life is always greener over the septic tank

Wastewater flows into the tank at one end and leaves the tank at the other. The tank might hold 1,000 gallons (4,000 liters) of water. These are called septic tanks.Ī septic tank is simply a big concrete or steel tank that is buried in the yard. In rural areas where houses are spaced so far apart that a sewer system would be too expensive to install, people install their own, private sewage treatment plants. That's why communities build wastewater treatment plants and enforce laws against the release of raw sewage into the environment. No one wants to live in an place that stinks, is full of deadly bacteria and cannot support aquatic life. The increased algae, reduced oxygen and murkiness destroy the ability of a stream or lake to support wildlife, and all of the fish, frogs and other life forms quickly die.

The resulting lack of oxygen kills fish.The suspended solids in wastewater make the water look murky and can affect the ability of many fish to breathe and see. When they do, these bacteria consume oxygen in the water. Excessive algae growth can block sunlight and foul the water.Wastewater contains organic material that bacteria in the environment will start decomposing. For example:Wastewater contains nitrogen and phosphates that, being fertilizers, encourage the growth of algae. It contains suspended solids and chemicals that affect the environment.Once water becomes infected with these bacteria, it becomes a health hazard. coli) and other bacteria that can cause disease. Human waste naturally contains coliform bacteria (for example, E. If you release wastewater directly into the environment, things get very smelly very fast. One question that many people might ask is, 'Why not simply dump this wastewater onto the ground outside the house, or into a nearby stream?' There are three main things about wastewater that make it something you don't want to release into the environment: Learn more about cool NASA innovations in this interactive animation from Discovery Channel.Įach time you flush the toilet or you wash something down the sink's drain, you create sewage (also known in polite society as wastewater). NASA technology is being used to make sewage treatment more friendly to the environment.

Life is always greener over the septic tank