I have a question that involves the fact that I am on a well, and Septic
system. I am not as concerned about the well water, if I were I would
just buy bottled watter locally. The Septic system however relies on
bacteria to function. Will the ingredients used in winemaking,
especially the sanitizer affect the Septic system? Should I use a
different way of disposing of sanitizer water?

Mark wrote:
> I have a question that involves the fact that I am on a well, and Septic
> system. I am not as concerned about the well water, if I were I would
> just buy bottled watter locally. The Septic system however relies on
> bacteria to function. Will the ingredients used in winemaking,
> especially the sanitizer affect the Septic system? Should I use a
> different way of disposing of sanitizer water?

Do you use bleach in you clothes washing? Bleach is also a sanitizer.
If the quantity of wine sanitizer you use is no more than the amount of
bleach you use, then probably the amount is not enough to seriously
impact the bacteria in the septic system. But I don't live on a septic
system, so I don't have first hand knowledge. I'll defer to those who
have direct experience.

Gene

" Will the ingredients used in winemaking, especially the sanitizer affect
the Septic system? Should I use a
different way of disposing of sanitizer water?"

Depends on volume. If it's a single 5-gallon carboy with some Iodophor OK.
But if you are filling 30 gallon trash cans with Chlorox solution to soak
off bottle labels this volume won't help your system. I don't put any
winemaking or beer making waters thru. the septic system...I pump to the
outside using a sump pump.

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas USA

I'm with Bill - All my winemaking rinses just go into a gravel area
outside, instead of into the septic system. I had the room so I hooked
up a utility sink to a hose (with some creative plumbing and two trips
to Lowe's) for all my wine-cleaning needs.

Rob

Mark ,
I did exactly the same as Bill and Rob. Slop sink to sump pit to side
yard. For heavy stuff like lees, that I don't want in the pit & pump, I
carry it out and dump it on the compost pile.

In general, it's good not to put unnecessary antimicrobial
agents(bleach, some soaps, hydrocarbons, etc) in the septic system.

--
Mike MTM, Cokesbury, NJ, USA

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On Fri, 19 Jan 2007 12:20:00 +0000, Mark >
wrote:

>I have a question that involves the fact that I am on a well, and Septic
>system. I am not as concerned about the well water, if I were I would
>just buy bottled watter locally. The Septic system however relies on
>bacteria to function. Will the ingredients used in winemaking,
>especially the sanitizer affect the Septic system? Should I use a
>different way of disposing of sanitizer water?

The guy who pumps out my septic system recommends against any of the
commercial sludge reducers such as rid-x, he says the best thing for
the system is a shot of bleach once in a while. I use regular liquid
laundry soap, no bleach. I also told him I make wine, is the yeast OK
for the system. He was a bit skeptical. He said a little is OK, but
not if there is a lot.

For my sanitizing I first use a bleach solution, then the k-meta
solution. This is for glass. For my primaries, I rinse with hot
water and pour the heavy lees outside on the ground. The same with
any lees in secondary. I then just wash out my primaries with
regular dish liquid and rinse excessively, then finish with a swirl of
k-meta.

Greg, Erie, PA

"Mike McGeough" > wrote in message
...
> Mark ,
> I did exactly the same as Bill and Rob. Slop sink to sump pit to side
> yard. For heavy stuff like lees, that I don't want in the pit & pump, I
> carry it out and dump it on the compost pile.
>
> In general, it's good not to put unnecessary antimicrobial agents(bleach,
> some soaps, hydrocarbons, etc) in the septic system.
>
> --
> Mike MTM, Cokesbury, NJ, USA

Well, that makes four of us for the record. Like Mike, all my heavy
stuff goes onto the compost pile. Out here in California's share of the
Great Mojave Desert, our soil is very alkaline so heavy doses of acids is a
good thing for the gardens to help lower the pH.
When I moved out here I gave up my darkroom because of the chemistry and
its possible harm to the septic system. Now, with digital photography, I
don't even have to worry about the cost of sending stuff off to the labs.
But that's off the subject.
I do, by the way, "feed" my septic system with an occasional slug of
yogurt, sometimes with soured milk or moldy cheese. It isn't deliberate,
just something that happens from time to time.
Yep, I think you should avoid putting the sanitizers into the septic
system.

--
Regards,

Casey Wilson
Freelance Writer
and Photographer

Hoss wrote:

>
> The guy who pumps out my septic system [snip] says the best thing for
> the system is a shot of bleach once in a while.

Unequivocally NO. The only thing that's good for is killing off your
population of digestive bacteria, and calling him back more often, of
course. Research any county extension site, etc. for the facts. It
sounds like your septic guy is either ignorant or dishonest.

I use regular liquid
> laundry soap, no bleach. I also told him I make wine, is the yeast OK
> for the system. He was a bit skeptical. He said a little is OK, but
> not if there is a lot.

Extensive studies have shown no appreciable effects of adding yeast or
yogurt to septic systems. Most chemical treatments are usually harmful
to an established septic microbial population. There are dried, live
culture bacterial additives available, and though some people discredit
them, I use one in my septic system (and Koi pond) with dramatic results.

>
> For my sanitizing I first use a bleach solution, then the k-meta
> solution. This is for glass. For my primaries, I rinse with hot
> water and pour the heavy lees outside on the ground. The same with
> any lees in secondary. I then just wash out my primaries with
> regular dish liquid and rinse excessively, then finish with a swirl of
> k-meta.

Greg, k-meta just isn't a surface contact germ killer. It works by
slowing the metabolism of actively growing cells by interfering with
certain enzymes, like dehydrogenases. To do this it needs to with the
living, growing cells, and that's not what's usually present on
container surfaces. Rinsing, spraying or wiping objects with k-meta does
basically bupkus. Great as an antioxidant though.

Chlorine, bromine, iodine and oxygen (as peroxide, as in Oxy Clean), on
the other hand ARE effective microbe killers on surfaces. So are
quaternary ammonium salts, like benzalkonium chloride. The first group
are simple chemical oxidizers which go after anything in sight,while the
"quats" seem to act by breaking up the cell membranes of germs, killing
them.

Pardon my long windednesson this topic, but the superstitous use of
k-meta is a pet peeve of mine ;-)


--
Mike MTM, Cokesbury, NJ, USA

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On Jan 19, 6:20 am, Mark > wrote:
> I have a question that involves the fact that I am on a well, and Septic
> system. I am not as concerned about the well water, if I were I would
> just buy bottled watter locally. The Septic system however relies on
> bacteria to function. Will the ingredients used in winemaking,
> especially the sanitizer affect the Septic system? Should I use a
> different way of disposing of sanitizer water?

if you want. I am in the same setup, and did some research on septic
issues.

you can kill everything in you septic system if you want. you'll add
more bacteria to it as soon as you use the toilet.

as for the other posters RID-X and other treatment systems are usualy
nothing more than yeast or yeast nutrient in a fancy box. google a bit
and you'll see.