Backwashing plumbing

[ccuellar4]

Hi All,

I bought a house that has a DE filter and I was wondering, where does everyone's backwash water go? The previous owner used to eject it into the street which to my understanding isn't exactly legal. I've since had a couple of sump holes put in my back yard and backwash into that. That doesn't work very well either as not even one backwash later, they're full. So where is the legal and preferred place to backwash water into?

As always, thanks for your help!

 

[Chrisamato]

Contact your local town or county and ask if it's legal and or if they have any recommendations

 

[Richard320]

I use cellulose and backwash onto my lawn. It's biodegradable, and if any ends up in the storm drain, so what? It's just high-graded sawdust!

 

[Chrisamato]

He may use de Isnt it toxic to animals and wild life unless it's not when its wet?

 

[Richard320]

He may use de Isnt it toxic to animals and wild life unless it's not when its wet?

DE is an inhalation hazard when it's dry.

 

[ccuellar4]

I use cellulose and backwash onto my lawn. It's biodegradable, and if any ends up in the storm drain, so what? It's just high-graded sawdust!

but when you backwash the cellulose you also backwash chlorinated water right? Doesn't that kill your grass?

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He may use de Isnt it toxic to animals and wild life unless it's not when its wet?

You're right that I am using DE right now. I'm debating on switching back to cellulose. I do have two dogs and that would be bad for them to breath it in. I usually try to rinse the DE off of their area

 

[Richard320]

but when you backwash the cellulose you also backwash chlorinated water right? Doesn't that kill your grass?

The drought took care of that. What's left seems to thrive on it. The water out the hose is also chlorinated but nobody hesitates to use that on the grass...

The CYA breaks down into ammonia, which is a good Nitrogen fertilizer.