Which component typically follows the septic tank in the system design?

In a typical septic system design, the component that follows the septic tank is the drain field, also known as the leach field. After wastewater is treated to a certain extent in the septic tank, where solids settle to the bottom and scum rises to the top, it flows into the drain field for further treatment and dispersal.

The drain field consists of a series of perforated pipes laid in gravel-filled trenches, allowing the partially treated effluent to seep into the soil. This soil absorption process further purifies the wastewater before it re-enters the groundwater. The effectiveness of the drain field is crucial for the overall function of the septic system, as it helps prevent surface contamination and pollution.

While a distribution box is also part of the system design, it mainly serves to evenly distribute the effluent from the septic tank to multiple drain field lines; it does not directly follow the septic tank in wastewater processing. A monitoring well is used for checking groundwater and effluent quality, but it is not a necessary component of the treatment process itself. A water treatment plant is entirely separate from individual septic systems and is designed to treat wastewater on a much larger scale. Therefore, the drain field is correctly identified as the essential component following the septic tank.