The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1916-05-19
SEWAGE DISPOSAL
SYSTEM FOR THE FARM
H. GWINNER,
Maryland Agricultural College Exten'
sion Service.

Following a recent announcement
that the Division of Engineering of the
Maryland Agricultural College was
preparing plans and details for sew
age disposal system for the average
farm, such a system has been put into
working operation and description OF
its construction and operation pre-
pared.
The question may be asked why go
to the expense Of installing such a
system on the average farm? In reply
to this, it is only necessary to say that
such a system does away with the I'M
sanitary and unsightly privy and the
pollution of the soil and wells due to
the teaching of the liquid waste; pro-
ducing typhoid and kindred diseases.
A properly designed sewage system
discharges only clear water; tho solid
matter in general having been con-
sumed by certain mechanical and bac-
terial action in such a system. Any
insoluble wastes may be easily re-
moved from the system at little ex-
pense.
The system in question is designed
to care for ten people and consists OF
two antffreezing hoppers or toilets.
about two hundred and sixty feet OF
six-inch vitrifed sewer pipe and a
dark, alright concrete tank; this lat,
ter being known as a septic tank. The
water for flushing the toilets and the
system when necessary is carried to
the spot by three-Quarter inch gal.
vanized pipe from the college main.
AS the toilets are used in an out
house, which has no heat, they are,
made frost proof or anttfreezing.
This desirable arrangement is brought
about by the water storage tank over
the hopper or toilet being filed while
the hopper is being used and it fushes
automatically Immediately the seat Of
the hopper rises.
The excreta or sewage, after leaving
the toilets, Is conveyed through the
six-inch pipe to the septic tank. This
pipe was laid in carefully graded,
ditch, and owing to the lay of the land
two grades were necessary; eight feet
being on 10 per cent grade and one
hundred and twenty feet was laid on a
AZ per cent grade.
The septic tank, which receives the
sewage, is made OF mixture of one
part of cement, two parts Of sand and
four partsof gravel. The top, sides and
ends and bottom were reinforced with
steel rods. The tank has two COM
partments or chambers; one Of which
Is the settling section and the other
the discharge section. The sewage
Is discharged into, settled and parti-
ally purified in the settling chamber.
1t slowly seeps around the battle
boards over the concrete partition
wall into the discharge chamber and
when sufficient has collected In this
chamber, it is intermittingly dis
charged from this chamber by an auto
matte siphon.
This septic tank has a capacity to
take care of the hushings of forty gal
Ions per person and to discharge at
between twelve and twenty
four hours There is no advantage in
having a tank larger than necessary to
properly perform the work, for then
the liquid sewage remains too long
and putrefaction is likely to occur. If
the siphon fails to discharge during
the proper working periods, owing to
not having received sufficient sewage,
flush sufficient water through the toll
cts to make 1t do so.
The most difficult portion of the
system to construct was the septic
tank, owing to the steel reinforcing
rods The forming was of pine, one
inch stuff, six inches wide and dressed
both sides, while the bracfng was two
by four stuff The top of the tank is
not separate from the sides, but is
nodded with the sides and ends. Time
consumed in completing tank by three
laborers, carpenter and helper was
four and one-half days and the cost,
was $82.10.
Anyone desiring more detailed in
formation relative to the design, cost,
details of construction of the system
and blue print drawings of the tank,
may\ obtain same by communicating
with the Extension Service, Maryland
Agricultural College, College Park, Md.
Synopsis OF Cost OF System.
Plumbing, including two anti
freezing Kemp toilets. .......$ 1855
Two hundred and sixty feet of
sixInch sewer tile in place. 51.40
Septic tank complete. ....-... 82.10
Mechanics, overseeing time.... $500
Total Observation-Disclosures 218.15
To this should be added the amount
which would have to be paid sur