In general, whether your home uses a septic tank or a sewerage system will depend on the location of the home. In urban areas, sewerage systems are maintained by the city’s public works department. If a neighborhood is outside of that city’s sewerage system area, the homes will use septic tanks to handle waste water, but a Chicago plumbing company like Almighty Plumbers will be able to assist you with either.

Is it Better to Opt for a Sewerage System or Septic Tank?

Whereas sewerage systems are the city’s responsibility to maintain, maintenance of septic systems is the responsibility of the homeowner. Homeowners pay a monthly fee to the city for sewage, while homes with septic tanks have no monthly fee, so can be less expensive in the long run.

Some septic systems can be expensive to maintain: Low-Pressure Dose Systems use a pump to move waste to a drain field and some conventional systems don’t percolate well and have to be pumped frequently.

Here is a concise comparison of the two systems:

Sewerage system Septic Tank
Waste is carried to treatment facility Waste goes into a holding tank
Treatment facility removes contaminants and then releases the water back into water supply Bacteria break down solid waste and the resulting liquid is emptied into a drain field
No maintenance required Tanks need to be pumped out periodically
When it fails, call your municipality When something goes wrong, call Chicago’s 24-hour plumbing company: Almighty Plumbers
Homeowner is not responsible for system If correctly maintained, a septic tank will have lower ongoing costs

If you are in the Chicago area and would like more information on these two system types or for repairs and maintenance on either, contact Almighty Plumbing on 773-284-6616. Allow us to help you make the right decision for you and your individual needs.

*Financing available!