- Briefly discuss the OSST and its 2 components.

➢ The building sewer, which flows from the building into a septic tank and then into a
distribution box that discharges the fluid (effluent) into a drainage field or disposal field,
is generally referred to as an On-site sewage treatment (OSST) systems or septic system.
A mound drains field system, an aerobic treatment unit, a gray-water system tank, a
grease interceptor, a dosing tank, and a solids or effluent pump are all examples of
complex systems. The Primary Treatment Component and the Disposal Component are
the two parts of OSST.
o Primary Treatment Component - Primary treatment equipment, such as tanks or
filters, is used to treat wastewater from a building. Anaerobic digestion and solids
settlement in wastewater occur during the first treatment phase.
o Disposal Component - A drainage field provides secondary treatment and is the final
disposal location for clarified effluent from wastewater. A piping network carries
effluent from a septic or pump tank to the drainage field for further treatment within
the soil or disbursement into the air.

- Enumerate the "Primary Treatment Equipment" used for OSST

➢ Septic Tank
➢ Aerobic Tank
➢ Pump Tank
➢ Sand Filters
➢ Trash/Grease Tank
➢ Cesspool
➢ High-Level Alarm

- Enumerate types of "Drainage Fields"

➢ Absorption Drainage Field
➢ Gravel-less Drain Fields
➢ Evaporation Bed/ Trench Drainage Field
➢ Low-Pressure Dosing Drainage Field
➢ Absorption Mounds
➢ Spray Distribution
➢ Leaching Chamber Drainage Field
➢ Subsurface Drip Drainage Field
➢ Seepage Pit
 - Briefly discuss the Soil and Water Tests for OSST
➢ Soil is an important part of an OSST system because it treats and disposes of the septic tank
effluent. A soil evaluation is an assessment of subsurface soil conditions at a specific site that is
conducted under the supervision of a professional engineer or professional geologist. The
evaluation involves boring test holes to a depth of 6 to 8 ft (depending on local regulations) at
the site to examine the soil profile. A soil percolation test is a subsurface soil test that
determines the soil's water absorption capabilities at the depth of a proposed absorption
system. The soil percolation rate, or how quickly water seeps through wet soil, is determined by
this test. A soil percolation test is required for any system dependent on soil absorption for
effluent disposal. The BOD test determines how much dissolved oxygen organisms will require
to breakdown pollutants in wastewater. This test is critical for determining how much treatment
wastewater will be required as well as the potential impact on receiving waters. The coliform
test examines if wastewater has been properly treated and whether the water is safe to
consume and swim in. Coliform bacteria are considerably easier to find and identify in
wastewater than viruses and other pathogens that cause serious infections because they are
numerous in human waste.