Study for the North Carolina Septic Inspector Exam. Use detailed flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Get exam-ready today!

Multiple Choice

What term describes floating fats and oils at the top of a septic tank?

Floating fats and oils form the scum layer. Fats and greases are less dense than water, so they rise to the surface in a septic tank and sit above the clarified liquid. This top layer is called scum. Below it sits the sludge, made up of heavier solids that have settled to the bottom. The liquid in the middle is the effluent that exits the tank to the drain field. Leachate describes wastewater that infiltrates or drains through soil or waste piles, not the top of the septic tank, and isn't the layer formed inside the tank.

Floating fats and oils form the scum layer. Fats and greases are less dense than water, so they rise to the surface in a septic tank and sit above the clarified liquid. This top layer is called scum. Below it sits the sludge, made up of heavier solids that have settled to the bottom. The liquid in the middle is the effluent that exits the tank to the drain field. Leachate describes wastewater that infiltrates or drains through soil or waste piles, not the top of the septic tank, and isn't the layer formed inside the tank.