The Grass Is Always GreenerIn rural areas where houses are spaced so far apart that a sewer system would be too expensive to install, people install their own, private, sewage-treatment plants called septic tanks.A septic tank is simply a big concrete or steel tank that is buried in the yard. The size of the tank depends on the size of the house and how many bedrooms are in the home.Wastewater goes into the septic tank from the sewer pipes in the house. It flows into the tank at one end and leaves it at the other. The tank has three layers. Anything heavier than water sinks to form the sludge layer. In the middle is a fairly clear water layer that flows into the leach field.As new water enters the tank, it displaces the water already there. This water flows out of the septic tank and into a leach field. The field is made of pipes called infiltrators buried in a trench. Gravel fills the bottom two to three feet of the trench, and dirt covers the gravel.The water is slowly absorbed and filtered by the ground in the leach field. The type of soil you have for a leach field will be very important in determining the cost and function of your system. Have the system checked by a reliable sanitation-engineering firm and ask for assistance from the Grand County Building Department.A septic system is normally powered by gravity. Water flows down from the house to the tank and down from the tank to the leach field. It is a completely passive system.A leach field is a live environment that breaks down waste. Putting certain chemicals, like bleach, antibacterial soaps and Drano, down your drains, in your washing machine or in toilets can kill the live bacteria needed for the breakdown process.There are natural ways to open clogged drains. It helps to put Pro Pump© or Microb-lift© (a liquid bacteria) into your system every six months to assist the bacteria. If you are a second-homeowner and use the drains infrequently, using a bacteria additive is a must.To prevent problems in the septic system, avoid putting the following down a drain or toilet: fats, cooking oil, household-cleaning solvents, automotive fluids, non-biodegradable materials such as cigarette butts, disposable diapers, or feminine products, pesticides or herbicides.You may have heard the expression, "The grass is always greener over the septic tank." Actually, it's the leach field, and the grass really is greener -- it takes advantage of the moisture and nutrients in the drain field.