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The
cesspool
is the forerunner to the modern septic system. Before
the advent of the modern septic system household waste
was routed to a covered vertical pit dug into the earth
called a cesspool. The
pit is lined with a porous cement, or block, or stone.
The area outside the liner is filled with gravel. All
the wastewater from the home is routed to the cesspool.
The solids fall to the bottom where they are partially
digested by bacteria and microorganisms that occur there
naturally. The effluent leaches out into the gravel
and soil surrounding the pit.
Because
this technology is obsolete and due to concerns about
local water table contamination, very few cesspools
are currently being installed. The exception may be
in very dry areas of the country where there is good
drainage and a deep water table.
There
are quite a number of cesspools still being used by
older homes especially outside of urbanized areas. Many
of these will continue to function, but many will fail.
Cesspools, like modern septic tanks, must be pumped
periodically depending on the size of the cesspool and
the size of the household using it, usually every two
to five years.
www.SepticSeep.com
is an information packed web site which explains how
septic systems work.
Septic
Seep Is the Choice of Professionals
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