Septic tank

A septic tank is an underground chamber

made of concrete, fiberglass, or plastic
through which domestic wastewater
(sewage) flows for basic sewage
treatment.[2] Settling and anaerobic
digestion processes reduce solids and
organics, but the treatment efficiency is
only moderate (referred to as "primary
treatment").[2] Septic tank systems are a
type of simple onsite sewage facility. They
can be used in areas that are not
connected to a sewerage system, such as
rural areas. The treated liquid effluent is
commonly disposed in a septic drain field,
which provides further treatment.
Nonetheless, groundwater pollution may
occur and can be a problem.
 Septic tank

A septic tank being installed in the ground

Position in sanitation Collection and

chain storage/treatment
(on-site)[1]

Application level Household or

neighborhood level
(schools, hotels
etc.)[1]
Management level Household, public,
shared (most
common is household
level)[1]

Inputs blackwater (waste),

greywater,
brownwater[1]

Outputs Fecal sludge,

effluent[1]

Types Single tank or multi-

chamber septic tanks
(potentially with
baffles)[1]

Environmental Groundwater
concerns pollution, water
 pollution e g during

The term "septic" refers to the anaerobic

bacterial environment that develops in the
tank that decomposes or mineralizes the
waste discharged into the tank. Septic
tanks can be coupled with other onsite
wastewater treatment units such as
biofilters or aerobic systems involving
artificially forced aeration.[3]

The rate of accumulation of sludge—also

called septage or fecal sludge—is faster
than the rate of decomposition.[2]
Therefore, the accumulated fecal sludge
must be periodically removed, which is
commonly done with a vacuum truck.[4]

Description

Schematic of a septic tank[2]

Septic tank and septic drain field

A septic tank consists of one or more
concrete or plastic tanks of between 4,000
and 7,500 litres (1,000 and 2,000 gallons);
one end is connected to an inlet
wastewater pipe and the other to a septic
drain field. Generally these pipe
connections are made with a T pipe,
allowing liquid to enter and exit without
disturbing any crust on the surface. Today,
the design of the tank usually incorporates
two chambers, each equipped with an
access opening and cover, and separated
by a dividing wall with openings located
about midway between the floor and roof
of the tank.
Wastewater enters the first chamber of the
tank, allowing solids to settle and scum to
float. The settled solids are anaerobically
digested, reducing the volume of solids.
The liquid component flows through the
dividing wall into the second chamber,
where further settlement takes place. The
excess liquid, now in a generally clear
condition, then drains from the outlet into
the septic drain field, also referred to as a
leach field, drain field or seepage field,
depending upon locality. A percolation test
is required prior to installation to ensure
the porosity of the soil is adequate to
serve as a drain field.[5][6]
The remaining impurities are trapped and
eliminated in the soil, with the excess
water eliminated through percolation into
the soil, through evaporation, and by
uptake through the root system of plants
and eventual transpiration or entering
groundwater or surface water. A piping
network, often laid in a stone-filled trench
(see weeping tile), distributes the
wastewater throughout the field with
multiple drainage holes in the network.
The size of the drain field is proportional to
the volume of wastewater and inversely
proportional to the porosity of the drainage
field. The entire septic system can operate
by gravity alone or, where topographic
considerations require, with inclusion of a
lift pump.

Certain septic tank designs include

siphons or other devices to increase the
volume and velocity of outflow to the
drainage field. These help to fill the
drainage pipe more evenly and extend the
drainage field life by preventing premature
clogging or bioclogging.

An Imhoff tank is a two-stage septic

system where the sludge is digested in a
separate tank. This avoids mixing digested
sludge with incoming sewage. Also, some
septic tank designs have a second stage
where the effluent from the anaerobic first
stage is aerated before it drains into the
seepage field.

A properly designed and normally

operating septic system is odour-free.
Besides periodic inspection and emptying,
a septic tank should last for decades with
minimal maintenance, with concrete,
fibreglass, or plastic tanks lasting about
50 years.[7]

Emptying (desludging)
A vacuum truck used to empty septic tanks in Germany

Waste that is not decomposed by the

anaerobic digestion must eventually be
removed from the septic tank. Otherwise
the septic tank fills up and wastewater
containing undecomposed material
discharges directly to the drainage field.
Not only is this detrimental for the
environment but, if the sludge overflows
the septic tank into the leach field, it may
clog the leach field piping or decrease the
soil porosity itself, requiring expensive
repairs.

When a septic tank is emptied, the

accumulated sludge (septage, also known
as fecal sludge[8]) is pumped out of the
tank by a vacuum truck. How often the
septic tank must be emptied depends on
the volume of the tank relative to the input
of solids, the amount of indigestible solids,
and the ambient temperature (because
anaerobic digestion occurs more
efficiently at higher temperatures), as well
as usage, system characteristics and the
requirements of the relevant authority.
Some health authorities require tanks to
be emptied at prescribed intervals, while
others leave it up to the decision of an
inspector. Some systems require pumping
every few years or sooner, while others
may be able to go 10–20 years between
pumpings. An older system with an
undersize tank that is being used by a
large family will require much more
frequent pumping than a new system used
by only a few people. Anaerobic
decomposition is rapidly restarted when
the tank is refilled.

Services for desludging should not empty

a septic tank completely but leave some
settled solids in the septic tank to leave
some of the microbial populations in place
to continue the anaerobic degradation
processes. An empty tank may be
damaged by hydrostatic pressure causing
the tank to partially "float" out of the
ground, especially in flood situations or
very wet ground conditions.[9]

Another option is "scheduled desludging"

of septic tanks which has been initiated in
several Asian countries including the
Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia,
and India.[10] In this process, every
property is covered along a defined route
and the property occupiers are informed in
advance about desludging that will take
place.

Maintenance
The maintenance of a septic system is
often the responsibility of the resident or
property owner. Some forms of abuse or
neglect include the following:

User's actions

Excessive disposal of cooking oils and

grease can cause the inlet drains to
block. Oils and grease are often difficult
to degrade and can cause odor
problems and difficulties with the
periodic emptying.
Flushing non-biodegradable waste items
down the toilet such as cigarette butts,
cotton buds/swabs or menstrual
hygiene products and condoms can
cause a septic tank to clog and fill
rapidly, so these materials should not be
disposed of in that manner. The same
applies when the toilet is connected to a
sewer rather than a septic tank.
Using the toilet for disposal of food
waste can cause a rapid overload of the
system with solids and contribute to
failure.[11]
 Certain chemicals may damage the
components of a septic tank or kill the
bacteria needed in the septic tank for
the system to operate properly, such as
pesticides, herbicides, materials with
high concentrations of bleach or caustic
soda (lye), or any other inorganic
materials such as paints or solvents.[12]
Using water softeners - the brine
discharge from water softeners may
harm the bacteria responsible for
breaking down the wastewater. Usually,
however, the brine is sufficiently diluted
with other wastewater that it does not
adversely affect the septic system.[13]

Other factors
Other factors

Roots from trees and shrubbery

protruding above the tank or drainfield
may clog and/or rupture them. Trees
that are directly within the vicinity of a
concrete septic tank have the potential
to penetrate the tank as the system
ages and the concrete begins to develop
cracks and small leaks. Tree roots can
cause serious flow problems due to
plugging and blockage of drain pipes,
and the trees themselves tend to expand
extremely vigorously due to the ready
supply of nutrients from the septic
system.
Playgrounds and storage buildings may
cause damage to a tank and the
drainage field. In addition, covering the
drainage field with an impermeable
surface, such as a driveway or parking
area, will seriously affect its efficiency
and possibly damage the tank and
absorption system.
Excessive water entering the system
may overload it and cause it to fail.
Very high rainfall, rapid snowmelt, and
flooding from rivers or the sea can all
prevent a drain field from operating, and
can cause flow to back up, interfering
with the normal operation of the tank.
 High winter water tables can also result
in groundwater flowing back into the
septic tank.
Over time, biofilms develop on the pipes
of the drainage field, which can lead to
blockage. Such a failure can be referred
to as "biomat failure".

Septic tank additives

Septic tank additives have been promoted

by some manufacturers with the aim to
improve the effluent quality from septic
tanks, reduce sludge build-up and to
reduce odors. These additives—which are
commonly based on "effective
microorganisms"—are usually costly in the
longer term and fail to live up to
expectations.[14] It has been estimated
that in the U.S. more than 1,200 septic
system additives were available on the
market in 2011.[15] Very little peer-reviewed
and replicated field research exists
regarding the efficacy of these biological
septic tank additives.[15]

Environmental concerns

A septic tank before installation, with manhole cover on top

The same tank partially installed in the ground

While a properly maintained and located

septic tank poses no higher amount of
environmental problems than centralized
municipal sewage treatment,[16] certain
problems could arise with a septic tank in
an unsuitable location, and septic tank
failures are typically more expensive to fix
or replace than municipal sewer.[16] Since
septic systems require large drainfields,
they are unsuitable for densely built areas.
Odor and gas emissions

Some constituents of wastewater,

especially sulfates, under the anaerobic
conditions of septic tanks, are reduced to
hydrogen sulfide, a pungent and toxic gas.
Methane may also be released. Nitrates
and organic nitrogen compounds can be
reduced to ammonia. Because of the
anaerobic conditions, fermentation
processes take place, which may generate
carbon dioxide and/or methane.

Nutrients in the effluent

Septic tanks by themselves are ineffective
at removing nitrogen compounds that
have potential to cause algal blooms in
waterways into which affected water from
a septic system finds its way. This can be
remedied by using a nitrogen-reducing
technology,[17] or by simply ensuring that
the leach field is properly sited to prevent
direct entry of effluent into bodies of
water.

The fermentation processes cause the

contents of a septic tank to be anaerobic
with a low redox potential, which keeps
phosphates in a soluble and, thus,
mobilized form. Phosphates discharged
from a septic tank into the environment
can trigger prolific plant growth including
algal blooms, which can also include
blooms of potentially toxic cyanobacteria.

The soil's capacity to retain phosphorus is

usually large enough to handle the load
through a normal residential septic tank.
An exception occurs when septic drain
fields are located in sandy or coarser soils
on property adjacent to a water body.
Because of limited particle surface area,
these soils can become saturated with
phosphates. Phosphates will progress
beyond the treatment area, posing a threat
of eutrophication to surface waters.[18]
Pathogens

Diseases extremely dangerous to human

contact such as E. coli and other coliform
bacteria are often reported following
failures of septic tanks.[19]

A properly functioning septic system, on

the other hand, provides significant
reduction of pathogens compared to direct
discharge due to settling (in the tank) and
soil absorption (in the drain field). Log
reductions of 4–8 for coliform bacteria, 0–
2 for viruses are achieved in the effluent.
Parasitic worm eggs are also removed.
Additional filters may be added to improve
removal performance although they will
need to be replaced periodically.[20]

Groundwater pollution

In areas with high population density,

groundwater pollution beyond acceptable
limits may occur. Some small towns
experience the costs of building very
expensive centralized wastewater
treatment systems because of this
problem, due to the high cost of extended
collection systems. To reduce residential
development that might increase the
demand to construct an expensive
centralized sewerage system, building
moratoriums and limitations on the
subdivision of property are often imposed.
Ensuring existing septic tanks are
functioning properly can also be helpful for
a limited time, but becomes less effective
as a primary remediation strategy as
population density increases.

Surface water pollution

In areas adjacent to water bodies with fish

or shellfish intended for human
consumption, improperly maintained and
failing septic systems contribute to
pollution levels that can force harvest
restrictions and/or commercial or
recreational harvest closures.

Use
In the United States, the 2007 American
Housing Survey indicated that about 20
percent of all households rely on septic
tanks,[21] and that the overwhelming
majority of systems are located in rural
(50%) and suburban (47%) areas.[21]
Indianapolis is one example of a large city
where many of the city's neighborhoods
still rely on separate septic systems.[22] In
Europe, septic systems are generally
limited to rural areas.
Regulations

European Union

In the European Union the EN 12566

standard provides the general
requirements for packaged and site
assembled treatment plants used for
domestic wastewater treatment.

Part 1 (EN 12566-1) is for septic tanks that

are prefabricated or factory manufactured
and made of polyethylene, glass
reinforced polyester, polypropylene, PVC-U,
steel or concrete. Part 4 (EN 12566-4)
regulates septic tanks that are assembled
on site from prefabricated kits, generally
of concrete construction. Certified septic
tanks of both types must pass a
standardized hydraulic test to assess their
ability to retain suspended solids within
the system. Additionally, their structural
adequacy in relevant ground conditions is
assessed in terms of water-tightness,
treatment efficiency, and structural
behaviour.[23]

France

In France, about 4 million households (or

20% of the population) are using on-site
wastewater disposal systems
(l’assainissement non collectif),[24]
including septic tanks (fosse septique).
The legal framework for regulating the
construction and maintenance of septic
systems was introduced in 1992 and
updated in 2009 and 2012 with the intent
to establish the technical requirements
applicable to individual sewerage
systems.[25] Septic tanks in France are
subject to inspection by SPANC (Service
Public d’Assainissement Non Collectif), a
professional body appointed by the
respective local authorities to enforce
wastewater collection laws, at least once
in four years. Following the introduction of
EN 12566, the discharge of effluent
directly into ditches or watercourses is
prohibited, unless the effluent meets
prescribed standards.[26]

Ireland

According to the Census of Ireland 2011,

27.5% of Irish households (i.e. about
440,000 households), with the majority in
rural areas, use an individual septic
tank.[27]

Following a European Court of Justice

judgment made against Ireland in 2009
that deemed the country non-compliant
with the Waste Framework Directive in
relation to domestic wastewaters
disposed of in the countryside, the Water
Services (Amendment) Act 2012 was
passed in order to regulate wastewater
discharges from domestic sources that
are not connected to the public sewer
network and to provide arrangements for
registration and inspection of existing
individual domestic wastewater treatment
systems.[28][29]

Additionally, a code of practice has been

developed by the Environmental Protection
Agency to regulate the planning and
construction of new septic tanks,
secondary treatment systems, septic drain
fields and filter systems.[30] Direct
discharge of septic tank effluent into
groundwater is prohibited in Ireland, while
the indirect discharge via unsaturated
subsoil into groundwater, e.g. by means of
a septic drain field, or the direct discharge
into surface water is permissible in
accordance with a Water Pollution Act
license.[30] Registered septic tanks must
be desludged by an authorized contractor
at least once a year; the removed fecal
sludge is disposed of, either to a managed
municipal wastewater treatment facility or
to agriculture provided that nutrient
management regulations are met.[30]

United Kingdom
 g

Since 2015, only certain property owners

in England and Wales with septic tanks or
small packaged sewage treatment
systems need to register their systems,
and either apply for a permit or qualify for
an exemption with the Environment
Agency.[31] Permits need to be granted to
systems that discharge more than a
certain volume of effluent in a given time
or that discharge effluent directly into
sensitive areas (e.g., some groundwater
protection zones).[32] In general, permits
are not granted for new septic tanks that
discharge directly into surface waters. A
septic tank discharging into a watercourse
must be replaced or upgraded by 1
January 2020 to a Sewage Treatment
Plant (also called an Onsite sewage
facility), or sooner if the property is sold
before this date, or if the Environment
Agency (EA) finds that it is causing
pollution.

In Northern Ireland, the Department of the

Environment must give permission for all
wastewater discharges where it is
proposed that the discharge will go to a
waterway or soil infiltration system. The
discharge consent will outline conditions
relating to the quality and quantity of the
discharge in order to ensure the receiving
waterway or the underground aquifer can
absorb the discharge.[33]

The Water Environment Regulations 2011

regulate the registration of septic tank
systems in Scotland. Proof of registration
is required when new properties are being
developed or existing properties change
ownership.[34]

Australia

In Australia, septic tank design and

installation requirements are regulated by
State Governments, through Departments
of Health and Environmental Protection
Agencies. Regulation may include Codes
of Practice[35][36] and Legislation.[37]
Regulatory requirements for the design
and installation of septic tanks commonly
references Australian Standards (1547 and
1546). Capacity requirements for septic
tanks may be outlined within Codes of
Practice, and can vary between states.

Mainly because of water leaching from the

effluent drains of a lot of closely spaced
septic systems,[38] many council districts
(e.g. Sunshine Coast, Queensland) have
banned septic systems, and require them
to be replaced with much more expensive
small-scale sewage treatment systems
that actively pump air into the tank,
producing an aerobic environment. Septic
systems have to be replaced as part of any
new building applications, regardless of
how well the old system performed.

United States

According to the US Environmental

Protection Agency, in the United States it
is the home owners' responsibility to
maintain their septic systems.[39] Anyone
who ignores this requirement will
eventually experience costly repairs when
solids escape the tank and clog the
clarified liquid effluent disposal system.
In Washington, for example, a "shellfish
protection district" or "clean water district"
is a geographic service area designated by
a county to protect water quality and
tideland resources. The district provides a
mechanism to generate local funds for
water quality services to control non-point
sources of pollution, such as septic
system maintenance. The district also
serves as an educational resource, calling
attention to the pollution sources that
threaten shellfish growing waters.[40]

Slang usage
The term "septic tank", or more usually
"septic", is used in Britain and Australia as
a slang term to refer to Americans,[41] from
Cockney rhyming slang septic tank =
yank.[42] This is sometimes further
shortened to "seppo".[43]

See also
Cesspit
Fecal sludge management
Grease trap
Sanitation

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2. Tilley, Elizabeth; Ulrich, Lukas; Lüthi,

Christoph; Reymond, Philippe; Zurbrügg,
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External links
Septic Systems - U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (https://www.epa.go
v/septic)

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