How Your System Works
Waste flows for the house into the septic tank. Here, most of the solids are separated to the bottom and are partially decomposed by bacteria to form sludge. Some solids float and form a scum layer on top of the water. The liquid effluent (waste water) from the septic tank is discharged into the soil absorption field.
Here the water is further purified by filtration and decomposition by micro-organisms in the soil. The purified water then moves to the groundwater system. This is the last line of defense to prevent polluted waste from entering lakes, streams, and groundwater.