Glossary
Reference
Designs, contracts and system manuals use words you hardly need in everyday life. Below are the most common ones with short explanations. They do not replace regulatory documents, but they help you understand what a professional is talking about.
Learning a few terms is not about showing off. Once you understand how an aerobic process differs from an anaerobic one, it is easier to see why one system needs a power socket and regular servicing while another needs only a pump-out truck.
Systems
- Holding tank
- A sealed tank in which wastewater collects without treatment and is then removed by a vacuum truck.
- Septic tank
- An installation where wastewater settles and is partly broken down by anaerobic bacteria; it is usually followed by post-treatment, and the sludge is pumped out from time to time.
- Biological treatment plant
- A unit in which aerobic bacteria treat wastewater while a compressor supplies air; it depends on electricity and regular servicing.
- Sewage pumping station
- Equipment that pumps wastewater to places it cannot reach by gravity.
Processes
- Anaerobic treatment
- Breakdown of pollutants by bacteria that do not need oxygen; this is how a septic tank works.
- Aerobic treatment
- Breakdown of pollutants by bacteria that need oxygen; for this, air is supplied to the installation.
- Post-treatment
- Additional treatment of the water after the main installation, for example in the ground or through a filter medium.
- Gravity flow
- Movement of wastewater through pipes under its own weight thanks to a slope, without a pump.
Documents
- Site survey
- A study of the plot by specialists: what the soil is, where the groundwater lies and what restrictions apply to siting installations.
- Design
- A document in which a specialist describes the system for a specific plot: its components, layout, pipe falls and servicing procedure.
- SP 32.13330
- The Russian code of practice "Sewerage. External networks and facilities", which governs the design of external sewerage in Russia. Other countries have their own building rules; check local regulations.
- Sanitary rules
- Standards that, together with the design, set the distances from installations to wells and water intakes. This guide refers to Russian rules; elsewhere, check with your designer and local authority about the regulations and permits that apply.
Where these words come in handy
- Holding tanks
How a holding tank works, its strengths and limitations, and how to look after it.
- Pumping stations
When wastewater has to be pumped, what a pumping station consists of and how to spot a fault.
- Sorption filters
What a filter medium does, where it is used and why it has to be replaced over time.
- Questions
Short answers about choosing a system, odours, servicing and the winter months.
Read next
What this text is based on
- SP 32.13330 "Sewerage. External networks and facilities" (Russian code of practice)
- Russian sanitary rules and standards (general provisions)
- Equipment manufacturers' instructions (general provisions)
Rules, requirements for treatment facilities and equipment manuals are updated from time to time, so the final word belongs to the design, the regulations in force and the documentation of your particular system. The texts here cite Russian standards; other countries have their own building and sanitary rules, so check local regulations and permits. This guide explains how systems work and why decisions are made, but it does not replace a designer, an installer or a service company.