Septic System Primer for Your Real Estate, Part 2
Understanding how your system works is critical to being able to maintain it.
A typical septic system has four components, including a pipe that carries the waste from the house, a septic tank, a drainfield and the soil surrounding the entire system. Microbes in the soil digest and remove most of the contaminants from the wastewater before it eventually reaches the groundwater.
A septic tank is a buried, watertight container typically made of concrete, fiberglass or polyethylene. The tank olds the wastewater long enough to allow solids to settle out of the water, creating a layer of sludge on the bottom, and a layer of oil and grease, called scum, to float to the surface. It also allows partial decomposition of the solid materials. A pipe below the scum line allows the settled water to leave the tank and travel into the drainfield.
The drainfield is a system of pipes with holes that allows the water to trickle into the soil, allowing microorganisms in the soil to provide the final step in the treatment of the water. Harmful bacteria and viruses are removed, leaving nutrients in the soil.
Categories: First Time Buyers, Buying, Environmental, Septic Systems, Bennington VT
