Septic systems are used to treat and dispose of small volumes of wastewater onsite, usually from houses and businesses located in suburban and rural locations not served by a centralized public sewer system. Septic systems treat wastewater from household plumbing fixtures (toilet, shower, laundry, etc.) through both natural and technological processes.

Septic systems are also called:

• onsite wastewater treatment systems,
• decentralized wastewater treatment systems,
• cluster systems,
• package plants,
• on-lot systems,
• individual sewage disposal systems, and
• private sewage systems.

For simplicity, these terms are used interchangeably throughout this Septic Systems web site.

• Overview of Septic Systems
• Septic Finance Learning Module
• Case Studies and Demonstration Projects
• Guidance, Policy, and Regulations