what is the purpose of a septic tank? - Answer - ✔ removes solid materials from waste
water and to filter water before it returns to the water table
why is a septic tank compartmentalized? - Answer - ✔ to break down and destroy the
materials deposited in the septic tank
what are the components of a typical septic system? - Answer - ✔ household collection
system, septic tank, effluent distribution, drain field, replacement area
what are the three fractions of a septic tank? - Answer - ✔ scum, effluent, sludge
what is scum? - Answer - ✔ fats, oil and grease that float to top of septic tank, lighter
than water
what is effluent? - Answer - ✔ semi-treated waste water that comprised majority of
materials in septic tank
what is sludge? - Answer - ✔ solids which collect at the bottom of the septic tank where
most bacteria lives, inorganic
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 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 container located at the outlet of a septic tank to
distribute the effluent evenly in the absorption field
leach field - Answer - ✔ removes contaminants and impurities from the liquid that
emerges from a septic tank