What is the difference between a Septic Tank and a Treatment plant?
A Septic Tank is a multi-chamber storage tank allowing liquid and solid waste to separate: The liquid is allowed to flow out of the tank and be disposed of separately. Firstly the sewage enters a settlement chamber, allowing solid waste (sludge) to sink and the liquid to rise to the surface. The surface liquid makes contact with oxygen and the organic matter starts to breakdown biologically. This liquid still contains sewage but in small enough particles to be carried through the discharge outlet and into the ground (soakaway). Septic Tanks only partially treat sewage. Many areas of the UK & Ireland prohibit the installation of Septic Tanks. A Treatment Plant is a packaged miniature sewage-works that converts raw sewage into water effluent and solid waste (sludge). These ‘packaged’ plants come in all shapes and sizes but all use the same science in their process of tackling sewage – Putting bacteria into contact with oxygen and food (organic waste) results in a natural biological break
