Septic system Study Guide with
Complete Solutions
Septic tank? - Answer - ✔ A wastewater tank in a private sewage disposal system which
promotes the growth and reproduction of bacteria in order to break up and decompose
organic matter.
Define septic? - Answer - ✔ Destructive action of bacteria on organic material
What are the components of a typical septic system? - Answer - ✔ Septic tank, effluent
distribution box, leach field
Anaerobic bacteria? - Answer - ✔ Bacteria that live and grow in the absence of oxygen
Scum? - Answer - ✔ Fats, oil, and grease that float to the top of the septic tank, lighter
than water.
Effluent? - Answer - ✔ The discharge which flows out of the septic tank
Sludge? - Answer - ✔ Solids which collect at the bottom of the septic tank where most
bacteria lives
What are the two main cause of septic tank failure? - Answer - ✔ clogging of distribution
system or disruption of septic tank bacteria
What is the perfect soil type of a septic system and why? - Answer - ✔ course granular
because it drains well
Percolation test - Answer - ✔ Determines the water absorption rate of soil for a septic
drain field or "leach field"
Septic tank - Answer - ✔ typically underground, sewage is collected and allowed to
decompose through bacterial activity before draining by means of a leach field,
Raw sewage - Answer - ✔ effluent, sewer water, waste, waste material, waste matter,
waste product
Distribution box - Answer - ✔ A small tank or box taking immediate discharge of the
septic tank and distributing it in two or more directions
Leach field - Answer - ✔ A piping installation designed to disperse the septic tank
discharge into the soil to be evaporated or absorbed.
Complete Solutions
Septic tank? - Answer - ✔ A wastewater tank in a private sewage disposal system which
promotes the growth and reproduction of bacteria in order to break up and decompose
organic matter.
Define septic? - Answer - ✔ Destructive action of bacteria on organic material
What are the components of a typical septic system? - Answer - ✔ Septic tank, effluent
distribution box, leach field
Anaerobic bacteria? - Answer - ✔ Bacteria that live and grow in the absence of oxygen
Scum? - Answer - ✔ Fats, oil, and grease that float to the top of the septic tank, lighter
than water.
Effluent? - Answer - ✔ The discharge which flows out of the septic tank
Sludge? - Answer - ✔ Solids which collect at the bottom of the septic tank where most
bacteria lives
What are the two main cause of septic tank failure? - Answer - ✔ clogging of distribution
system or disruption of septic tank bacteria
What is the perfect soil type of a septic system and why? - Answer - ✔ course granular
because it drains well
Percolation test - Answer - ✔ Determines the water absorption rate of soil for a septic
drain field or "leach field"
Septic tank - Answer - ✔ typically underground, sewage is collected and allowed to
decompose through bacterial activity before draining by means of a leach field,
Raw sewage - Answer - ✔ effluent, sewer water, waste, waste material, waste matter,
waste product
Distribution box - Answer - ✔ A small tank or box taking immediate discharge of the
septic tank and distributing it in two or more directions
Leach field - Answer - ✔ A piping installation designed to disperse the septic tank
discharge into the soil to be evaporated or absorbed.
