Sand mound septic systems are a fairly new concept to the septic industry and an alternative to conventional septic tank and drain field systems.
The sand mound septic design was developed to facilitate homes located in low lying areas where the water table is high and the soil is not suitable for a traditional septic tank and drain field.
The sand mound septic systems are more complicated in design than a conventional septic system. With the sand mound system, the waste water generated by the home flows from the house into a septic holding tank. The septic tank is portioned or divided into two sections. The first section of the tank is the solid side or solid waste section of the tank. This is where the digestion process takes place. With the help of bacteria produced by the human body, solids are converted into a liquid effluent. The digested liquid effluent then flows into the second stage of the tank referred to as the liquid side of the septic tank.
When the effluent has reached the level of the baffle it will flow into the second tank or the pumping chamber. The pumping chamber tank has a predetermined level indicator that will trigger a switch activating a pump that will pump the liquid effluent out into the sand mound. The effluent is then distributed over the drain filed buried under the sand mound.
The sand mound is constructed of a single pump, PVC piping, soil, sand gravel. The sand mound is usually built on the top of the ground where a layer of gravel is first spread at grade level over the area where the system is to be built.
Next, a layer of sand is applied and the drain field is designed over the sand. The remaining exposed system is covered with sand and top soil; grass will be planted over the area in an attempt to prevent erosion of the mound.
The pump is located in the chamber tank. When the chamber tank fills up with effluent, the pump will push the digested effluent up into the sand mound where it will drain in the the sand mound septic field returning to the water table.
Treat your system with beneficial bacteria on a regular basis and reap the reward of a healthy sand mound septic system.