Contents
Introduction
What It's About
1. The Tank
Waterborne waste from the house flows first to the septic tank. Its job is to separate the solids from the liquid and retain the solids in the tank.
2. The Drainfield
Effluent (liquid waste minus solids) flows from the tank to the drainfield, where it is purified, then taken up by plants, evaporated, or returned to groundwater.
3. The Soil
The soil is the receptor and filter. When the system is healthy, billions of microorganisms in the soil of the drainfield feed on, filter, and purify septic tank effluent.
4. Down The Drain
What and how much you put down the drain affects life in the septic system. This chapter tells you how to give your system the best possible diet.
5. Septic System Maintenance
Care and periodic maintenance are major keys to long life for your system. You can follow simple guidelines that will keep your system functioning for many years.
6. Red Alert!
There are various degrees of failure. You will learn where to look for the problem (and in what order to look), how to diagnose it, and your choice of fixes.
7. Graywater
Graywater is all wastewater except that from the toilet or kitchen sink. Diverting it from the tank lightens the load on the system and can irrigate the garden.
8. Composting Toilet Systems
Models from the ’70s didn’t work so well. Lessons were learned, evolution occurred, and there is a new crop of composting toilet systems.
9. Alternative Systems
Mounds, sand filters, pressure-dosed drainfields, etc. are used where the soil is poor or groundwater high. The basics of such systems are described here.
10. Small Town System Upgrades
Many small towns face pollution control issues due to failing systems. Here are some primary guidelines in forming a wastewater district and dealing with engineers.
11. A Brief History Of Waste Disposal
Here are some fascinating facts, along with illustrations, of the history of human waste disposal.
Appendix
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Glossary
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Bibliography
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Grab Bag
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Just the Stats, Ma'am
US Census Bureau Statistics on Septic Tanks, 1995
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Index
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Credits
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