Many cabins, cottages, and secluded homes must be connected to municipal sewer systems. These homeowners must install an onsite sewage treatment system to dispose of their wastewater. A conventional septic tank and drain field is the most common onsite sewage treatment system. These systems work in most areas but require periodic pump-outs and maintenance.
Saves Energy
Suppose you’re considering purchasing a property that doesn’t have city utilities. In that case, the Foothill Portables septic system makes it possible to enjoy the peace of the great outdoors without sacrificing modern comforts. An onsite sewage facility (OSSF) requires far less piping than public sewer systems, and it’s less likely to leak contaminated runoff into natural bodies of water. The OSSF’s septic tank and drain field system treats wastewater by dispersing it into the soil as a biological filter. Conventional septic and mound systems are common choices, but other designs can be used with different soil types or in more remote locations. One-toilet septic tanks are ideal for secluded homes with just one toilet or two occupants, such as cabins and campers. However, they can also be used in other structures, such as an add-on to your existing home.
Saves Time
When you wash clothes or run the dishwasher, waste is flushed down your drain. The waste then travels down a series of pipes and into the soil, where microbes slowly purify it. A conventional septic system consists of a septic field and a septic container. The Foothill Sanitary septic system is a watertight, buried container that receives and treats domestic raw sanitary wastewater. The tank is designed so heavier solids sink to the bottom, and grease and lighter solids rise to the surface. The septic tanks have baffles that improve solids settling, while anaerobic digesting breaks down oils, fats, and other organic material. If you maintain your septic tank properly, it can last for 40 to 50 years. The septic tank of a traditional household must be pumped every 3 to 5 years, and the system must be inspected annually. You can use your cabin more often if you only visit it occasionally.
Saves Money
Onsite sewage systems, also known as septic systems, let cabin owners enjoy modern living no matter how far they are from city sewer lines. Conventional septic tanks and mound septic systems last for decades when pumped adequately by a vacuum truck every couple of years (or a few months with holding tank setups). Their self-contained design and lack of extra piping minimize the risk of raw sewage leakages that pollute groundwater or spread diseases in natural bodies of water. However, septic system owners should do their part to reduce their environmental impact, for example, by using low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators in the kitchen and bathrooms, as well as by never flushing coffee grounds, tampons, condoms, cigarette butts, or grease-down toilets.
Saves the Environment
Whether a cabin is used year-round or as a seasonal retreat, a proper septic system helps to protect the environment. Without one, waste can go back into the water supply, contaminate drinking water, or pollute natural waters with dangerous pathogens. It can also increase nitrate levels in lakes and streams, which deprives fish and other organisms of oxygen, creating dead zones. A septic system collects wastewater from toilets, sinks, and other household plumbing appliances and pumps it through a drain field of pipes and gravel/stone. Microbes slowly purify it. However, septic tanks can fill up faster than the microbes can break them down, so regular pump-outs by vacuum trucks are needed to prevent clogging and pollution. This is especially important for areas near water bodies, where contaminated runoff can cause disease and suffocate the ecosystem.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.