What exactly is a septic tank?
JSA: The septic tank is a large container usually buried near the home that receives all of the waste water. Solids settle to the bottom and grease and lighter solids float on the top. Healthy bacteria continually break down these materials and allow effluent water to leave the tank to be dispersed through the leach field. If the water has sludge present, the system is in shut down mode, (failure).
The conventional septic tank is usually a concrete, fiberglass, or steel box where the wastewater from the house collects. Wastewater from toilets, bathtubs, showers, laundry, kitchen, etc., is fed into this tank. It is designed to hold the water for two or three days or long enough for most of the heavy suspended material such as feces, soil, grit, and food residues to sink to the bottom of the tank to form a sludge.
