What is a Septic Tank?

The septic tank is a buried, watertight, container typically made of concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene.  It holds the wastewater long enough to allow solids to settle out forming sludge,and oil and grease to float to the surface as scum.   It also allows partial decompositions of the solid materials. Baffles and T- shaped outlet in the septic tank prevent the sludge and scum from leaving the tank and traveling into the leach field area

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The wastewater exits the septic tank and is discharged into the leachfield for further treatment by the soil.  The partially treated wastewater is pushed along into the leachfield for further treatment everytime new wastewater enters the tank.

leachfields are most commonly made up of a sand bed topped with washed stone  containing perforated pipe and covered with a filter fabric then backfilled with soil .   The leachfield should not be driven on or covered by a driveway or patio.

 

If the leachfield is overloaded with too much liquid it will flood, causing sewage to flow to the ground surface or create backups in plumbing fixtures and prevent treatment of all wastewater.

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