 |
| |
| |
Overview
of septic systems
The purpose of a subsurface sewage disposal
system (septic system) is to dispose of the
water generated by a home’s occupants
in such a manner that the soil on the property
can properly purify and disperse it back into
the ground water.
|
| |
|
|
How
your disposal system functions
|
|
Household
sewerage waste leaves the home plumbing
fixtures from the bathrooms, kitchen
and laundry through the building sewer
and enters the septic tank. This watertight
tank slows the sewerage flow so that
larger solids settle to the bottom and
accumulate as sludge. Grease and lighter
particles rise to the surface and form
a scum layer. The purpose of the septic
tank is to collect the solids and allow
the “clear” wastewater to
be more readily absorbed into the ground.
This “clear” waste leaves
the septic tank and is directed through
(in most systems) a distribution box,
which divides the flow equally to a
component of the system called the absorption
area.
There are different
types of absorption areas: (1) seepage
pits and (2) disposal fields –
beds or trenches, both of which serve
to deliver the waste effluent into
the soil. As the “clear”
wastewater filters through the soil,
organisms remove organic matter and
nutrients. In a properly operating
disposal system, there is no indication
above ground that this treatment process
is occurring. The length of time the
absorption area will function depends
upon many factors; however, the most
important factor is the proper use
and maintenance of the disposal system.
Bacteria
present in the septic tank live without
oxygen and digest the solids. However,
sludge solids accumulate in the septic
tank even after digestion occurs.
To prevent this material from entering
the disposal area, the septic tank
should be pumped every 2 to 3 years.
When the system is not properly maintained,
sewerage solids combine with the clear
wastewater and are pushed out to the
absorption area, clogging the filter
material. This effluent restricts
drainage and develops a failing absorption
area, which will cause infectious
waste to overflow onto the surface
of the ground, back up into the house,
or contaminate the ground water. Pumping
at regular frequencies will help promote
an extended absorption area life.
Once the disposal area fails, pumping
will not correct the condition.
back
|
| |
Proper
maintenance
|
|
A
new or recently emptied septic tank
should be evaluated within 2-3 years
by measuring the amount of solids that
have accumulated in the tank. When sludge
accumulates within 3 feet of the septic
tank’s outgoing pipe, it needs
to be pumped out. The scum layer at
the top of the tank may be approximately
3 to 6 inches thick and should not be
confused with the sludge at the bottom
of the tank. From a practical perspective,
pumping at the 2-year interval is recommended
even if there is limited sludge accumulation.
Baffles, which slow down the flow of
waste both into and out of the septic
tank, should be checked at the time
of the pumping to ensure they are intact
and functioning properly.
The
disposal field or seepage pit will
never require pumping or cleaning
as part of maintenance. Accumulated
water indicates that improper drainage
is occurring and solids have most
likely clogged the disposal area and
that some level of failure is occurring.
back
|
| |
Septic
system do's and don'ts
|
|
DO
learn the location of your septic tank
and absorption area. Keep a sketch of
it with your maintenance record handy
for service visits.
DO
have your septic tank cleaned regularly
by a licensed contractor every 2-3
years.
DO
keep your septic tank cover accessible
for inspections and cleanings. Have
risers installed if necessary.
DO
call a professional whenever you experience
problems with your septic system,
or if there are any signs of system
failure.
DO
keep a detailed record of repairs,
pumpings, inspections, permits issued,
and other maintenance activities.
DO
conserve water to avoid overloading
the system. Be sure to repair any
leaky faucets or toilets.
DO
divert other sources of water (i.e.
roof drains, house footing drains,
and sump pumps), away from the septic
system. Excessive water overloads
the soil in the absorption area and
keeps it from naturally cleansing
the wastewater.
DON’T
go down into a septic tank. Toxic
gases are produced by the natural
treatment processes in septic tanks
and can kill in minutes. Extreme care
should be taken when inspecting a
septic tank, even when just looking
in.
DON’T
allow anyone to drive or park over
any part of the system.
DON’T
plant anything over or near the absorption
area except grass. Roots from nearby
trees or shrubs may clog and damage
the drain lines.
DON’T
dig in your absorption area, build
anything over it, or cover the absorption
area with a hard surface (i.e. concrete
or asphalt). The area over the absorption
area should have only a grass cover.
The grass will not only prevent erosion,
but will help remove excess water.
DON’T
make or allow repairs to your septic
system without obtaining the required
health department permit. Always use
professional, licensed septic contractors
when needed.
DON’T
use your toilet as
a trash can or poison your septic
system and groundwater by pouring
harmful chemicals and cleansers down
the drain. Harsh chemicals can kill
the beneficial bacteria that treat
your wastewater.
DON’T
use a garbage disposal without checking
with your local regulatory agency
to make sure that your septic system
can accommodate this additional waste.
DON’T
allow backwash from home water softeners
to enter the septic system.
back
|
| |
Objects
not to flush
|
|
|
|
Coffee
grinds |
|
|
Dental
floss |
|
|
Disposable
diapers |
|
|
Kitty
litter |
|
|
Sanitary
napkins |
|
|
Feminine
hygiene products |
|
|
Cigarette
butts |
|
|
Condoms |
|
|
Fat,
grease or oil |
|
|
Paper
towels |
And hazardous
chemicals, such as:
|
|
Paints
|
|
|
Varnishes |
|
|
Thinners |
|
|
Waste
oils |
|
|
Photographic
solutions |
These
items can overtax or destroy the biological
digestion taking place within your
system.
back
|
| |
Glossary
of terms
|
| |
absorption
area or absorption bed:
an area to which effluent emerging from
a septic tank, aerobic unit, or sand
filter is distributed for infiltration
into the soil; only certain soil types
and geologic conditions are appropriate
for absorption areas. Synonym:
absorption bed, absorption field, leach
field, drain field, soil absorption
area
access port:
see inspection port
aerate:
to supply with air; in sewage treatment,
to mix air with sewage to promote biological
decomposition or treatment of the sewage.
aerobic:
living in the presence of oxygen; refers
to sewage-degrading bacteria (usually
in the soil) that must have oxygen to
survive.
Synonym:
aerobe, oxic
aerobic unit:
a sewage treatment device that mixes
air with sewage (see aerate) to facilitate
biological decomposition. Synonym:
aerobic package plant, package plant
aggregate:
washed gravel or stone with a diameter
of approximately ¾ - 1 ½
inches used as an effluent storage and
distribution medium in the absorption
area.
backwash:
usually refers to removing contaminants
from a water softener and sending the
brine discharge (containing high concentrations
of sodium, calcium, and magnesium) to
the sewage treatment unit; in some areas
this is not allowed if the sewage treatment
unit is a traditional septic system.
baffle:
a device installed in a septic tank
or distribution box to slow the velocity
of liquids and increase settling of
solids; limits movement of solids to
the absorption area,
Synonyms:
sanitary tee, deflector
black water:
liquid waste from toilets (as opposed
to gray water, the liquid waste from
sinks, washing machine, water treatment
devices, showers, tubs, etc.)
bio-mat: see organic mat
cesspool:
perforated concrete, stone, or cinder
block tank that receives household sewage
directly and does not follow a septic
tank or aerobic unit; not considered
by most health departments to be appropriate
for sewage treatment; often mistakenly
confused with a dry well or seepage
pit.
cleanout:
see inspection port
curtain drain:
a drain installed below the soil surface
to limit the flow of groundwater into
a sewage treatment system. Synonym:
vertical drain, under drain
decomposition:
rotting; in sewage treatment, reduction
of volume and type of wastes due to
action of microorganisms. Synonym:
digestion
distribution
box: a concrete, fiberglass,
or plastic box that is situated between
the septic tank and absorption area
to evenly distribute effluent by gravity
flow from the septic tank to the absorption
area.
Synonym:
distribution device, D-box
distribution
line: see lateral
dosing:
using a pump or siphon to move effluent
from the septic tank to the pipe network
of an absorption area; movement through
the pipe network is by gravity; dosing
assists in even distribution of the
wastewater into the absorption area;
not the same as pressure distribution,
which uses a pump to move effluent through
the pipe network.
drain field:
see absorption area
dry well:
an improper term for seepage pit; it
has nothing to do with wells.
dye test:
a test to determine leaks/failure in
the onsite sewage treatment system;
a fluorescent dye is added to the toilet
tank, and the sewage treatment system
is examined for evidence of dye appearance.
effluent:
the liquid that is released to or from
a septic tank or aerobic unit; raw effluent
is that which has not been treated in
any way; treated effluent is that which
has gone through a septic tank, aerobic
unit, or absorption area.
enzymes:
in sewage treatment, a substance produced
by living cells that is marketed as
an additive for septic tanks to speed
decomposition of solids.
failed system:
a sewage treatment system that no longer
effectively treats household waste;
generally has a visible surface discharge,
or may be indicated by plumbing system
back ups.
french drain:
see curtain drain
gray water:
effluent from household sinks, shower/
bathtub, clothes washer, water treatment
units, etc., that does not contain toilet
waste.
groundwater:
subsurface water that originates as
rain or snow melt; groundwater seeps
through the soil profile until reaching
a depth where all soil/rock pores are
filled; the top of this saturated zone
is called the water table.
holding tank:
a watertight tank, similar to a septic
tank, that collects waste and holds
it until it can be pumped and transported
to a sewage treatment system; used on
small lots with no suitable absorption
area or in a location too isolated for
a community system; use is frequently
restricted by health department regulations.
hydraulic load:
the amount of effluent applied to the
absorption area; can be decreased by
using water conservation devices; hydraulic
overloading occurs when the absorption
area receives more effluent than it
can effectively treat.
inlet pipe:
the pipe conveying wastewater into a
vessel (septic tank, distribution box,
etc.).
inspection
port: an access hole in the
septic tank to allow inspection of the
tank or its contents; often there are
two smaller inspection ports over both
the inlet and outlet lines, and a larger
central one through which the tank is
cleaned. Synonym:
manhole, access port, clean-out
lateral:
the pipe in an absorption area that
contains regularly spaced holes to release
effluent into the media such as sand
or aggregate and then into the soil.
leach field:
see absorption area
liquid layer:
wastewater in a septic tank that is
between the overlying layer (scum) and
the underlying layer (sludge); after
exiting the septic tank, the liquid
layer becomes effluent that flows to
the absorption area.
manhole:
see inspection port
multi-compartment
tank: a septic tank with
more than one chamber to increase removal/separation
of solids (primary treatment).
Synonym:
dual-chamber tank
onsite sewage
treatment: a general term
referring to any of the various systems
for treating waste emanating from a
household plumbing fixture or water
treatment unit.
organic mat:
the microorganisms and organic matter
that build up around a soil absorption
area at the mediasoil interface; can
be especially prevalent with sand filters.
outlet pipe:
the pipe conveying wastewater out of
a vessel (septic tank, distribution
box, etc.).
percolation
or perc test: a method of
determining the suitability of the soil
for an absorption area; a test hole
is dug, water added to the hole, and
the rate of infiltration of water into
the soil is determined.
pressure distribution:
using a pump to distribute septic tank
or aerobic unit effluent through the
pipe network of a soil absorption area
resulting in a more even distribution
of effluent over the soil than does
gravity distribution.
sanitary tee:
see baffle
saturated soil:
soil that has all spaces between soil
particles filled with liquid.
scum:
the wastewater in a septic tank that
is less dense than the liquid layer
and floats on top of the liquid layer.
seepage pit:
a covered pit with a perforated lining
that accepts effluent from a septic
tank and allows it to infiltrate the
surrounding soil; may replace the soil
absorption area and often incorrectly
called a cesspool.
Synonym:
leaching pit.
septage:
the contents (sludge, liquid layer,
and scum) extracted from a septic tank.
septic tank:
a watertight concrete, fiberglass, polyethylene,
or steel tank that is buried in the
ground and accepts sewage from a household.
sludge:
the accumulated solids that settle to
the bottom of a septic tank.
Synonym:
solids layer.
suspended solids:
solid material that is suspended in
the liquid layer.
trench:
an excavated area of soil in the absorption
area into which aggregate and perforated
pipe are laid for the purpose of distributing
septic tank or aerobic unit effluent.
Synonym:
absorption trench
vent:
an outlet for gases from the sewage
treatment system.
back
Septic
Service NJ and Septic Service N
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| |
Pumping/Maintenance
|
|
| |
 |
| |
Coppola
Services offers the following:
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| |
Septic
Service NJ and Septic Service NY |
|
| |
Repair/Remediation |
|
| |
|
| |
From
a small residential
property to a large commercial property,
Coppola Services has the equipment and the
manpower needed to get
the job done right and done quickly.
Request
Proposal |
|
|
 |
|
|
| |
Septic
Inspection NJ and Septic Inspection NY |
|
| |
Inspection |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Septic
Cleaning NJ and Septic Cleaning NY |
|
| |
Bulk
Hauling |
|
| |
|
| |
Coppola
Services offers bulk hauling services
|
|
|
 |
| SSeptic
Repair NJ and Septic Repair NY |
| Designed
and Hosted by Alonso
Consulting |
|
|
|
