Septic Tank Drain Field Design

Design guide for septic drainfields.

Septic tank drain field design. The septic tank digests organic matter and separates floatable matter e g oils and grease and solids from the wastewater. Septic drain fields also called leach fields or leach drains are subsurface wastewater disposal facilities used to remove contaminants and impurities from the liquid that emerges after anaerobic digestion in a septic tank organic materials in the liquid are catabolized by a microbial ecosystem. Leach field or soakaway field size requirements for these septic system designs. The name refers to the construction of the drainfield.

Septic system site plan design tips and tricks for installing your own septic tank and leach field. The size necessary for your drain field will depend on a few factors. Field size dimensions depth layout suggestions. 1 inch in 48 minutes clay soil.

An important soil characteristic the percolation rate measures how long it takes water to drop one inch in a saturated hole dug in soil. Soil based systems discharge the liquid known as effluent from the septic tank into a series of perforated pipes buried in a leach field chambers or other special units designed to slowly release the effluent into. Step 1 choose your site. A septic drain field is a vital part of any septic system.

If it takes less than 5 minutes for the water to drop 1 inch in a saturated hole the effluent will move too rapidly to be treated properly such as in sandy. If placed in an area with good ground absorption a drain field can last up to 10 years. An improperly designed drain field will do nothing but cause huge problems with the entire system. Unfortunately drain fields also known as leach fields do not last that long.

Are we allowed to install this septic system on our property is not a question we can answer for you. The field should be at least 10 feet away from your edible garden and any water such as a lake river or well. While all septic tank drain fields require regular inspection you can save a lot of money by digging one yourself. You will want to choose a site that is away from the house but close to the tank.

Plus practical advice on how to repair a failing septic system leach field. Code approved conventional septic drainfields or leach fields are described here design criteria for septic drainfields and septic absorption bed systems soakaway fields table of septic drainfield trench lengths determined by soil percolation rate and daily wastewater input flow materials to be used for drainfields gravel guidelines for use of seepage pits in septic systems. The gravel stone drainfield is a design that has existed for decades. A septic drain field a septic tank and associated piping compose a septic system.

Septic tanks last from 15 to 30 years. With this design effluent is piped from the septic tank to a shallow underground trench of stone or gravel. The soil should. 1 inch in 3 minutes sandy soil.

A conventional septic system is typically installed at a single family home or small business. Building a septic drain field is time consuming but pays off in the long run.