A septic system has a simple design. It is an underground watertight container (mostly rectangular or round) made of fiberglass, plastic or concrete.

 

The tank is connected with two pipes (for inlet and outlet). The inlet pipe collects the water waste in the septic tank, long enough that the solid and liquid waste is separated from each other. The outlet pipe also called the drain field, moves out the prepossessed wastewater from the septic tank and spreads it evenly in the soil and watercourses.
After a while, the wastewater separates in 3 layers.

 

The top layer is oils and grease and floats above all the waste. This is called scum.
The middle layer is the wastewater along with waste particles.
The bottom layer consists of heavier particles that are heavier than water and form a layer of sludge.
Inside the tank bacteria from the wastewater breaks down the solid waste.
These bacteria decompose the solid waste rapidly allowing the liquids to separate and drain away more easily.

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Cannot remember when you last cleaned the tank: Here’s what happens -
The decomposition process in the tank slows down, leading to blockage and overflow. Over time, soil, sludge, excrement and solid waste build up, as a result, the solid waste starts to build up. This process gets worse and finally the septic system gives up and backs up completely.

 

It might be hard to tell when a septic system is in trouble. It can vary from as little as 2 years to as long as 20 years! Rather than waiting for the septic system to reach its breaking point, it is advisable to act upon it beforehand, cleaning the tank out every 4-6 years is advisable. 

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Tanks in the north Georgia Mountains have filters in the outlet baffle that are recommend to be cleaned 1-2 years.

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The major reason that we stress on cleaning the system in a 4 to 6 years is — you start to notice the smell if you leave the septic tank unattended for years. you can start pushing sludge into the drain field.