In the United States Cesspool and Septic systems are installed in about one quarter of the homes, and they are especially popular in rural areas where they do not have easy access to municipal sewer service. As opposed to pumping waste through sewer mains to a central sewage treatment facility, a Cesspool-septic system works similarly by pumping solid and liquid waste from your house out into a specifically designed drainage system and underground septic tank.

How Septic System Works

With a septic system, all liquids, water and solid wastes are carried by water flowing down the home’s drain system.  Then, the waste goes through one main sewer pipe out to the Cesspool or septic tank. The actual and consistent flow of wastewater may be due to simple gravity, or it may be supported by an electric pump to amplify flow. The Cesspool-septic tank then holds the waste material so that the solids begin to settle or drop to the bottom as oil, grease, and liquids. When the tank starts to reach its approved capacity, the liquids that are lying on top of the “scum” layer flow into a series of pipes with holes in them for drainage to a drain field that has been prepared with gravel and other materials that helps properly spread and dispose of the liquid waste. Then the liquid waste slowly filters down through the soil as bacteria compounds break down the remaining pathogens. By the time the liquid waste filters down to the groundwater system, it is basically sterile and clean and safe for consumption.

At the same time the waste water flows out to ground soil, the solids in the tank are broken down through something called anaerobic bacteria, which creates a sludge-like material that assembles in the bottom of the Cesspool/tank.