill" of your well?
lanerd
Explorer II
Nov 28, 2016
Jerryjay11... since you're a new member, we'll give you a pass on this one. I think (if you read the replies), that most of us do not use chemicals at all, water works just fine. As mentioned, it's just a waste of $$.

If you have an odor in your rv, that indicates that you have a leak (air or liquid) someplace in your black tank system and you need to first locate it, and secondly fix it.

Naturist wrote:
Actually, there is a good reason the pipe is raised above ground level: to keep surface run-off out of the tank.

Naturist..... run off will not run into the sewer connection if it is properly sealed...either with your stinky slinky or with a cap. I much prefer a connector that is below ground level so that stuff doesn't stay in my hose.

Ron
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Nov 28, 2016
I have a FHU next to house......water/electric and septic tank connection

Septic tank is in backyard...RV line is roughly 60' run.

Dump black and 2 greys...total of 128 gallons

BUT I don't dump ALL at once.

Rapid influx of waste effluent can cause septic systems issues.
It can force sludge over into distribution box and out into leech field piping plugging it up

And forget the chemicals....they are just not needed in your holding tanks.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Nov 28, 2016
lanerd wrote:

Naturist wrote:
Actually, there is a good reason the pipe is raised above ground level: to keep surface run-off out of the tank.

Naturist..... run off will not run into the sewer connection if it is properly sealed...either with your stinky slinky or with a cap. I much prefer a connector that is below ground level so that stuff doesn't stay in my hose.

Ron

my cleanouts are buried several inches with screw on caps. no surface run off is not a good reason to have the pipe sticking up 6 inches like that. lucky it doesn't get broken off by mowers, etc.
bumpy
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Nov 28, 2016
You`ve got to remember that you are using a very small amount of chemicals approx. 4oz. mixed with about 40 gallons of waste and them dumped into a system with hundreds of gallons of waste. it will be diluted at that point so well it will do no harm to the septic system.

I`ve found the odor much less when using it. and one 8oz. bottle will last 2 tanks. I don't remember what I paid for the 6 pack, but its not much to have a pleasant toilet!
bid_time
Nomad II
Nov 28, 2016
PAThwacker wrote:
Ken O wrote:
I don't use chemicals either, to me its the same as flushing money down the toilet.

There is no way I can dump in my septic, its behind the house, a long ways from where I park the RV next to the garage. So, I built a homemade septic in the woods near the RV. I used two 55 gallon drums, connected them so I had a solids/digester, and clarifier, then a small 20' leach/drain field with perf pipe. Many years ago I worked for an outfit putting in septic systems, and had an idea of how they work. I have a backhoe, it was easy.

Its real nice to just leave if there is a line at the CG dump station. Or, if boon docking where there aren't any place to dump.

I'd be one pissed off neighbor if my well was close to that diy system
I don't care if my well was close to it or not. My neighbor would be getting a visit from the Health Department. That is just unacceptable. That's why they have to pass laws, cause of the stupid things some people will do.
lucy6194
Explorer
Nov 28, 2016
We had a separate system built next to where we park the 5th wheel. Also ran cable and electric and water. Love that we can camp in the yard or use as overflow for us when to many guests in house
3oaks
Explorer
Nov 28, 2016
Old-Biscuit wrote:
.....................
BUT I don't dump ALL at once.

Rapid influx of waste effluent can cause septic systems issues.
It can force sludge over into distribution box and out into leech field piping plugging it up.........................
;)

Yep. I was thinking that right along. Surprised that fact wasn't mentioned sooner. Too much all at one time can upset the natural balance of bacteria inside the septic tank which breaks down the sludge before the outflow hits the leech field.
Horizon170
Explorer
Nov 28, 2016
No problem here---------------my poop don't smell. ;)
nevadanick
Explorer
Nov 28, 2016
We had a huge soaking tub in our last house, it drained all at once and never created a problem. I think everyone has to much time on their hands to worry about stuff that doesnt matter. In my whole life i have seen one septic system fail and it was built wrong.

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