Morning Guys!
I’ve got a project I could use some suggestions on how best to proceed.
I have a 1970 ranch that is situated on a lot that sloops from the street to the rear of the lot ending at a creek. The house is on a septic system that is located in the front yard. All waste water goes to the front septic except for the washing machine. It’s a bit of a mystery as to how it was originally configured, but when we moved in the water pooled on the side of the house whenever the washer was run.
A couple of years ago I was having problem with gutter drainage and ran a gutter drainage system from the front of the house to the rear. The system was constructed of 4″ corrugated pipe and was fed by two downspouts. The system ended at a 5′ square sump that I dug, lined, and filled with gravel. While constructing I decided to correct the problem with the washing machine water. I arranged for it to also dump into the system.
Anyway, problems started soon after I completed. The system stopped up and when it rained the water would gush out the pipe where the downspouts drained. I dug up the system and cleared the blockage. It was about 6′ in front of the sump. After clearing I was worried the problem would reoccur and I left open where the water now drains into the backyard.
I’d like to correct the problem, but I’m not sure of the best approach. I’m now thinking that it was unreasonable to expect the sump I dug to handle the gutter water. I think I could correct this by digging a trench and having all empty into the creek, but that does not correct the problem with the Washer water.
All suggestions welcomed!
Thanks, Tim
Replies
As always: more questions than answers...What is your soil like: Clayey or silty? Where are you: Is frost a problem? Is your corregated pipe perforated: Are fines getting into the pipe? Is the pipe sloped all the way to the sump, or are there low spots to accululate debris? What's the volume of the sump?
The washer water combined with rainwater might be too much volume to be contained by the sump until it leaches away. Smooth 4" PVC might be less prone to clogs and easier to pitch properly. Is it legal to have a separate drain for the washer in your area? I certainly think dumping directly into the creek is a bad idea.
Al Mollitor, Sharon MA
I'm in Alpharetta, GA.
The soil is RED clay.
We do experience freezing temps during the winter.
My pipe is not preforated.
It slopes all the way to the sump.
Not sure of the volume. 4' x 4' x 4' filled with gravel.
Thanks, Tim
The clay is probably your problem. Once the voids between the gravel particles fill up with water, the drywell has little capacity left because the clay is slow to allow the water to infiltrate. As you suggested, the roof runoff is probably too much for your drywell to handle. The easiest thing is to try is to disconnect the roof downspouts from that system and instead let them discharge to the surface on the back side of your house. You could carry any downspouts on the front side of the house to your backyard by an underground pipe if your lot has enough pitch. Good luck.
IF-
If it is legal there, build a small separate system for the washer grey water. Use a 10" or 12" corrugated perforated pipe twenty feet long and dig an oveersized trench, laid level. Surrond it in sand bed and cover it.
While digging this trench in lay a 4" PVC running from the roof drains to daylight towards the stream. cover the end with hardware cloth to keep vermin from building a nest to clog it.
In our location, a separate system for greywater is legal but must still be designed by a soils engineer, permitted, and approved. This duplicates the cost for the regular system so nobody does it.
None of this is legal here within 50 -75' (depending ...) of any perenial stream or 250' of the high tide line
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