Water Softner Drain

We have a septic system and just installed a Kinetico water softner. Our house was plumbed for the softner, but the builder didn't follow our instructions and ran the drain into the aerobic septic system.

I built a drain field using 100' of 4" perforated pipe in a 2' gravel lined trench. The gravel has a little more than 1' of clay fill on top.

I need to run the 7/16 drain tube through a the brick veneer garage wall. Just drilling a hole through it doesn't seem right. Is there a preferred way to do this?

I don't see how you would get your drain tube through the existing wall other than drilling a hole. Once teh line is through be sure to caulk the opening to prevent critters from getting in.

With regard to your drain field, you may eventually have problems with it draining as the clay will work its way down into the gravel and clog the spaces between the gravel. You should have lined the trench with geotex fabric, placed the gravel and pipe on that lining and then covered the top of the gravel with geotex fabric. The fabric would prevent soil migration into the gravel.

I would sleeve the opening through the brick veneer wall then caulk to keep critters out. The sleeve will make it easier to replace the drain if needed in the future.

Why do you need a drain field for a water softener? Can't you just drain that water outside onto your lawn or garden? Its clean water, right?

It's been a long time since I had a water softener, well and septic system, but I think it might be best to ask your city/county plumbing inspector about your plan. Besides the good suggestions for drilling a hole through the brick veneer, I believe you are going to need a air gap placed in your softener drain as it exits the home.

Someone asked about the backwash softener water, it contains salt, which will kill grass and plants. It's also not great to drain into a septic system.

When we purchased our house in 2003, the sump pump drained into the septic tank. The previous owners, the couple who built the house in 1994, added a 1000 gallon water storage tank for their septic system. They used the water for their gardens, outdoor plants etc.

Due to the nature of the house location being the prime lot in a cul-du-sec, but also the house where water from the neighbors drained to, our sump ran a lot. We burned up two motors in the septic tank. A few years after buying the house we purchased a water softener and had the water softener drain into to the sump pump pit. At that time we redirected the water to one of the outside down spouts. Now our sump water and water softener dump into a ditch. Works fine, but the ditch is always wet which makes mowing the ditch a pain.

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Originally Posted by Lee Schierer

I don't see how you would get your drain tube through the existing wall other than drilling a hole. Once teh line is through be sure to caulk the opening to prevent critters from getting in.

With regard to your drain field, you may eventually have problems with it draining as the clay will work its way down into the gravel and clog the spaces between the gravel. You should have lined the trench with geotex fabric, placed the gravel and pipe on that lining and then covered the top of the gravel with geotex fabric. The fabric would prevent soil migration into the gravel.

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I used the fabric above and below Lee just for the reason you mentioned. I bought a 3' wide roll and ended using two pieces, one above and one below. I just didn't mention it in the post.

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Originally Posted by Pat Barry

Why do you need a drain field for a water softener? Can't you just drain that water outside onto your lawn or garden? Its clean water, right?

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The water contains salt, eventually you'll kill the grass. I'm trying to trap the salt residue under ground. We have a lot of outcroppings of salt in Texas and only a few trees and grasses will grow in it.

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Originally Posted by Robert LaPlaca

It's been a long time since I had a water softener, well and septic system, but I think it might be best to ask your city/county plumbing inspector about your plan. Besides the good suggestions for drilling a hole through the brick veneer, I believe you are going to need a air gap placed in your softener drain as it exits the home.

Someone asked about the backwash softener water, it contains salt, which will kill grass and plants. It's also not great to drain into a septic system.

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I have two air gaps planned Robert. I have the 4" perforated pipe in the ground and on the house side it's connected to a 4" PVC 90 degree elbow. That's connected to a 4" to 2" reducer and about 18" of 2" PVC pipe with a cap on it. I drilled a 1/2" hole in the top of the cap which will accept the 7/16 OD tubing from the water softener. That leaves a small air gap there. On the drain field side I installed a 4" Tee connector and one of those pop up emitters which should pop up if the drain field becomes saturated and keep the water from backing up into the garage.

Thanks for the replies. The idea to sleeve the opening is what I was looking for, just sticking the tube through the wall didn't sound right.