HomeSO...NOW YOU OWN A SEPTIC TANK |
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YOU ARE NOT ALONE Nearly 20 million homes encompassing
almost 30 percent of the U.S. population dispose of their sewer and
wastewater through an on-site disposal system. Fifty-four percent of the population in North Carolina and 38
percent of the people living in Indiana use these systems. One of the
major differences between owning an urban or suburban home and owning a
rural home is that in a rural home you must become more self-sufficient
and self-reliant. Waste
disposal --- trash, sewage, and wastewater --- is one of the primary
concerns of a rural homeowner. The most
common way to dispose of sewage and wastewater in rural homes is through
the use of a septic tank. Some
85 percent of the on-site disposal systems in the U.S. are septic tanks. A septic
tank system contains two major components, a holding or septic tank and
the absorption field. The
holding tank is usually made of concrete, fiberglass or plastic. Therefore it is resistant to corrosion and decay. While
typically designed to hold 1,000 gallons of liquid, the size of the tank
varies depending upon the number of bedrooms in the home. The purpose of the holding or septic tank is to separate the
solids from the liquids. HOW IT WORKS The solids
in the form of sludge, which collects on the bottom of the tank, and
scum, which floats on the tops of the water, remain in the tank and are
pumped out periodically. The
wastewater is passed on to the absorption field through a connecting
pipe. The absorption field
is also known as the soil drain field, the nitrification field or the
soil absorption field. The
absorption field is a series of underground perforated pipes, usually,
but not always, connected in a closed loop system. The
perforated pipes ensure that the wastewater can reach the entire
absorption field. The
absorption field treats the wastewater through an aerobic digestion
process and filters out the remaining impurities (germs and chemicals)
before the wastewater returns to the groundwater system. Sewage
effluent coming out of the holding tank is a cloudy liquid that still
contains many disease-causing germs and pollutants.
When this water flows into the perforated pipe in the absorption
field, the sewage effluent exits through the holes in the pipe and
trickles through the gravel where it is stored until it is absorbed by
the soil. In some systems,
subsurface chambers store the effluent.
As the effluent enters and flows through the unsaturated soil,
many of the bacteria that can cause diseases are filtered out.
Some of the other smaller germs, such as viruses, are trapped and
held by the soil molecules (absorbed) until they die.
The soil can also retain certain nutrients such as phosphorus and
forms of nitrogen. WHAT TO PUT IN - - WHAT TO KEEP
OUT Put all of the wastewaters from the
home into the septic tank. This
includes all sinks, bath, shower, washing machine and dishwasher
wastewaters, in addition to the toilet flushings. Any of these waters can contain disease-causing germs or
environmental pollutants. Direct
roof drains, basement sump pump drains and other rainwater or surface
water drainage systems away from the absorption field.
Flooding of the absorption field with excessive water will keep
the soil from naturally cleansing the wastewater, leading to groundwater
pollution. Do not use
caustic drain openers for a clogged drain. Instead use boiling water or a drain snake to free up clogs.
Clean your toilet, sinks, shower and tubs with a mild detergent
or baking soda rather than the stronger and potentially system-damaging
commercial bathroom cleaners. NEVER use your septic tank system as a trash can. Be especially sure to avoid putting excessive amounts of
grease, disposable diapers, anything plastic, latex paint, pesticides,
solvents, oven cleaners, degreasers or any hazardous chemicals into your
system. SUMMARY In summary, care should be taken to
not dispose of items into the system that will destroy the natural
digestion process, or over-tax the drain field with excessive water.
Regularly pump out (every 2-3 years) the sludge in the holding
tank. If you adhere to
these few simple rules, then your septic tank system will prove to be a
safe and economical on-site method for disposing of your rural home
wastewater. Mohave
County Dept. of Health & Social Services |