Septic Testing Services
What is a Septic System?
A "septic system," also referred to as a private, on-site waste disposal system, receives waste water and solids from a building's plumbing facilities (bathrooms, kitchens, shower, laundry), treats, and then disposes of the effluent from this waste, by permitting it to absorb into soils at the property.
Septic effluent treatment is accomplished by bacterial action in the "septic" or "treatment" tank and it is mostly accomplished by bacteria in the soil around and below the effluent absorption system, or "drain field." This bacterial action is needed to reduce the level of pathogens in the effluent discharges from the waste system into the soil. The principal components of a private on-site waste disposal system usually include the following:
- piping connecting the building to the treatment tank
- a septic or treatment tank which retains solid waste
- piping connecting and conducting clarified effluent from the treatment tank to a distribution box
- a distribution box connecting the effluent line from the tank to the absorption system or "drain field"
- an absorption system which permits effluent to drain to soils below
- a bio-mat or bio-mass of pathogen-digesting bacteria which forms in soil below the absorption system.
Many variations on this general scheme are used, depending on local climate, soil conditions, available space, economy, and available materials.
We test and inspect septic systems as well as cess pools. We open the septic tank, inspect the tank and baffles. We Photograph the baffles if possible. We introduce a volume of water into the system and probe the drain field for signs of high effluent, lush vegetation or saturated soil. We also test/inspect dosing tanks, alarms and pumps to insure they are working properly.
