The septic tank is a watertight underground box, about eight feet long, four feet wide, and five feet deep. It typically has at least a 1,000-gallon capacity for retaining, storing, and treating solids, in addition to releasing effluent into the leachfield, sometimes called a drainfield.
As wastewater flows into the tank, heavy solids settle to the bottom into a sludge layer, while grease and fats float to the top forming a layer of scum. Between these two layers is a clear zone of liquid called the clarified zone.

Found in all three of these layers are billions of bacteria that live naturally in the tank and perform the first phase of treatment to break down solid matter. The bacteria digests the solid materials. In the process, gases are produced, which are vented from the septic tank through the plumbing vent on your rooftop.

From the septic tank, partially treated effluent flows into a leachfield, which typically has two or more trenches. This is where effluent is naturally purified as it percolates down through the soil. For proper effluent purification, the distance between the trench bottom and the water table should be equal to or greater than the minimum distance allowed by your local health department.

The soil acts as a biological filter, removing harmful substances before the effluent reaches the groundwater. Infiltrator Water Technologies manufactures chamber systems and EZflow Geosynthetic Aggregate systems which are both used in leachfield installations.

Old-fashioned systems use gravel or crushed stone in the leaching trenches to create void space to store the effluent and release it slowly. However, such systems are prone to eventual failure as the voids (empty spaces) around the gravel become plugged especially in Jacksonville Florida.

This phenomenon occurs over time as solids build-up between the stones, limiting infiltration of water into the soil. As the gravel settles, it also tends to compact and accumulate fines (small soil particles), further reducing the infiltration rate. Stone and pipe systems can fail because solid matter clogs the space between the stones.

Infiltrator Chamber Systems
Infiltrator chambers are hollow structures that attach end-to-end. They are installed in trenches or beds without gravel (except
where local codes require the use of gravel). The entire bottom of the trench is open for unobstructed infiltration of water. The large
storage volume within the hollow chambers accommodates peak flows of effluent from the home. Infiltrator chambers also feature
patented sidewall louvers that allow lateral leaching of effluent into the soil. This method is much more effective and last longer in Jacksonville Florida. Infiltrator chamber systems’ design eliminates the need for stone. The entire trench bottom is open for unobstructed infiltration.

EZflow Systems
EZflow is an environmentally friendly replacement to traditional stone in septic drainfields using an engineered geosynthetic aggregate modular design. The EZflow system is designed to improve infiltrative performance by eliminating the fines and reducing compaction and embedment associated with crushed stone.