When a house isn’t served by a public sewer system, or it’s too far removed to be serviced by one, it usually relies on a septic system in order to handle and dispose of its waste, both of water and other matter. It’s a significant investment that requires regular care, but a well maintained septic system can offer years of service at low cost, while still being reliable to its owners.
On the other hand, a system that fails or breaks down can become a health concern, can cause both surface and subsurface pollution (which may affect the water you drink, among other things), and can also cause property damage or even disease. Replacing a failing septic tank or system can cost thousands of dollars, and can even interfere with selling your home if it isn’t taken care of.
Although the inner workings of a septic system might be complicated and involved, it’s important to know the basic way that it works. Any standard septic system has three main parts: the tank, the drain field, and the soil of the surrounding area. These three parts all work in tandem for the disposal of waste material.
The tank’s purpose is to help separate solid matter from wastewater, in order to store and help to partially decompose as much of the solid material as it can, while permitting the liquid matter to continue on to the drain field. After solid waste matter remains inside the tank, the liquid wastewater continues on to the drain field. The soil below the drain field provides the method of disposal. The waste water passes into the soil, and is broken down over time. Since solid material accumulates in the septic tank, septic tank pumping is necessary every 3 to 5 years to remove the accumulation.
