New Septic Tank and Drainfield Design in Loxahatchee, also known as On-site Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems (OSTDS)

Septic Tank

For city dwellers, sewage worries only travel as far as their connection to the sewer system. After all, the municipality that they call home typically takes matters from there. It takes responsibility for transporting their sewage and wastewater through a system that it maintains to the appropriate treatment facility. What about those in suburban and rural spaces where city sewer systems do not reach? A more independent approach to sewage is required. In these spaces, on-site sewage treatment and disposal systems OSTDS, which are often referred to as septic tanks and drain fields, are the norm. If you are interested in a new septic tank and drainfield design for your home in Loxahatchee, Florida, the engineering experts at DKK Consulting can help.

On-site Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems OSTDS Basics
Residential on-site sewage treatment and disposal systems OSTDS in Loxahatchee are carefully designed to serve the same purpose as their larger municipal cousins. They clean contaminants from your home’s sewage and wastewater before it reaches the groundwater. A basic residential design uses four components:

  • The pipe carries the sewage and wastewater away from the home to the septic tank.
  • The septic tank serves as a temporary holding tank for the sewage and wastewater. Made from concrete, fiberglass or polyethylene, this watertight container is buried underground. The waste lingers here long enough for oil and grease to float to the top as scum. At the same time, any solids settle to the bottom of the tank, forming a sludge. The tank’s design holds back the scum and sludge, which will need to be periodically pumped out of the tank to maintain efficiency and avoid blockages. Meanwhile, the filtered wastewater, which is now partially treated, is able to exit the tank and reach the drain field.
  • The drain field is an expanse of open ground that should be protected from compression or flooding. After exiting the septic tank, the partially treated wastewater is released here to be slowly absorbed by the surrounding soil.
  • The soil of the drain field delivers the final cleaning. Microorganisms found in the soil break down any remaining organic matter, remove any disease-causing organisms or bacteria, and release nutrients. Then, the treated water filters down to recharge the groundwater.

Choosing the Right Septic Tank and Drainfield Design


For a single-family home in ideal conditions, the basic residential design may be the perfect solution for your wastewater issues. However, not everyone has that combination. What if your rural residential plans call for a multi-family home? What if you are hoping to purchase a home in a multi-lot development? What if you have fallen in love with a proposal for custom homes in a development with small lots? What if the area you’ve chosen has poor soil? What if you are hoping to start a business and need a septic system designed for commercial purposes instead of residential ones? Special circumstances require a special septic tank and drain field design.

A poor septic tank and drain field design can put the safety of your drinking water at risk. With the risk for environmental damage and the potential for creating a health hazard, the cost of dealing with the fallout of a faulty or inadequate system is likely to be far more expensive than installing the correct system from the start. Factors like household size, lot size, soil type, site slope, proximity to wetlands or sensitive water bodies, weather conditions, and local regulations all need to be considered. Fortunately, there are a variety of options that let you tailor your septic tank and drain field design to your needs:

  • Advanced treatment systems add one or more extra steps to remove additional contaminants from the wastewater before releasing it into the groundwater.
  • Aerobic treatment systems are a type of advanced treatment system where oxygen is added to help speed the cleanup of the wastewater after it is separated from the sludge and scum.
  • Gravity-fed drain field systems rely on geography and physics. The drain field is located below the septic tank. Over time, gravity pulls the wastewater out of the septic tank and into perforated pipes placed in trenches in the drain field. Once it is there, it is slowly absorbed by the soil. Beds, which are wide areas constructed to hold wastewater after it leaves the septic tank, are an alternative to trenches.
  • Drip irrigation drain field systems replace underground trenches with smaller drip tubing that is placed closer to the surface. With this system, wastewater is moved from the septic tank into a holding tank before being pumped out into the drain field in a controlled manner via the drip irrigation tubing.
  • Chamber systems work well in areas with high water tables. As the name suggests, they use a series of chambers to get the job done.
  • Multi-tube or cluster systems can collect and disperse the wastewater produced by more than one dwelling. They may serve rural subdivisions or small communities.


At DKK Consulting Incorporated serving Loxahatchee, we bring a team of diverse talents to the table to solve real-world problems so that you can move forward with your plans with confidence. If you are looking for someone that you can trust for the design of on-site sewage treatment and disposal systems OSTDS in Loxahatchee, reach out to us. As a full-service civil engineering firm serving the residents and businesses of southern Florida since 2004, we have consistently emphasized quality, safety and cost-effectiveness while guiding our clients toward workable solutions. To discover how we can assist you, contact DKK Consulting today.