It is believed that septic systems, first appeared in France and that a man by the name of, John Mouras, first thought of them. The records show that septic tanks started appearing around 1860 and since then, they have made our communities a nicer place to live.
Mouras’ septic tank design was made out of concrete and clay. It was built in Mouras’ home and the tank was in his yard. When Mouras was dismantling the system, after using it for 10 years, he noticed that his waste was not there anymore and that only some liquid remained. With the help of some scientists, Mouras found out that this was a great way to get rid of human waste and soon submitted the papers that he needed to get a patent.
By 1881, Mouras had a patent on his septic system design and two years later, the system was being used in the US. The British would then take the system to Africa and from there it would reach other countries as well. The importance of the septic system cannot be emphasized enough and if it wasn’t for people like Mouras, our communities would be entirely different.
While today, not many people consider installing a septic system in their home, there are millions who still benefit from them and that are thankful for this invention.