Septic Systems – Part 1

This is the first in a four-part series about private, on-site waste management systems. 

By Deborah Rutter

Imagine that you move in to your new house only to discover you can’t shower, flush the toilet, run the dishwasher, do a load of laundry, or even brush your teeth. You might as well be camping! In this four-part series, we’ll cover four areas surrounding private septic systems:

  1. Understanding septic systems in general and how they work.
  2. How to tell if a property has a septic system, where it is located, and why you should inspect it as part of a purchase.
  3. Preparing for and understanding a septic inspection.
  4. Care and use of your septic system once you move in.

PART 1:  Understanding Septic Systems and How They Work

Every time you flush the toilet, take a shower, run the dishwasher or washing machine, you create waste water. If you leave in a city or in the suburbs, chances are you pay an additional fee as part of your water bill to have the waste water taken care of, too. But if you live in a more rural area, or just in an older home what was never updated and connected to the local treatment plant and sewer system, you might be on a private septic system. Private septic systems are common in about one-quarter of U.S. households, and use a combination of engineering, components, soil, and time to break down and treat wastewater and solids, returning both back to the earth to eventually become clean groundwater again.

Private septic systems are typically on the land for which the property is being served. Several homes might share a single, large septic area and some communities or subdivisions handle their own waste on site. There are a variety of kinds of systems and most of these require permits from the local municipality or state, to be sure that clean groundwater for drinking and other uses is not inadvertently contaminated.

These systems can be gravity fed (with or without a pump depending on the soil and terrain), have holding tanks or above-ground cesspools, might mound and sand systems and as well as a variety of approaches that are managed by computers just below the surface. Each municipality has a process to determine what is allowable in general in the area, and then what is specifically required on-site. New, to-be-installed systems typically involve a soil engineer who comes on site and take samples to ensure the soil content, size of the particles, size of the land parcel, and property elevation contours (common in central Virginia!) are suitable for the type(s) of allowable systems. Those requirements are then given to a local septic installer who uses them like a blueprint to install a new system.

Like any new construction project, the experience of the laborers and managers, the quality and application of the right kinds of materials for the job, the installation on-site, even the time of year and weather can impact how well a new system is installed and then functions over time. A well-installed and cared-for gravity system might last 30-40 years with very minimal upkeep from an owner. A poorly installed system can fail in months and even one properly installed but badly cared for (or worse, ignored) by a seller or owner can spell trouble no matter when it was installed.

While there are many kinds of systems, they all broadly work under the same general premise: waste leaves the house, barn, garage, etc, to an area, typically underground and completely hidden. Solids sink to the bottom, liquids rise to the top, where they then treated by chemical, aerobic or a variety of types of materials (soil, sand, etc) where it is purified over time and then becomes part of the ground water again.

Most systems have several basic components:  the pipe that exists the house with waste and wastewater, a storage tank, box or other holding structure, and then a larger area where the liquids are dispersed. Not all systems have each of these features.

When you make a purchase, is it vitally important to know, exactly what kind of system is present, how it functions, and where the components are, even if they are underground (we will discuss this in detail in Part 2).

Unless the lot requires it, septic system relies only on gravity to move waste from a structure to the first and subsequent part of the system. No moving parts, nothing to buy or maintain, just gravity! All water flows downhill with the smallest of downhill grade and a septic system is no exception. Unless the best soil is uphill, even a small bit, a pump is not needed. But sometimes a pump is required; when the soil that is acceptable is uphill; when plans for expansion, driveway, garden, etc require a different location than ideal.

On-site septic systems to handle waste are fascinating. You are off the grid, the supervisor, director and engineer of your own system!  In Part II, we will discuss how to tell if a property has a septic system, where it is located and why you should inspect it as part of a purchase.

Want to know more?  Here is a few links to some great sites that can shed more light:

The EPA (Environmental Protection Association) has a great place to start.

And the Commonwealth of Virginia does, too, via it’s local office in our area, the Thomas Jefferson Health District.

A fantastic graphic, interactive link from the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority,  shows how water flows from the property from a variety of sources, how a gravity system works, and how it can malfunction…try it!  It’s fun!

 Happy flushing!

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Posted in Asheville, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Lake Norman, New River Valley, Raleigh-Durham, Richmond, Shenandoah Valley, Wilmington
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1 Comment

One Response to “Septic Systems – Part 1”

  • justin barton

    Written on

    You’ve explained thoroughly about septic system and how they work. Thanks for this. Have you uploaded the answers to other pointers as well?

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