What is a Leach Field?
Almost all the landowners understand the working of septic tanks, but they may not be aware of the leach field, which is an important component of the septic systems. The leach field, also called the drain field, is an underground system on your land, and the pipes at your leach field filter the effluent from the water tank into the ground. The effluent drops into the ground, where the natural bacteria digest it.
Drainage points generally have porous pipes and channels that contain porous materials (mostly gravel) and are covered with a layer of mud to stop creatures from reaching the sewage distributed in these channels. The main design consideration is the hydraulic treatment of the effluent to be treated and the reduction of the effluent’s long-term biochemical oxygen demands. The area reserved for the drainage area of the septic tank can be referred to as the SRA (septic tank reserve area).
Sewage treatment plants also treat wastewater through a sequence of ponds (usually with little or no pre-treatment) and ditches. These are more common in a dry area as the surface water flow enables irrigation (and fertilization) of farming land.
How A Leach Field Works
A septic system contains a septic tank, pipe, and leach field. Before discussing the working of a leach field, you need to understand the working of the septic system. Below given is the working of the septic system and leach field.
- All garbage and sewage from the house go in the septic tanks.
- Due to the presence of bacteria in the tank, the waste starts to break down.
- Solid wastes sit in the septic tank bottom and convert into sludge, and liquid waste (grease, oil, fat, etc.) floats at the top of the septic tank and shattered down by bacteria.
- Liquid waste moves by the underground pipe to the leaching site, but solid waste keeps at the tank base and starts to be broken down by bacteria.
- When the liquid flows through the tube at the leach field, it penetrates the soil and naturally filters from the soil.
How to Tell if Your Leach Field is Failing
Properly maintained seepage areas are invisible and quiet. However, there are some key indicators that the leach field has failed.
- Wet, muddy water or grass on the seepage water.
- The odor of sewage from sewers, septic tanks, or exudates.
- Problems with flushing the toilet (low pressure, slow flush, no flush).
- Have a drain pipe or a low-speed pipe ready.
- A pipe that gurgles when opened.
Design of Leach Field
1) Catabolic design
Just as septic tank size can support anaerobic communities, these microbial communities can liquefy. The expected amount of perishable substances in wastewater. Drain sizes must also support soil aerobic microbial communities. The wastewater from the pond broken down into aerobic water. If the sewage not fully oxidized, smells of hydrogen sulfide and iron bacteria. That can detected in nearby wells and surface water. The biofilm on the drain wall uses oxygen from the air in the drain to break down organic compounds in the wastewater from the septic tank. The groundwater flow is laminar in the bottom of the aquifer around the drainage channel.
The sewage from the septic tank, which contains soluble organic compounds. This passes through the biofilm and forms a dome-shaped lens on the groundwater below the sewage. Molecular diffusion controls the mixing of soluble organic compounds in the groundwater. The transfer of oxygen from the groundwater floor. The ends of capillaries on the surface of the groundwater to microorganisms that can break down. The dissolved organic compounds remaining in the output column.
2) Biofilter
Using septic tanks in combination with biological filters can result in decreased drainage and catabolic areas. Biofiltration technology can provide denser homes, minimal site disruption, and more land for trees, pools, or gardens. Proper routine maintenance can reduce the risk of clogging of the discharge field. Biological filters do not reduce the amount of liquid that has to enter the soil. However, they can reduce the oxygen demand of the organic matter in that liquid.
What are the reasons of a Leach field to go bad?
Most septic tank system failures caused by problems locating leachate. This system is based on leaching points for the filtration and dispersion of waste. The accumulation of sewage and solid waste in the soil at the bottom of the liquors. That can clog the soil and prevent normal drainage. Common causes of bleeding site failure are:
- Discharges chemicals, grease, paints, and other complex substances into the sewer system
- Excessive household water use, toilets, and drain leaks.
- Damage to buildings and vehicles on the premises
- Water leakage due to excessive rain or snowfall
- Tree and plant roots that interfere with the installation
- High age
Also, one of the main reasons for the failure. It can be failure of exudation is that septic tanks not regularly pumped to remove sludge. On average, septic tanks need to pumped every 2-3 years, but the exact time depends on the size of the septic tank and the size of the family. Click here for more information on the frequency of septic pumps.
