Septic tank

A septic tank is an underground chamber made of concrete, fiberglass, or plastic through which sewage flows for basic sewage treatment.^[1] Settling and anaerobic digestion processes reduce solids and organic material. The treated liquid effluent is commonly disposed of in a septic drain field. This provides further treatment. Nonetheless, groundwater pollution may occur and can be a problem.

The term "septic" refers to the anaerobic bacterial environment that develops in the tank that decomposes or mineralizes the waste discharged into the tank. Septic tanks can be coupled with other onsite wastewater treatment units such as biofilters or aerobic systems involving artificially forced aeration.^[2]

1. ↑ Tilley, Elizabeth; Ulrich, Lukas; Lüthi, Christoph; Reymond, Philippe; Zurbrügg, Chris (2014). "Septic tanks". Compendium of Sanitation Systems and Technologies (2nd ed.). Duebendorf, Switzerland: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag). ISBN 978-3906484570.
2. ↑ "Septic Systems for Waste Water Disposal". American Ground Water Trust. Archived from the original on 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2008-05-20.