A septic system is used to treat wastewater from a home or business not served by a community collection system. Check with your health department or local wastewater utility to find out the type of system that serves your location. Even if you are not using a septic system, these guidelines will help your sewer system too.
A typical septic tank is a buried watertight container made of concrete, fiberglass or polyethylene that is designed to pre-treat domestic wastewater. It clarifies wastewater by holding the water long enough to allow the solids to settle out (sludge), be reduced by bacterial action, or float to the surface (scum). The clarified wastewater is pushed along into the drainfield for further treatment every time new wastewater enters the tank.
If a septic tank isn't watertight, water can leak into and out of the system. Usually, water entering the system from the environment causes hydraulic overloading, taxing the system beyond its capabilities, causing inadequate treatment, and sometimes surfacing liquid. Water leaking out of the septic tank is also a significant health hazard because the leaking effluent has not been properly treated.
Baffles within the septic tank direct the flow of the wastewater and help to keep sludge and scum from traveling into the drainfield area. All tanks should have accessible covers for checking the condition of the baffles and for pumping both compartments of the tank.
Solids that accumulate in the bottom of the tank as sludge need to be removed through periodic pumping just as lighter materials that form a scum layer need to be removed. Commercial septic tank additives will not eliminate the need for periodic clean-out.
