Understanding Wastewater Treatment Systems
The waste water treatment system is comprised of 2 main components - the septic tank and the septic field
Conventional Septic Tanks
This is the concrete vessel below the ground near the house. It is here that all the wastewater and materials that are flushed down the drain are deposited. In a conventional septic tank there are 2 compartments. The first section is the Working Compartment (aka Trash Tank) and it is here where the solids in the wastewater settle to the bottom (Sludge) and the greases and fats float to the top (Scum) which leaves grey water in the middle. This process of separation plus the biological digestion of bacteria collectively support a major portion of the sewage treatment. The grey water which is the cleanest (in the middle of the tank) is allowed to migrate into the next compartment via a plumbing system. This keeps all solids contained within the Working Tank.
The second compartment is the Dose Tank. This is where the effluent is either pumped or siphoned out to the septic field. This tank may only use 30% of the total gallonage of the entire septic tank. Very little biological breakdown occurs in this compartment. The Dose tank will have a high water alarm set up to notify the homeowner if the pump or siphon system fails. This is mandatory and has saved many homes from a sewage backflow issue occurring in the basement.
It is critical that the septic tank be sized properly to meet or exceed the peak daily flow rates created by the household. An undersized or poorly maintained tank will not be capable of processing the effluent within the Working Chamber. This means that suspended solid materials will be forced into the Dose Chamber and sent to the septic field. This results in plugging and overloading the soil structure and eventually saturating and flooding the system. We recommend over sizing the septic tank as it is the main processing component in the septic system.
» View Packaged Wastewater Treatment Tanks / Plants |
Conventional Gravity Fed Septic Fields
 There are many types of septic field designs. In a conventional gravity style field the effluent is pumped or siphoned from the tank to a distribution compartment located at one end of the septic field area. This distribution box collects the sewage and allows it to flow by gravity into several pipes which receive the same amount of flow and distribute that flow to the septic field trenches.
Usually 4-12 trenches (Laterals) are excavated to a maximum depth of 36" and a maximum length of 65'. Each Lateral trench is dead level. We install plastic chamber components to create a long hollow void space for the effluent to lay within. The effluent is evenly distributed out to all the lateral chambers structures via gravity and sloping piping systems. The effluent migrates along the ground under the chamber structures and interacts with the soil structure. Inside the laterals is where the effluent is naturally treated and broken down further.
It is the interaction between bacteria, air and moisture which do the work. The effluent is displaced and naturally filtered by the soil to create a clean product before seeping into a ground water aquifer. The biological reactions create heat which impedes the freezing of the ground when the system is properly designed and installed.
» View design variations for septic fields |
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Design Variations for Septic Fields |
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The effluent is pumped out of the Dose Tank and through an in line filter system using a high capacity pump. The effluent flows through PVC piping system to the excavated field area. The entire surface area of the field receives an equal dosage of effluent which compared to a conventional gravity fed system, eliminates overloading the first section of any lateral. These types of septic fields are more efficient in processing the effluent due to the consistent effluent distribution ... more info |
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The At Grade design is identical in component structure to the Pressure Distribution System except that the laterals are not buried into the ground. This system works well for the following applications: areas that have marginal soil structure for effective effluent treatment and areas which do not want the natural trees removed to accommodate a conventional buried septic field. Very easy access to all field components for repair or maintenance ... more info |
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The mound has the same components as the Pressure Distribution system or the At Grade system. The laterals are constructed on top of a thick sand layer which is imported and placed in the field location. This septic system is used where the natural soil structure will not support a septic field operation. It can accommodate a higher daily effluent flow rate into a surface area that is smaller than a conventional field ... more info |
