Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

wastewater from automatic dishwasher?

jumper
jumper Member Posts: 2,384
Is it black or gray? Run kitchen sink drain to septic but from the dishwasher?

Comments

  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,579
    edited October 2023
    Where I am in California, dishwasher drainage is considered black water. But maybe we have different physics. ;)

    Yours, Larry
  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,466
    I would consider it grey water.

    However the 2015 IPC considers Grey water only coming from bathtubs, showers, lavatories and clothes washers.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,719
    kcopp said:

    I would consider it grey water.

    However the 2015 IPC considers Grey water only coming from bathtubs, showers, lavatories and clothes washers.

    Consider @kcopp 's handy list, and one can see why dishwasher (and kitchen sink) water is not regarded as gray: everything on that list normally contains no solids and, in fact, very low nutrient levels (measured as BOD). Dishwashers, on the other hand, have a waste water which usually does contain moderately high levels of solids (ground up, granted, but there) and often remarkably high BOD levels. Hence it needs additional treatment -- hence blackwater.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    Hot_water_fan
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,502
    NYS & NYC...Grey water.  Human excrement & fluids = Blackwater.  Mad Dog 🐕 
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,836
    At least in certain stages it is likely to contain the types of bacteria that can make you sick.
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,281
    Wait.

    What about Kramer's bath water? :D

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

    mattmia2Mad Dog_2
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,719
    Let's put it this way, @ChrisJ . Kramer or not, I wouldn't be inclined to drink grey water without treatment... from anything. However, with mild treatment, it's great for irrigating things (though some plants object to soaps...), and with slightly more it's good for recharging aquifers. We waste a lot of water.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    ethicalpaulMad Dog_2CLamb
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,281

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

    Mad Dog_2
  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 2,172
    Good question. It's probably black water due to its content. Best answered by your local code and or department of public health.