Normal Usage

• Detergent from a single washer discharge will not affect a septic system; however, repeated loads of laundry during a single day may overwhelm a septic system's tank capacity as well as the bacteria present to break down waste.
  
  

Clogging

• Using too much powdered detergent may clog the pipes leading to and from a septic tank because the wash cycle lacks sufficient time to dissolve the detergent.
  
  

Contaminates

• Many detergents contain phosphates and nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactants (which remove dirt from surfaces). If highly concentrated, these chemicals can contaminate groundwater through a septic system's drain field.
  
  

Detergent Type

• Liquid detergents are more likely than powders to dissolve in a septic system. In addition, generic powdered detergent brands frequently contain fillers, which increase the risk of diminished or clogged drain capacity.
  
  

Alternatives

• Though sometimes less effective or more expensive, certified organic detergents are more likely to breakdown in a septic system and benignly affect the environment than standard detergents.