Welcome to our latest post on septic systems. In this article we'll be diving into how the system actually processes waste from toilet to drain field. The process of collecting solid waste in the tank to properly processing the effluent on site is a much simpler process than one would think.
In poor soil areas that lack proper perk rates, or high water tables are in play, the design and process of installing the entire septic system, but especially the leaching or drain field section, is usually much more complicated and therefore more expensive to install. How Septic Systems WorkIf you’re having a new septic system installed at your home or business, you may find it interesting to know that the basic components of a septic system are fairly simple. This basic septic system design has worked for many properties for decades, primarily using gravity to safely remove e-coli bacteria and wastewater back to the ground. Septic systems are used to treat household wastes when a connection to a municipal city sewage system is not available. These systems are on site because they are intended to treat wastewater where it is actually generated. Anything that goes down the drain, every drop from your shower, and every flush of your toilet flows out to your onsite wastewater system. Septic System Bacteria and MicroorganismsTypically a septic system consists of a storage tank a network of pipes and billions of microorganisms inside the tank that help process your waste. Most rural homes have what's defined under their local building and health department regulations as a class for septic system that is a septic tank along with a leaching bed or a filtering drain bed, all buried beneath the ground. Basically the idea is to treat the wastewater, first of all, typically through a septic tank. The septic tank will settle some of the solids out from the effluent and provide a little bit of the pre-treatment phase. After that the effluent is sent to some kind of soil absorption system, sometimes called a leaching bed, where you would further treat the effluent. Finally the effluent will trickle into the end of the drain field trenches. The waste flows to the first compartment of the septic tank where the heavy solids settled and the lighter materials, fat, oils and greases, float to the top as scum. Baffles and screens keep this scum layer from flowing out to the leaching fields. The scum is removed when the tank is pumped out during regular septic service maintenance. A small amount of fine organic particles may settle in the second compartment of the tank where almost all of what's left breaks down. In onsite wastewater sewage systems built or upgraded after 2005, an effluent filter is required to trap and help decompose any remaining particles before they get to the leaching area. The leaching bed is made up of a network of perforated polyvinyl chloride drain pipes. These PVC pipes disperse the effluent allowing the filtered liquid to seep into the ground where the bacteria and other organisms continue to break it down and where it is further filtered by washed crushed stone and septic approved sand that surround these pipes and the soil below. Septic System Components - From House to Drain FieldsSeptic systems are only as effective as the sum of their parts. In order to have a properly functioning septic system, you need the right size tank and a healthy drain field, just to name a few. If your drain field is deteriorating from age, is damaged, or needs to be replaced for whatever reason you should contact a septic system inspection technician and or your local health sanitarian for professional advice and to determine how extensive the repairs on your system my need to be, or if an entire renovation of your leaching fields is in order. Read more on septic systems and the processing of effluent and solid waste by clicking on this hyperlink. https://www.pdffiller.com/5645639-fillable-glenwild-design-guidelines-form Here's an in-depth report in PDF form written by Olivia Jimenez, B.A. on the long-term affects of septic systems when installed in close proximity to lakes, bodies of water and reservoirs in Central Texas. Check out more great technical information on everything you want to know about septic systems on our blog. from https://edwardhorbachukiii.blogspot.com/2020/05/septic-system-mapping-from-your-toilet.html
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What is a cesspool?A cesspool is a shallow system for disposing of sanitary waste. Although structures vary, most cesspools consist of a concrete cylinder with an open bottom or perforated sides. Sanitary waste from toilets, sinks, and washing machines enters the cesspool and percolates out the bottom. The definition of “large-capacity” may vary from state to state. For example, some states define large-capacity cesspools based on the amount of waste or the volume capacity of the cesspool. Check with your permitting authority for more information. The transformation of cesspools and cesspool design has been very interesting to say the least. What is a large-capacity cesspool?The Environmental Protection Agency does not regulate the cesspools of single family homes or those of non-residential facilities that serve fewer than 20 persons per day and dispose of solely sanitary waste. However, these smaller cesspools may be regulated by state and local governmental agencies (e.g., departments of health). Cesspools of any size that receive waste other than sanitary waste (e.g., from commercial or industrial processes) are industrial wells and are subject to regulations. Although now illegal, wastewater has often been disposed of in a cesspool or dry well. Construction was similar to a shallow dug well lined with bricks or stone. It was often 6 to 10 feet in diameter and 15 to 20 feet deep. This is why all cesspools now need to be replaced with new septic systems according to your local health department's rules and regulations. Cesspools and Groundwater ContaminationThe depth was less than that of groundwater, thus the name“dry” well. Cesspools are a serious potential source of groundwater contamination and a definite safety hazard.In the past, Kansas law permitted seepage pits following the septic tank for wastewater disposal. These were holes in the ground filled with stone or other inert material such as broken brick. They were constructed according to state guidelines for size and depth. Construction of seepage pits has been illegal since May 1996, and existing pits must be properly disposed of whenever they are not used or not working. Read more on this subject at the following website: https://www.epa.gov/uic/large-capacity-cesspools from https://edwardhorbachukiii.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-trouble-with-cesspools-and.html
Sewage treatment plants function as the disposal site and treatment of wastewater for the sewage collected from households, establishments, industrial, and also agricultural. The gathering and disposal of sewage systems send the wastewater through cities to the treatment plants.
Did You Ever Wonder How A Wastewater Treatment Plant Functions?The following three paragraphs taken from a PDF document on the EPA site are very interesting and really take an in-depth look at the systems in place throughout the United States for the proper and safe treatment of raw sewage and wastewater from many municipalities in the country. One of the most common forms of pollution control in the United States is wastewater treatment. The country has a vast system of collection sewers, pumping stations, and treatment plants. Sewers collect the wastewater from homes, businesses, and many industries, and deliver it to plants for treatment. Most treatment plants were built to clean wastewater for discharge into streams or other receiving waters, or for reuse. Years ago, when sewage was dumped into waterways, a natural process of purification began. First, the sheer volume of clean water in the stream diluted wastes. Bacteria and other small organisms in the water consumed the sewage and other organic matter, turning it into new bacterial cells; carbon dioxide and other products. Today’s higher populations and the greater volume of domestic and industrial wastewater require that communities give nature a helping hand. The basic function of wastewater treatment is to speed up the natural processes by which water is purified. There are two basic stages in the treatment of wastes, primary and secondary, which are outlined here. In the primary stage, solids are allowed to settle and removed from wastewater. The secondary stage uses biological processes to further purify wastewater. Sometimes, these stages are combined into one operation.PDF Source here from EPA. My Educated OpinionAfter reading the previous three blurbs of content delivered by the Environmental Protection Agency, it's clear that without sewage treatment plants and this associated management for solid and liquid waste recycling, we would be in real trouble as far as disease and sickness in this county. The sewage system could transport the wastewater by gravitational forces to get diverted to the sewage treatment plant. If it is difficult for pipeline excavation because of boulders of rock and there is limited topographic relief, the collection of waste by gravity might not be applicable. In this case, the sewage must be pumped through the pipeline and straight into the sewage treatment plants. Wastewater and Low-Lying AreasFor those situated in low lying areas, wastewater might be transported by using a vacuum. The measurements of pipelines could vary from 6 inches in diameter to thirty feet in diameter of concrete-lined tunnels. The sewage form community can be collected by an effluent sewer system also referred to as STEP system or Septic Tank Effluent Pumping. In every house where it utilized an underground collection tank that separates the solids from the liquids portion. The liquid portion is pumped through a small diameter pipe that has a size of 1.5 inches to 4 inches heading to the downstream treatment. The pipes could be laid underneath the ground surface along the land's contour because the waste stream is pressurized. The sewage can also be collected by utilizing low-pressure pumps and vacuum systems. The residents served is considered in the size and design of the sewage collection systems. Another consideration is the commercial and industrial flows, the characteristics of peak flow, and also the wet weather flow. The merged sewer systems are normally built to convey both the sewage and stormwater runoff at the same time in similar pipes. The characteristics of the watershed are likewise considered in the projected design of the merged sewer systems. Oftentimes, particularly in recent years, the amount of stormwater runoff can no longer be handled by the combined sewer that causes sewer overflows. This leads to water pollution problems in the nearby bodies of water. Onsite wastewater and sewage treatment effluent pumping systems are found on over 40 million homes in the United States. The YouTube video below covers this process in great detail. Municipal Sewer Lines - Design and FunctionThe style and design of sewer lines that go to the waste treatment facilities nowadays are separate lines for storm runoff and sewage alone. The storm runoff will move right to the surface water while the sewage systems will be transported to the sewage treatment plants. Many municipal sewer systems these days are constructed with isolated sewer systems. Even when the design of sewer systems is to have separate lines of which one is entirely created for sewage, the inflow and infiltration of surface water cannot be prevented. This in effect may cause the sanitary sewer to overflow. The inflow, as well as infiltration, is extremely affected by moisture conditions, which is likewise provided a significant thought in the system design. Thanks for checking out my latest blog post on municipal sewage treatment plants and on-site wastewater collection systems. Read more here. To read more about wastewater treatment and septic systems in general, check out this blog post. from https://edwardhorbachukiii.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-role-of-sewage-treatment-plants.html
Residential septic systems, or subsurface sewage disposal systems, are a small scale sewage treatment system. They are common in areas that have no connection to a municipal sewage system and are the responsibility of the property owner to maintain.
Septic Inspections and Tank CleaningPeriodically inspecting and pumping out the septic tank can help protect your investment from expensive repair costs, along with environmental issues that can occur from lack of maintenance.Septic systems, if designed, constructed, and maintained properly can provide you with effective treatment of household waste-water for the long-term. If abused or not maintained properly, repairs or replacement can be costly, and the concerns of environmental issues like groundwater contamination can occur, not only affecting your water supply but others around you. |
Septic Pumping
Septic tank pumping is not a service or process one should take lightly. Raw septic sewage or wastewater is nothing an amateur or weekend warrior should be handling. Sewage and effluent from a septic tank contains many types of dangerous bacteria which can make humans and animals very sick if not processed correctly by a professional septic tank pumping service. Calling a professional is just smart, very affordable, and keeps you, your family and pets safe from harm and becoming sick or worse. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |