Compliant - A system or component of a system that protects the health, safety, and environment as set forth in Massachusetts Title Five 310 CMR 15.00 is referred to as a compliant system or component. BACK TO PAGE

Design Flow - The quantity of sanitary sewage, expressed in gallons per day for which a system must be designed in accordance with 310 CMR 15.203. BACK TO PAGE

Digestion - A loose term referring to the treatment that is undergone in a septic tank or pit. It is the action of breaking the sewage down into solids, liquids, and gases. BACK TO PAGE

Effluent - Sanitary sewage discharged into the environment, treated or not. BACK TO PAGE

Invert - The lowest portion of the internal cross section of a pipe or fitting. BACK TO PAGE

Leaching Facility - The portion of the septic system charged with treating and carrying away the effluent by leaching it into the surrounding soil. BACK TO PAGE

On-site sewage disposal systems - A system or series of systems for the treatment and disposal of sanitary sewage below the ground surface on a facility. BACK TO PAGE

Sewage - The untreated sanitary waste discharge from a building. BACK TO PAGE

Sludge - The bottom layer of the septic tank's "bio" system, this is where the solids settle and undergo digestion. BACK TO PAGE

Soil absorption systems - A system of trenches, galleries, chambers, pits, field(s) or bed(s) together with effluent distribution lines and aggregate which is installed in appropriate soils to receive effluent from a septic tank and transmit it to the soil interface for treatment in a biological mat and disposal to the underlying soils. BACK TO PAGE

Solids - The portion of sewage the consists of solid material as opposed to liquids or gases. BACK TO PAGE