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Yes, and no. Your shower, toilet, and sink all connect to the same main drain, but the secondary drains going from each fixture to the main drain are usually separate. This isn’t always the case—especially in older homes—but since toilets contain black water and showers, tubs, and sinks have grey water, toilets are more regulated and come at a greater risk of contamination. It’s best to keep these drains separate using individual waste collection for this reason.

A gurgling toilet usually doesn’t mean that your septic tank is full. If waste can’t drain into a full septic tank, you’ll see water and sewage backing up into your fixtures, but the air that causes gurgling is a result of poor venting. You are more likely to have a clog in your vent stack or a damaged air admittance valve.

The normal water level in a toilet bowl is about halfway full. The water should sit above the P trap drain because this creates a seal and suction. When you flush the toilet, the suction keeps sewer gases from entering your house through your toilet. Anytime the water level is higher or lower than half full, you need to make adjustments or replace broken parts.

You can tell if your toilet fill valve is full by removing the lid and taking a look. When you flush the toilet, the float is at the bottom of the tank, the water empties, and the fill valve opens. The float rises to the top as the tank fills again with water. When the float rises to the right level, the fill valve closes; if the valve is too high, your toilet may only partially flush, requiring you to adjust the float.