We are thinking about buying a house with a septic and I have a question about what type of toilet paper we can use.  I remember as a child going to my grandparents who had a septic and they used to put the toilet paper in a garbage bag and burn it.  The thought of doing this really disgusts me as we have 3 small children and I can see them digging in the trash.  Tell me we do not have to do this.  Nicole P.     

Back in grandma's day systems were small, very small and they needed to be babied.  Often they were a 300, 400 or 500 gallon tank with a puny drainfield.  But back in those days people used less water so a small system was acceptable.  Today we use water differently.  Families will chow water at a voracious rate taking showers/baths, washing 7-15 loads of clothes per week, etc.  Just talk to someone in their 60's,  70's or 80's and ask them what it was like to bathe daily with hot water at a premium and what using a wringer washing machine was like. 

Today we are used to comfort.  Want to take nice, long, hot showers...no problem.  How about a whirlpool bath.  Hop in.  Need some clean clothes, just toss them in the AUTOMATIC washing machine and hit the button.  Oh yes, things have changed and subsequently the septic systems have gotten bigger to accommodate those changes. 

But first, just to make sure, use white paper...the dyes in colored paper MAY cause problems and there is no sense risking damage to your system just for the sake of a color scheme.

Second, the type of paper you use will depend on how many people are in your house. The more comfortable stuff like charmin and northern are tougher to breakdown in a septic tank, but if there are only 2-4 people in the house it is not that big a deal. On the other hand, if you have 6+ people in the house you may want to use the cheaper, 80 grit stuff because it will breakdown easier (but keep a roll of the good stuff stashed for your own personal use).

Jim