One of the biggest misconceptions about maintaining a septic system is that adding a variety of chemicals will increase its performance. The reality being, your septic system is actually a complex community of bacteria that breaks down waste. As much as any ecosystem, the septic tank community is dependent upon one another for proper operation. When everything is running smoothly and the bacteria are operating at full capacity, the septic system is an extremely efficient waste removal process.
Why Septic Systems?
Not only are septic systems extremely easy to care for, they have the added quality of being pretty close to self-sustaining. Now, utilizing city sewer systems is completely intuitive, with no maintenance required on the homeowner’s part. Unfortunately, no matter where you live, Fort Worth, Azle or even Haslet, there is no guarantee that a city sewer line is connected to your home. The same is true with homes that are out of town or not connected to a municipality. That being said, much can be said for a septic system as an ecologically responsible method of waste disposal. When you flush your city sewer connected toilet and the “stuff” disappears, it begins an epic journey that only Frodo can appreciate. Travelling along the maze of sewer pipes, the waste is funneled into a treatment plant upon which it is treated to remove undesirable components and filled full of chemicals. These chemical cocktails render the outgoing water from the treatment plant safe for use. Ok, so maybe it is not as dramatic as that, and most treatment plants utilize methods that are similar to a septic system, just on a much larger scale.
A septic system is simply a small scale water treatment plant, which returns wastewater to a leach field. The leach field is critical to the operation of the septic system. As you flush with a septic system, the “stuff” floats into a tank underground and is naturally separated by baffles in the tank. This is where the bacterial process begins. The clean water then flows into the leach field and eventually into the groundwater. As you can see a septic system is incredibly friendly to the environment and much like solar heating, can make your home more self sufficient.
The Bacterial Process
The key to septic system mechanics, is the bacteria that naturally reside in the tank. These microorganisms essentially eat the biological waste and turn it into sludge that settles to the bottom of the tank. These microorganisms are completely natural and an integral part of breaking down waste in nature. Utilizing chemicals and treatments with these organisms present is not necessary because they are essentially self sustaining. So, now that you know how your septic system is a biological process, it is not without the occasional maintenence. Every 2-5 years your system must be pumped to maintain proper balance and B&B pumping are your local septic experts. Please do not hesitate to give us a call for more information about your septic system, including routine care. Next time we will talk more about the biological process and keeping your system healthy.