Septic System Design

History of Septic Systems The use of septic systems is nothing new and dates back to the late 1800s. Prior to that time, the outhouse was the standard bathroom. It typically consisted of a hole in ground with a wooden bench centered above the hole. And if you’ve ever had the “opportunity” to use one, you quickly realize they’re not very appealing. The septic tank system is believed to have been invented in France in the 1860s. And it didn’t take long before it was being used in the United States. The first known installation of a septic tank in the United States was in 1876. With the increasing availability of electricity and pumps to provide running water inside buildings, it much longer before the bathroom moved indoors as well. Each state has developed its own codes to regulate the installation and use of septic systems. Florida uses Florida Administrative Code, Georgia uses the Department of Human Resources Chapter 290-5-26, Texas uses Texas Administrative Code Title 30 Part 1 Chapter 285. Regardless, always check the code requirements for the state in which the system will be constructed. There are differences, especially in system loading rates and setback requirements. THE COMPONENTS A typical gravity septic system consists of a septic tank, filter, effluent lines, a header pipe or distribution box, and a drainfield. Other systems may also include a dosing tank, an effluent pump, or an Aerobic Treatment Unit (ATU). The septic system can be a gravity system or a pumped system depending on the site conditions. And it could be an in-ground or an above-ground (mounded) system regardless of it being a pumped system... as we’ll see a little later in this course.