What Is A Septic Tank?

In essence, a septic tank as part of a septic system, is a smaller version of a sewage treatment. It is specifically includes a storage tank and this is the main holding area for the waste and the waste water is then transferred to what is known as a soakaway. A soakaway is a system underground that is installed to carry the waste away to a larger drain field.

Septic tanks are very common in areas that have no main sewage pipes in which to carry the waste water and small material away. This usually affects rural properties or dwellings that are far away from any local sewage plant. A drain field takes up a large slice of land, so this is another reason why towns and cities often don’t have septic tank facilities. In the countryside, there will be a greater likelihood of drain fields being present, due to the lack of large scale sewage plants. 

The septic tank works by allowing the effluent (or waste water) to drain away through a large network of soakaway outlets and leaves the solid material within the holding tank. The septic tank is usually fine to leave and not worry about for a whole year and then this is the time to think about getting the tank emptied by specialists. Once it has been emptied, the tank can then be placed back and used for another year and so the process is repeated.

The basic workings of the septic tank begin with the sewage entering the inlet pipe. It is then taken to the lower part of the tank. Solids then sink to the base of the tank and the effluent exits through a separate outlet pipe. This waste water is then taken through to the drain field by means of the soakaway.

A septic tank is designed to be suitable for the property size and number of occupants. It also depends on the type of soil in the ground as to which kind of soakaway is used. The soakaway is essentially a kind of network of pipes laid in trenches that lead to a drainage field.

Septic tanks are a crucial part of sewage disposal to many properties. There are still many homes which are not linked to any major sewage plant and so these tanks become an absolutely must-have element to the running of the household.

Septic Tank Accessories

If you are investigating having a septic tank system installed on your grounds, then it is a good idea to do some research with regards to the accessories available on the market. There is a great deal of variety in this industry and there are plenty of solutions which cater for all budgets.

The foremost item is the septic tank itself. This is the vessel which holds the solid waste and through which the waste water is drained. The flow of the waste water travels to a drainage field and the solid waste is retained within the tank. The onion shaped tank is amongst the most popular, owing to its durability and sturdiness. Alternatively, there is the granular backfill tank, which is more expensive, but saves on the installation costs. Offering a further tank solution are the shallow tanks, which are designed to minimise the depth at which they are integrated into the ground. These are great for certain areas of land where the more traditional onion shaped tanks simply will not fit.                       

A cesspit or silage tank is needed if you cannot have a sufficient drain away for the waste water. The cesspit tends to be larger than septic tanks but needs emptying more frequently, due to the fact that there is no drain away attached.

Including a sewage treatment plant into your septic system is a great way to eliminate odours and treat the waste water before it is drained away. Using chemicals, the effluent is essentially purified before being led away from your property, meaning that the unpleasant smells that you may have from a regular septic tank are nullified.

There are reasons when you may need to purchase smaller accessories to modify your septic system. These can include drainage pipes, connectors and other crucial fittings, such as sockets, inspection chambers and even water level alarms. These kinds of accessories can be inexpensive but also very important to the safe running of your septic system.

Septic systems are sometimes a necessity, given the geography of a property and it’s proximity to a sewage plant. Unfortunately, if left unmonitored, a septic tank can overflow and this can cause many issues. For this reason, it is best to understand and know exactly who to contact to empty the tank and how often this needs to be done. Usually, once a year should suffice, but a lot depends on the specific system installed.