Cesspool vs Septic system, what's the difference?
A septic tank has a leach field , a cesspool or the one my grandfather had was a tank that drained into the soil. Garbage disposals and high soap / cleaners flushed or in the wash water are things that plug up both systems, if the bacteria can't digest the waste or is killed off from high concentrations of chemicals etc both will fill and fail. My grandfather's was always a place you did not want to be when the wind was going the wrong way, never have that problem with a septic tank. But modern ones may discharge differently, I know cesspools are not allowed in that area unless you have 20 acre lot or larger.