WHAT IS A SEPTIC TANK AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
A septic tank is nothing more than a chamber, usually concrete, but sometimes plastic or fiberglass. All waste water from the home is plumbed to discharge into the septic tank. Once in the tank, the solids settle to the bottom, the light items such as grease and hair float to the top. The center of the tank is where the clearer water is. At the bottom of the tank, anaerobic bacteria (bacteria which do not require air to live) will perform some breakdown of the solids. Once a septic tank is full, it stays full. When 10 gallons is sent into the full tank, 10 gallons should discharge to the drainfield.
