What is a Septic System?

A Septic system is simply an onsite subsurface sewage disposal system for your home. It takes household sewage wastes and discharges the liquid portion to the ground. Septic systems are a standard method of sewage disposal in rural and suburban areas where centralized sewer treatment plants are not available, not affordable, or not desired. A properly designed and installed septic system with regular cleaning and maintenance of the septic tank can last indefinitely and be the most cost effective and least labor intensive method of sewage disposal.

In its most basic form a gravity Septic System consists of a Septic Tank connected by solid pipe to some type of leaching system.

If you would like to view a diagram of a typical Septic System, click HERE

Septic Tank...

The septic tank is a large tank of usually 1000 gallon capacity or more. The size is generally based on the number of bedrooms which denote a certain amount of water usage per day. Today the tank is generally constructed of concrete, plastic or fiberglass and is designed to be water tight. Click HERE to view a typical septic tank.

The function of the septic tank is basically as a settling tank and/or clarifier. Most of the work done in the tank is settling. Some decomposition goes on with the sludge but it is usually very slow because the temperature is relatively low and due to the general lack of oxygen in the sludge mass, the process becomes mainly anaerobic-septic (methane and hydrogen sulfide compounds are created - rotten egg smell), hence the name Septic Tank.

In action the septic tank can be thought of as a corporate or political organization. The masses enter the tank (liquids and solids) by dropping through the inlet pipe/ baffle. The (lazy) heavier particles sink to the bottom (according to Stoke’s Law) and become the sludge, some particles, grease, and gas rises to the top of the liquid as the (leaders-executives) scum. The main body of water circulates through the tank and then flows out the outlet pipe and baffle. This water is normally gray in color because of the fine particles that stay suspended (the silent majority) and are carried out to the leaching system.