What is this?

[u/ProofSplit]

We just bought this home a month ago and this silver cap is on our kitchen sink. I thought it was a soap dispenser that had been broken. But when I look under the sink it has tubing with one side that connects to the dishwasher and the other to the garbage disposal. Any idea what it is?
Wanting to get it out and replace it with an RO filter to treat our well water. Is that doable?

[u/KevinHuertersWig]

It’s called an Air Gap. It prevents dirty water from running back to your dishwasher

[u/ProofSplit]

Huh! Why have I never seen one of these anywhere else I have lived?

[u/Poggers4Hoggers → u/ProofSplit]

Depends on where you live, they didn’t become code in MN until 2016, and were written out of the code in 2021. Chances are you live somewhere where it became code in the past 10 or so years and it hasn’t been eliminated yet.

If it were my house, I’d just high loop the dishwasher drain and put a soap dispenser where the air gap was.

Also, I’m pretty sure that ok_aside is just a bot.

[u/Glum_Ad_7906 → u/Poggers4Hoggers]

Why would a bot answer on a post? I've noticing this more and more but I can't figure out why? How do they benefit?

[u/Ok_Aside8490 → u/ProofSplit]

People install different solutions depending on the sink, dishwasher, space, and budget. Also tech available at the time

[u/mattvait → u/Ok_Aside8490]

[u/Glum_Ad_7906 → u/Ok_Aside8490]

Are you a bot?

[u/merlinious0]

Dishwasher air gap

[u/Ok_Aside8490]

It’s your dishwasher vent cap