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1. 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 decomposition of the solid materials. Compartments and a T-shaped outlet in the
septic tank prevent the sludge and scum from leaving the tank and traveling into the drainfield area. Screens are also recommended to keep solids from entering the drainfield. It is highly recommended that new tanks have risers with lids installed at the ground surface to allow easy location, inspection, pumping and maintenance of the tank.

2. What is a Drainfield?

The wastewater exits the septic tank and is discharged into the drainfield for further treatment by the soil. The partially treated wastewater is pushed along into the drainfield for further treatment every time new wastewater enters the tank. If the drainfield is overloaded with too much liquid, it will flood, causing sewage to surface above the ground surface or create backups in plumbing fixtures. Surfacing sewage is a public health hazard and a violation of state and county codes

3. What is a 100% Expansion Area?

The wastewater exits the septic tank and is discharged into the drainfield for further treatment by the soil. The partially treated wastewater is pushed along into the drainfield for further treatment every time new wastewater enters the tank. If the drainfield is overloaded with too much liquid, it will flood, causing sewage to surface above the ground surface or create backups in plumbing fixtures. Surfacing sewage is a public health hazard and a violation of state and county codes.

4. What is an “Engineered” Septic System?

Because many areas don’t have suitable soils for typical septic systems or have other site constraints such as excessive slopes, or can not meet minimum setback requirements, a special design or alternative system may be required by the local Environmental Health Division. These systems are designed by a Civil or Structural Engineer, Registered Environmental Health Specialist, or an Engineering Geologist. Special design or alternative systems use new technology to improve treatment processes and require special care and maintenance. Some alternative systems use sand, peat, plastic or textile media instead of soil to promote wastewater treatment. Other systems might use aerators, aerobic treatment units or disinfection devices.
Float switches, pumps, and other electrical or mechanical components are often used in alternative systems. Special design and alternative systems are required be inspected and serviced at least on an annual basis by a Qualified Service Provider. Check with your local Environmental Health Division or Septic Pumper or Qualified Service Provider for more information.

5. How Do I Find My System?

If your home was built after 1995, your septic tank, drainfield, and reserve drainfield should be clearly designated on the “as-built” drawing for your home on file at the local Environmental Health Division. You might also see lids or manhole covers for your septic tank or inspection risers for your drainfield. Older tanks and drain fields are often hard to find because there are no visible parts and may need to be located by a septic pumper, contractor or consultant.

6. Why Should I Maintain My Septic System?

When septic systems are properly designed, constructed, and maintained, they effectively reduce or eliminate most human health or environmental threats posed by pollutants in household wastewater. However, they require regular maintenance or they can fail. Septic systems need to be monitored to ensure that they work properly throughout their service lives.

A key reason to maintain your septic system is to save money! Failing septic systems are expensive to repair or replace, and poor maintenance is often the culprit. Having your septic system inspected regularly is a bargain when you consider the cost of replacing the entire system. Your system will need pumping depending on how many people live in the house and the size of the system. An unusable septic system or one in disrepair will lower your property value and could pose a legal liability.

Other good reasons for safe treatment of sewage include preventing the spread of infection and disease and protecting water resources. Typical pollutants in household wastewater are nitrogen, phosphorus, and disease-causing bacteria and viruses. If a septic system is working properly, it will effectively remove most of these pollutants.
With one-fourth of U.S. homes using septic systems, more than 4 billion gallons of wastewater per day is dispersed below the ground’s surface. Inadequately treated sewage from septic systems can be a cause of groundwater contamination. It poses a significant threat to drinking water and human health because it can contaminate drinking water wells and cause diseases and infections in people and animals. Improperly treated sewage that contaminates nearby surface waters also increases the chance of swimmers contracting a variety of infectious diseases. These range from eye and ear infections to acute gastrointestinal illness and diseases like hepatitis.

7. How Often Should I Inspect and Pump my standard Septic System?

Buildup, sludge and floating scum need to be removed through periodic pumping of the septic tank. Regular inspections and pumping are the best and cheapest way to keep your septic system in good working order and prevent buildup, sludge and scum from entering and clogging the drainfield.

You should have a standard septic system inspected at least every 3 years by a professional and your tank pumped as recommended by the inspector (generally every 3 to 5 years). Alternative systems with electrical float switches, pumps, or mechanical components need to be inspected more often, generally once a year. Your service provider should inspect for leaks and look at the scum and sludge layers in your septic tank. If the bottom of the scum layer is within 6 inches of the bottom of the outlet tee or the top of the sludge layer is within 12 inches of the outlet tee, your tank needs to be pumped. Remember to note the sludge and scum levels determined by your service provider in your operation and maintenance records. This information will help you decide how often pumping is necessary.

8. What Shouldn’t I Flush Down My Toilet?

Dental floss, feminine hygiene products, condoms, diapers, cotton swabs, cigarette butts, coffee grounds, cat litter, paper towels, and other kitchen and bathroom items that can clog and potentially damage septic system components if they become trapped. Flushing household chemicals, gasoline, oil, pesticides, antifreeze, and paint can stress or destroy the biological treatment taking place in the system or might contaminate surface waters and groundwater. If your septic tank pumper is concerned about quickly accumulating scum layers, reduce the flow of floatable materials like fats, oils, and grease into your tank or be prepared to pay for more frequent inspections and pumping.

9. How Do I Take Care of My Drainfield?

Your drainfield is an important part of your septic system. Here are a few things you should do to maintain it:

• Plant only grass over and near your septic system. Deep rooted plants such as trees or shrubs may clog and damage the drainfield.

• Don’t drive or park vehicles on any part of your septic system. Doing so can compact the soil in your drainfield or damage the pipes, tank, or other septic system components.

• Keep roof drains, basement sump pump drains, and other rainwater or surface water drainage systems away from the drainfield and limit your water use. If the amount of wastewater entering the system is more than the system can handle, the wastewater may back up into the house, emit foul odors or surface above ground in the yard.

10. What Are the Effects of Improper Design or Installation?

Some soils provide excellent wastewater treatment; others don’t. For this reason, the design of the drainfield of a septic system is based on the results of soil analysis. Homeowners and system designers sometimes underestimate the significance of good soils or believe soils can handle any volume of wastewater applied to them. Many failures can be attributed to having an undersized drainfield or high seasonal groundwater table. Undersized septic tanks—another design failure—allow solids to clog the drainfield and result in system failure.
If a septic tank isn’t watertight, water can leak into and out of the system. Usually, water from the environment leaking into the system causes hydraulic overloading, taxing the system beyond its capabilities and causing inadequate treatment and sometimes sewage to flow up to the ground surface. Water leaking out of the septic tank is a significant health hazard because the leaking wastewater has not yet been treated.
Even when systems are properly designed, failures due to poor installation practices can occur. If the drainfield is not properly leveled, wastewater can overload the system. Heavy equipment can damage the drainfield during installation which can lead to soil compaction and reduce the wastewater infiltration rate. And if surface drainage isn’t diverted away from the field, it can flow into and saturate the drainfield.