Septic tank
In the United States, the 2007 American Housing Survey indicated that about 20 percent of all households rely on septic tanks, and that the overwhelming majority of systems are located in rural (50%) and suburban (47%) areas. Indianapolis is one example of a large city where many of the city's neighborhoods still rely on separate septic systems. In Europe, septic systems are generally limited to rural areas.
Fecal sludge management
Septage waste is periodically removed (with a frequency depending on tank capacity, system efficiency, and usage level, but typically less often than annually) from the septic tanks by specialized vehicles known as vacuum truck. They pump the septage out of the tank, and transport it to a local sewage treatment plant. It could also be used by farmers for fertilizer, or stored in large septage waste storage facilities for later treatment or use on crops.