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Septic Tank System Residential solutions with generations of care

Septic Tank System: How It Works, Why It Matters, & How to Protect Your Investment

How a Septic Tank System Works

A septic system is an on-site wastewater treatment system designed to safely process and disperse household or commercial wastewater when city sewer service is not available. The system consists of two primary components:

  1. Septic Tank
  2. Drain Field (Leach Field)

Together, these components treat wastewater through natural separation, bacterial digestion, and soil filtration.

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Step-By-Step: What Happens to Your Wastewater

Wastewater Enters the Septic Tank

All wastewater from toilets, sinks, showers, washing machines, and appliances flows through the main sewer line into the septic tank through the inlet pipe.

Natural Separation Inside the Tank

Inside the tank, wastewater separates into three layers:

  • Scum Layer (Top) – oils, grease, soap residue
  • Liquid Effluent (Middle) – relatively clear wastewater
  • Sludge Layer (Bottom) – solids, organic waste, heavy debris

Beneficial bacteria inside the tank begin breaking down organic waste.

Effluent Flows to the Drain Field

Once separation occurs, the effluent liquid exits the tank through the outlet pipe and flows into the drain field.

Final Treatment in the Drain Field

The drain field uses perforated pipes laid in gravel trenches. Effluent slowly disperses into the soil where microbes and natural filtration remove remaining contaminants before the water re-enters the groundwater system safely.

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  • Athens Church
    Athens Church

    Stiles Services replaced a 40-year-old rooftop HVAC at Athens Church with a new 10-ton high-efficiency Daikin unit. The upgrade restores reliable climate control for the facility.

  • Civic Center
    Civic Center

    The Civic Center experienced long-standing grease and drainage problems that multiple contractors were unable to resolve. The facility required a permanent, code-compliant solution that addressed the root cause of the failures.

  • Prince Avenue Baptist Church
    Prince Avenue Baptist Church

    The church upgraded its failing controls to Pelican Wireless Systems, simplifying management, improving reliability, and reducing reliance on specialists. This modern system is easier to use and maintain.

  • St. Marys Hospital
    St. Marys Hospital

    With numerous large projects underway at any given time, St. Mary’s needed a reliable partner to manage HVAC-related tasks and overall property maintenance across their local properties.

  • Carrier
  • Home Advisor
  • NATE

Our FAQ

Have questions? We are here to help. Still have questions or can't find the answer you need? Give us a call at 706-809-5941 today!

  • On a project this size, cost and downtime are critical, but we delivered a cost-effective solution without the 3–6 months of disruption typical with full hardware replacement.

  • 5 Days
  • Pelican Wireless Systems