Septics
The purpose of a home's subsurface sewage disposal system (septic system) is to
dispose of the water generated by the occupants in such a manner that the soils
on the property can disperse it without causing an adverse effect on ground
water and in turn on public health and the environment. To accomplish this
a septic system consists of the following elements:
- A sewer line that connects the home's plumbing to the septic tank;
- A septic tank that allows for the settling of soils and provides the
initial treatment of the septage. A properly functioning septic tank will
reduce pollutant levels and produce an effluent of fairly uniform quality.
This is accomplished by providing inlet and outlet baffles to reduce the
velocity of liquid moving through the tank and to prevent solids from
leaving the tank. Tanks installed since January 1991 now consist
of two compartments in order to do a more effective job of
attaining the above objective;
- A distribution system that directs the flow of effluent from the septic
tank to the leaching system in such a manner to insure full utilization of
the system. Most systems are "gravity" systems, meaning the flow runs
through piping and distribution boxes without the assistance of any
mechanical device, such as a pump or siphon;
- A leaching system, which disperses the sewage effluent into the
surrounding natural soils. There are many
types of leaching systems. The specific type utilized on a particular
property is usually dependent on the soil conditions which exist on the
site. Most residential installations utilize stone-filled leaching trenches,
but galleries, pits and beds have historically been used.