How does a conventional septic system work?
Generally, wastewater generated in the house is transported to the septic tank via the building sewer. Wastewater stays in the septic tank for approximately two days, and during this time the solids settle out and oil and scum float to the top. Only the remaining liquid moves out to the leaching bed. In the leaching bed, the liquid is dispersed into the native soils where it is treated by a variety of chemical, physical and biological means and eventually returned to the groundwater. It is very important that solids are retained in the septic tank and not conveyed to the leaching bed, as they can quickly clog a trench and cause failure of the bed.
