How the Drain Field Works with Your Septic Tank

Your septic system has four main components: the pipe from your house, the septic tank, the drain field (or leach field), and soil. When everything is in good working order, the system efficiently breaks down waste and returns the water back to the water table. The most expensive component of this system is your drain field. Basically, the drain field is the part that filters wastewater and returns it to the ground.

The drain field has three main parts: perforated pipe, aggregate (stone gravel), and good soil. Wastewater (called effluent) from the septic tank drains into the field through the perforated pipes. The pipes, in turn, evenly distribute the water over the aggregate layer. The aggregate also helps to distribute the water evenly as it drains into the soil. The soil filters out any remaining harmful bacteria as the water rejoins the water table.

Your drain field should work reliably as long as you schedule routine system inspections, pump the tank every 3-5 years, don’t introduce too much water into your septic system, and landscape with care in the area of the drain field (tree roots can cause damage). If you notice that the grass above the drain field is conspicuously greener than in the rest of your lawn, it may mean that your drain field is backed up, and it’s time to call A & L Septic for septic tank service in Orlando, Florida.