Septic System Leach Field

The septic system owners manual septic system components.

Septic system leach field.

A septic drain field a septic tank and associated piping compose a septic system. Over time leach fields can build up sludge or tree roots can grow into them to form clogs which causes your septic tank to back up or leak into your yard. Discover that the primary function of all drainfields is to return wastewater to the ground. The name refers to the construction of the drainfield.

If placed in an area with good ground absorption a drain field can last up to 10 years. Your septic system site plan is typically drawn right on top of your property survey showing the septic tank setbacks with tank 5 10 feet from the house the leach field at least 20 feet from the house at least 100 feet away from wells and streams 25 feet away from dry gulches and 10 feet away from the property lines. A conventional septic system is typically installed at a single family home or small business. The leach field is the final destination of water released from your toilets and drains and when the system is functioning as it should the water percolates into the soil and disperses.

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 the soil. The gravel stone drainfield is a design that has existed for decades. A septic leach field also known as a drain field disperses wastewater from your septic tank and removes contaminants before it soaks deeper into the soil. Building a septic drain field is time consuming but pays off in the long run.

Learn that drainfields are designed to perform a filtering function cleansing the wastewater before it returns to the water table. Unfortunately drain fields also known as leach fields do not last that long. Learn about the different types of drainfields. Septic tanks last from 15 to 30 years.

Proper maintenance of your leach field starts with monitoring water usage and what goes into your septic system. With this design effluent is piped from the septic tank to a shallow underground trench of stone or gravel. Drainfields part ii. Septic drainfields also called leach fields absorption beds soil absorption systems soakaway beds and leaching beds perform the functions of septic effluent treatment and disposal in onsite wastewater treatment systems conventionally called septic systems.