If you are not going to use it, why bother? I am not sure you can have a garbage disposal with a septic.

I have one with a septic system at home and basically don't use it. The only time I do use it is to expedite sucking dirty dishwater and whatever yuck is in it down the drain. It is handy for that. On the other hand I don't have one at all at my lake place and don't really miss it. I do have to pull the strainer out and dump it in the trash and that can be a bit yucky. But let's face it, if that's the worst problem one has to deal with one is most fortunate, don't you think?

I don't see why you would do so either, if you don't plan to use it. If it's a resale thing, it's such a low budget item, relatively speaking, that I can't imagine the lack of one to be a deal breaker to a potential buyer. They can add it, if they really must have it.

I got rid of mine with the remodel and have never regretted it, so if you don't want one, put the money elsewhere.

In Maine where I live in order to have a disposal the septic has to be designed to accommodate one. This is done by considering a disposal as 1 bedroom when sizing the leach field. If you remodel you cannot add 1 if the existing leach field isn't sized accordingly.

we're building as well and will have septic. i had a disposal in my old house but i'm going to skip it this time around. i saw a special insinkerator model at the appliance store the other day specifically for use with septic systems but it's not that important to me. half the stuff i wanted to put into the old disposal i couldn't anyway. when we do sell (when we're really old) i don't think anyone will mind. the kitchen is tricked out enough!

I'm bucking the trend... I did not grow up w/a GD, but when I lived in an apartment and later in my Townhouse, I had a GD and loved it! (Never had any problems with them.)

For the past 13 years we have not had a GD (were not allowed back when we built) and I still miss it!

With the remodel, we are installing a GD in our main sink. In our county today, you are allowed to have a GD if it's designed for a septic system. In our case, we are installing the InSinkErator® Evolution Septic AssistTM.

However, we are not installing one on the prep sink since I plan to begin composting after the remodel and most scraps will be composted. Instead, I will have a "compost pail" either under the sink or on the counter (haven't decided which yet) that will be emptied each evening.

Here is a link that might be useful: InSinkErator® Evolution Septic Assist

The septic tank is supposed to give waste place to break down, and it's intended to enter the leach field essentially one molecule at a time.

The problem with a disposal is that some of the material you put down will float, so there's a chance of it entering the leach field in large chunks, potentially clogging things up.

I've had a disposal for 20 years with a septic and no issues, but I DON'T put much mass down there. Table scraps go to the dogs, things like salad gone bad go to compost, or in the winter a feed trough just out of the yard for the deer and wild bunnies.

So a limited amount goes down the drain: the occasional veg trimming and the like.

My system has never needed to be pumped, even once.

So if it doesn't float, and you feel its a reasonable volume, it should be fine going down the disposal. Just look out for no/slow biodegradables, like eggshells.

A far bigger enemy of your septic is stuff like tampons and stridex pads.