Sewage disposal breakdown. The data on breakdowns in the sewage disposal are limited to housing units in which the means of sewage disposal was a public sewer, septic tank, or cesspool. Breakdowns refer to situations in which the system was completely unusable. Examples include the septic tank being pumped because it no longer perked, tank collapsed, tank exploded, sewer main broken, sewer plant not operating as result of electrical failure, or water service interruption. Data on breakdowns are shown if they occurred in the three months prior to the interview or while the household was living in the unit if less than three months and if the breakdown lasted six consecutive hours or more.