If you live in a rural area, an on-site septic system may be your only option to treat wastewater. If you live in a more populated region, your home is likely already connected to your municipal sewer.
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But sometimes you have a choice.
Let's say you move to a community where sewer lines will be installed. You may be able to decide whether you want to connect to the public sewer or remain with your septic system.
In that case, you need to understand the differences between septic and sewer. You will also want to weigh the pros and cons of each system so that you can make an informed decision.
The difference between septic and sewer is simple. Septic treats your wastewater on site, and you are responsible for the cost to install and maintain the system. A sewer directs your wastewater to a centralized treatment plant operated by your local government and funded by fees and taxes.
New to the world of septic systems? Check out our comprehensive guide to discover what a septic system is and how it works.
One major advantage of septic systems is that they are environmentally friendly when properly maintained. Septic systems require far less infrastructure than city sewers. Plus, they use less energy than municipal treatment plants and rarely rely on chemicals to remove wastewater pollutants.
Septic systems are also important tools to conserve your local water supply. They return treated effluent to your property, which replenishes groundwater and nourishes trees and other plants.
Beyond the environmental advantages of septic tank systems, other benefits may include:
One disadvantage of septic systems is that they may require you to change your habits. Systems are designed to treat a limited volume of wastewater each day. You may need to adjust your bathroom and laundry habits to avoid overloading your system, especially when company visits.
You also need to be mindful of what you put down your drains. Cooking oils and food scraps can clog septic pipes, including the ones in your septic drain field (also known as a leach field). Excessive use of harsh chemicals can kill the bacteria that treat wastewater in your system.
Beyond the need to adjust your daily habits, other disadvantages of septic systems may include:
Septic is better than sewer if the pros and cons suit your preferences.
Septic requires minimal infrastructure, it makes independent living possible in rural areas, and it comes with no monthly fees. By contrast, sewer is better equipped for periods of heavy use, and it requires little homeowner maintenance.
If you are buying a rural property with a septic holding tank or septic tank, you may think they do pretty much the same thing. They’re both septic systems, right?
Not exactly.
There are six major differences between holding tanks and septic tanks: they have different purposes, appearances, installation costs, pumping schedules, long-term maintenance costs, and permit requirements.
By knowing the ways in which holding tanks differ from septic tanks, you can make an informed decision before you purchase your dream property in the country.
Holding tanks and septic tanks work differently.
Both systems receive your home’s sewage, but holding tanks offer no treatment and have no outlet. They store raw wastewater until a pumper removes it.
Septic tanks provide primary treatment by allowing wastewater to separate into three layers. Scum rises to the top of the tank, solids sink to the bottom, and partially clarified liquids flow through an outlet pipe for further treatment or final dispersal.
A house or cabin would use a septic holding tank (sometimes called a sewage holding tank) if it had no connection to a municipal sewer and unsuitable conditions for an on-site septic system. Holding tanks may also be used during new constructions before a more permanent sewage system is installed.
Houses and cabins use septic tanks if they are not connected to a municipal sewer, and they have suitable space and soil for an on-site septic system. Recent estimates show that more than 21 million households in the United States use septic tank systems to treat their wastewater.
It is easy to see the differences between holding tanks and septic tanks when you compare these features:
In many cases, residential holding tanks — sometimes known as tight tanks — have one lid and one compartment.
Because a holding tank’s purpose is to store wastewater, it has no partition walls and no outlet.
Inside the unit, a high-level float connects to an alarm that activates when the tank is almost full. This prevents over-filling that could result in a sewage backup that spills into your home or contaminates the environment.
Residential septic tanks usually have two lids and two compartments.
Unlike holding tanks, septic tanks also have internal components that allow them to partially clarify your wastewater:
Holding tanks are cheaper to install than septic tanks.
It all comes down to their designs. Holding tanks are simple storage systems with no outlet. Unlike septic tanks, their designs do not include:
Total project costs to install a holding tank include several factors. There is the price of the tank, of course, but also designs, permits, materials, and labor.
For example, let’s assume that you have a family of four. You choose a polyethylene holding tank with a capacity of 2,000 US gal. Also assume that your property is flat and easy to access.
In this scenario, the total project cost to install the holding tank would be between $6,500 and $8,000.
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Total project costs to install a septic tank also depend on many factors. The most obvious costs are the septic tank and its drain field. But you also need to plan for the expenses of soil tests, designs, permits, materials, and labor.
As an example, say that you have a four-bedroom home. You choose a polyethylene septic tank with a capacity of 1,250 US gal. Let’s also assume that your property is flat and easy to access.
In this case, the total project cost to install the septic tank and its drain field would be between $12,500 and $22,000.
Holding tanks need to be pumped more frequently than septic tanks.
The reason is simple. Holding tanks retain all the sewage that flows into them. Septic tanks retain solids and scum, but they allow liquid wastewater to return to the site’s soil via a drain field.
Holding tanks need to be pumped often to prevent sewage backups in your home and environmental contamination. Depending on the capacity of your tank and the amount of wastewater your household generates, you can expect to need a pump-out every one to four weeks.
In most cases, residential septic tanks are pumped according to schedules laid out in local regulations. As a general rule, you should have your tank emptied every three to five years, or when the sludge level exceeds two-thirds of the total height of water in the tank.
Pumping may be needed more often if you use a garbage disposal for your food scraps.
The price per gallon to pump holding tanks and septic tanks is usually the same. But because holding tanks require emptying every one to four weeks, they have far higher long-term maintenance costs.
These expenses can create a heavy financial burden for some homeowners — so much so that many jurisdictions in the United States discourage or even prohibit the installation of holding tanks.
The cost to pump a holding tank depends on its capacity and the region where you live. A tank that holds 500 US gal costs about 40 cents per gallon, whereas a tank that holds 2,000 US gal or more costs around 28 cents per gallon.
These rates include your septic pumper’s additional fees, such as labor, travel expenses, and permits to discharge sewage at locations designed for that purpose.
Let’s say that you have a holding tank with a capacity 2,000 US gal. Assume, too, that the cost of pumping is 28 cents per gallon. The final bill for each pump-out would be $560. Even if you need service just once a month, you can expect to pay $6,720 over the course of a year.
The cost to pump a septic tank depends on its volume and the area where you live. On average, a tank for 500 US gal costs 40 cents per gallon, a tank for 1,000 US gal costs 32.5 cents per gallon, and a tank for 2,000 US gal or more costs 28 cents per gallon.
Your pumper may charge additional fees if your tank’s lids are buried and require excavation.
To see these rates in action, imagine a septic tank with a capacity of 1,250 US gal. Assume that the cost of pumping is 30 cents per gallon. The cost to have your septic tank emptied would be $375. If your tank requires a pump-out every three years, the overall cost works out to just $125 per year.
In some parts of the United States, getting a permit to install a holding tank is more complex and costlier than getting a permit for a septic tank.
The reason is that holding tanks pose a unique challenge: they threaten the environment if they are not emptied as needed, but the ongoing pumping bills are too expensive for some household budgets.
To prevent environmental contamination, some jurisdictions issue a permit for a holding tank only if you post a bond and agree to show proof of regular pump-outs. Local authorities then use the bond to pay for pumping if there is reason to believe that service has lapsed.
The permit process for septic tanks is simple by comparison. In many states, you can get a permit, often in just a few days, when you provide this information:
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