What Do You Know About Septic Tanks?
 | Septic tanks were invented by a Frenchman by the name Louis Mouras in September 1881, these tanks were then introduced in the USA in 1883 and later in the UK in 1895. The first septic tank to be installed and fully used in Great Britain was in 1896. The tank served the whole town and it was installed under the supervision of the then city surveyor by the name Donald Cameron. Most households in the United Kingdom depend on their own mini sewerage treatment plan. One of the key components of this septic system is a septic tank. A septic tank is a large holding tank that is either made of bricks, hard plastic or fiber glass that is buried underground. Septic tanks used to be accepted as a sewage disposal method and waste water treatment in the rural areas. Today, these tanks are widely used and they are only allowed for populations of at least 15 people. Septic Tanks All the waste water from showers, sinks, toilets and baths in the house is discharged into septic tanks. All these tanks work on the same principle where waste water flows into them through an inlet pipe. The tank is usually gravity fed as such when you flush the toilet the contents run own the sewer pipes into the tank. Over time, the solids settle at the bottom of the tank whilst the scum remains afloat. In between the scum and the bottom of the tank is a fairly clear water layer. Anaerobic bacterium which colonizes the tank breaks down the sludge by up to 70%. The fairly clear water flows out through the outlet pipes into the drain fields. The baffles or T-pipes that separate the first chamber from the second prevent the floating scum layer from entering the outlet pipe. To prevent the soil from becoming over saturated with solids, the septic tank should be emptied once or twice a year unless if the tank is undersized for the population it serves. The sludge and scum layers should also be measured annually so that the soil in the drain field does not become clogged and unable to treat the septic tank effluent efficiently thereby causing a drainage problem. Strong covers should be placed over the tanks to prevent animals or playing children from falling into them. Today septic tanks are made from sturdy plastic and fiberglass and they are spherical or onion shaped, characterized by a narrow shaft at the top and a septic tank cover at ground level. The quality of waste water discharged by these tanks is very different from earlier version of septic tanks that were made from brick or concrete. To allow the waste water to drain properly an ample field with a soil type that is not too fine and not too coarse is preferred to allow the water to drain away. Therefore, before installing a septic tank, a porosity or percolation test should be done. Vent pipes should also be installed from the chambers to let out the venting gases produced by the sludge which are mostly hydrogen sulphide and methane.Checking all the parts of your septic system regularly is very important to ensure that its performance is optimal. You should also check your lids to ensure that they are in proper working condition. When cleaning your toilet, only use those disinfectants that have been labelled to be suitable for septic tanks to avoid interfering with the bacterial balance in the tank. One short-coming that you may encounter while using onion shaped septic tanks is the collapse of the baffle. In the event that the baffle collapses after getting dislodged from the hooks the liquids from the two chambers mix up and they all flow out into the drain field. When that happens the soakaway becomes blocked up and drainage problems arise. Most drain fields have a life span of about 10 to 150 years. If you observe water pools and soggy patches in the garden above the soakway, your drainfield might have begun failing. To fix this, a new soakaway may be needed. To reduce soil erosion, you can plant grass or flowers in the garden. Trees with aggressive roots should not be planted near the septic system as the roots might grow into the lines and the drain field causing great damage. Septic Tank |
