Which drain pit is best for a private house. How a cesspool is arranged in a private house: a diagram and construction instructions

If a person lives in a house, it must have sewerage, since waste products still need to be disposed of somehow. And it's hard to disagree with that, isn't it? The modern industry offers many solutions: from multi-section septic tanks to neat dry closets. But ordinary cesspool V private house is still relevant and in demand.

But, before proceeding with the construction of a cesspool on the site, you will have to weigh the pros and cons. After all, an incorrectly chosen place, and the design of the cesspool itself, subsequently, threatens to turn into many problems. The most common of these is the appearance of an unpleasant odor. We will tell you how to avoid this problem.

In the article, we have collected and summarized information about the types and design features of cesspools. In addition, here you can find helpful tips and recommendations on how to choose and build a sewer on the site. The material is accompanied by thematic photos and videos.

A cesspool is perhaps the oldest and simplest type of sewage. It is a depression in the ground in which sewage is accumulated and partially processed.

Any drain contains a certain amount of bacteria that absorb and convert these accumulations. Part of the filtered effluent passes into the underlying soil.

Everything that has not been recycled and has not gone into the underlying layers should be periodically removed from the cesspool so that the container does not overflow.

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Citizens, using plumbing, as a rule, do not think about where the waste water then flows. But the owners of country houses often have to solve the problem of waste disposal on their own. Consider how to properly make a drain hole. After all, it is this popular version of local sewage that is the simplest, cheapest and most affordable for self-construction.

When landscaping the house and the site, the first thing they do is to build water supply and sewerage systems. Since it is quite difficult to imagine a comfortable life if you need to carry water from a well.

There are a lot of options for organizing wastewater disposal, but the simplest and therefore very popular is the construction of a drain pit. Consider how to make a drain pit with your own hands, without resorting to the help of professional builders.

Types of drain pits

For all its simplicity, the drain pit can have a different design. Here are the most common options:

• sealed pit.
• filter hole.
• Double pit.

sealed pit

This version of the local sewage system is the safest for the environment, since all drains from the house disappear into a sealed sump and remain there until they are pumped out by sewers.

Thus, there is no risk of contaminated water getting into the ground and soil water, that is, the presence of this type of sewage on the site does not affect the ecological systems. The disadvantage of this waste disposal option is the need to regularly pump out the accumulated liquid.

Filter drain pit

Sanitary rules allow the construction of filter-type drain pits only if the volume of wastewater per day is less than a cubic meter. If Wastewater a little, they have time to be recycled by natural decomposition. Pits of this type can be built for a bath, as well as for a house in which there is a separation of drains.

In the latter case, two sewer branches and two drain pits are constructed. In the first (filter type) drains are transported from the shower room, from the washbasin, washing machine, which is relatively pure. In the second (sealed type), drains from toilets and the kitchen should be transported.

Two-chamber drain pit

Another practical solution to the problem of how to build a drain pit is the construction of a two-chamber installation. Consider how this works treatment plant:

• The pit consists of two chambers connected at the top by an overflow.
• The first chamber is sealed, the second is filtering.
• Drains (undivided) come from the house to the first sealed chamber, where they are mechanically separated, that is, they are simply settled. Solid inclusions sink to the bottom, and relatively pure water overflows into the second chamber.
• From the second chamber, water is filtered into the ground.
• Waste that accumulates in the first chamber should be pumped out periodically.

Advice! So that the drain pit can be cleaned less often, it is recommended to use special biological products. Bacteria recycle organic matter, reducing the amount of solid waste.

Construction planning

Before you make a drain pit, you should draw up a construction plan. It is necessary to decide on the type of structure, choose the place of construction and determine the required volume of tanks.

How to determine the volume of the drain pit?

The main indicator on which the volume of the drain pit will depend is the intensity of use of a residential facility. It is clear that a larger pit is needed for a house than for a summer residence.

Advice! Of course, it is better to determine the volume of effluents individually, but there are generally accepted norms. So, for a family of three people permanently residing in the house, a pit with a capacity of 6 cubic meters should be built.

When determining the volume of the tank, the following factors should be taken into account:

• Availability of sewer services.
• The volume that sewage equipment can pump out at a time.

Where is the drain hole located?

• Soil water should lie deep enough on the site, since the minimum depth of the pit is two meters.
• If there is a source nearby drinking water, then the pit should be placed at a distance of at least 30 meters from it.
• The cesspool cannot be placed on a slope.
• Provision should be made for the availability of free passages for servicing the pit.
• You can not have a hole next to the house and the fence of the neighboring area. The minimum distance to housing is five meters.

In a word, it is quite difficult to choose a place for construction, especially if the site is already equipped. However, you cannot deviate from the above rules.

The choice of material for construction

For the construction of a sealed pit, the following materials are used:

• Concrete solution. A formwork is being built into which the mortar is poured. The thickness of the walls and the bottom should be at least 7 cm, it is advisable to reinforce with a steel mesh.
• Plastic containers. This is the least labor intensive option. A pit is being prepared, in which a finished plastic container is installed.

Advice! To exclude the possibility of deformation of containers under the action of soil pressure, as well as its floating during spring floods, it is recommended to concret the walls and bottom of the pit. When concreting the bottom, special fastening loops are laid, to which the plastic tank is tied with polymer belts.

• concrete rings.
• Ceramic brick.

When choosing the last two options, you have to carry out additional measures to seal the seams. To do this, the brickwork (or the joints between the rings) is treated with mortar from the inside, the bottom of the pit is concreted.

Additionally, from the inside, the walls are covered with a solution of bitumen, and from the outside they are covered with a thick (20 cm) layer of greasy clay. And what is the best way to overlay the drain pit if a filtering version of the treatment plant is being built? There are no less options. Great for:

• Brick. The walls should be laid out so that between the rows there are five-centimeter gaps arranged in a checkerboard pattern.
• Reinforced concrete rings. Manufacturers specially produce rings for the construction of drainage wells, they are perforated. If it was not possible to buy such rings, holes in solid products can be made independently using a perforator.
• Old car tires. From this improvised material, you can easily assemble a drainage well. Tires are stacked one above the other, having previously cut off the lower rim on each of them.
• Old plastic or metal barrels. For the construction of the pit, a barrel without a bottom is used, while a number of holes are made in its lower part for better water filtration.

Stages of construction of a drain pit

Let's consider how to properly make a drain pit, provided that the work is done independently:

• Construction begins with the preparation of a pit and trenches for laying a supply pipeline.
• The pit must have great depth than the planned depth of the drain pit, since a drainage cushion is arranged at its bottom.
• The drainage cushion is made by pouring a layer of sand and gravel, each layer is qualitatively compacted.
• If the pit is airtight, then the height of the layers can be 10-15 cm. Either a ready-made reinforced concrete slab should be placed on top of the drainage pillow, or a concrete screed should be made.
• If a filter pit is being built, then the crushed stone layer should be at least 20 cm so that the drains are better cleaned and the bottom does not silt longer.
• Next, the walls of the tank are strengthened, that is, brickwork is performed, concrete rings or plastic containers are installed, depending on the chosen construction material.
• If a sealed tank is being built, then after the walls are strengthened, they are waterproofed.
• At this stage, the connection of the supply pipeline to the receiving tank is also carried out. The connection of the pipe with the tank must be tight, but not rigid, so that it does not collapse under the action of soil movements. It is convenient to use rubber couplings.

• At a distance of about 40 cm from the surface of the earth, an overlap for the pit is arranged. As a rule, a finished reinforced concrete slab with a hole for a hatch is used as a floor. If desired, such a slab can be cast independently, having previously constructed the formwork.
• Alternatively, thick boards can be used to build the floor, but in this case, it will turn out to be less durable.
• A hatch must be made in the ceiling to check the filling of the pit and pump out its contents.
• It is advisable to install on the cover and the ventilation pipe. Indeed, in the process of decomposition of waste, various gases are formed, including methane, which is explosive. Therefore, it is better to provide for the possibility of ventilation.
• From above, the overlap can be covered with soil. The soil must be filled with a mound to prevent rainwater from flowing into the pit.

So, if it is planned to arrange a local sewerage system, the construction of a drain pit is one of the simplest, but at the same time convenient and practical options. It does not hurt for beginners in the construction business to visually see how to make a drain pit - a video describing the stages of work can be found on construction sites.

For the improvement of a private house, a summer residence and any other residential buildings, the equipment of drainage and sewage systems is considered the main thing. An integral element of waste disposal is precisely the drain pit, the construction of which can be done independently.

For the improvement of a private house, a summer residence and any other residential buildings, the equipment of drainage and sewage systems is considered the main thing. An integral element of waste disposal is precisely the drain pit, the construction of which can be done independently. In this article, we will talk in detail about the features of building drain pits, determine the main criteria for choosing a location for their creation, and also get acquainted with the basic requirements for this structure on the site.

How to choose the right place for building a drain pit with your own hands
Do-it-yourself construction of a drain pit begins with the choice of a place for the future structure. In order for waste disposal to be as convenient, safe and of high quality as possible, it is necessary to take into account the following nuances:

• landscape type;
• accommodation ground water;
• location of wells nearby drinking water;
• remoteness from surrounding buildings at least 6 meters;
• from the drain pit to the fence must be at least 2 meters, etc.

Before starting construction work, it is very important to get acquainted with the nature of the soil on the ground, as well as accurately determine the occurrence of groundwater, since the distance from the bottom of the pit to them should be more than 1 meter. When determining the territory for the drain pit, it is very important to take into account all sanitary standards so that harmful, toxic fumes do not harm either the homeowners or others.

Determination of the main parameters of the drain pit. Depth and Diameter
After choosing a suitable place for a cesspool, you should determine its main parameters. The volume, depth and diameter of the structure for this purpose is guided by the following criteria:

• the main material used in the work;
• the number of residents in the house;
• construction type.

Often the choice of consumers stops at a septic tank made of plastic cups. This means that the volume of the drain pit is affected by the number of containers used. The septic tank installation technique requires free space on the sides of the structure (approximately 25-30 cm), which should be covered with earth or clay. In this case, you should pay attention to the condition of the earthen cushion on which plastic vessels will be installed. It is very important that one of the tanks is located above the other, due to which the drains will move freely in the right direction.

For example, for drain pits with concrete rings inside, experts recommend preparing an ellipse-type pit, with a diameter of 1.5 - 1.7 m.

For drain pits made of brick or concrete, in the process of determining its main parameters, the volume occupied by the material must be taken into account.

The second criterion by which the dimensions of the drain pit are calculated is the number of people living in the house. The indicators of the volume of water that one person uses per day on average are taken into account. Given these indicators, it is still worth taking all the numbers with a margin. So, the formula for calculating the volume of the drain pit: the indicators of depth, width and length are multiplied by each other. As for the depth of such a structure, it should not be less than 180 cm.

The dimensions of the drain pits directly depend on the type of construction chosen. The table highlights the main ones.

Types of drain pits by design features

Absorbing pits without a bottom	Suitable for use in places with a daily waste volume of not more than 1 cubic meter. More suitable for summer use. Differs in installation economy.
Sealed containers	The safest type for the environment. The installation of such drain pits requires easy access to the construction of sewage equipment.
Storage septic tanks	We have already mentioned this type above. Differs in comfort and manufacturability in use on any private sites. There are single-chamber and multi-chamber. They require regular use of biological products to combat sewage.

Features of the drain pit for summer use
The presence of a sewerage system is simply necessary to drain waste from a sauna, bath, shower, toilet, kitchen, etc. Drain pits are classified not only with respect to design features, but also according to seasonal characteristics. In addition, there is also a third criterion - this is the type of material used for construction. So, according to seasonal characteristics, drain pits are distinguished mainly for summer use and all-weather structures. Summer-type structures are built from improvised materials, such as:

• wooden boards;
• old car tires;
• plastic and metal barrels, etc.

Do-it-yourself drain pit made of wooden tires
For the equipment of a string pit for seasonal use, such material as wood is perfect. For beginners in construction work, the process of mounting and installing from boards will not be as difficult as with other materials. So, for the construction of a summer cesspool, the following materials and tools should be prepared:

• digging shovel;
• wooden boards and nails;
• tape measure, building level;
• wooden supports (pillars);
• metal pipes (as stiffeners);
• crushed stone;
• moisture resistant polymeric materials;
• hammer;
• grinder, etc.

It should be borne in mind that wood absorbs moisture well, even when processing the material with moisture-resistant agents, this type of drain structure will not last more than 10 years.

Step 1 We prepare the pit using a shovel.

Step 2. We create formwork from boards according to the intended dimensions (height is about 1.5 m);

Step 3. We install supports (wooden bars) and connect them with knocked down wooden shields;

Step 4. We strengthen the structure with spacers;

Step 5 metal pipes provide stiffener designs.

Step 6. Cover the hole.

As a polymeric material, as an additional protection against moisture, professionals recommend the use of polyurethane foam.

Features of a do-it-yourself drain pit for all-weather use
To create drain pits for all-weather use with their own hands, materials such as brick, concrete rings, etc. are used. Such structures differ from temporary ones in depth, shelf life, wastewater absorption volume, etc. All-weather cesspools suggest the presence of an inspection hatch. Next, consider the processes of building a brick drain pit and creating a structure from concrete rings Let's take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of each option.

Do-it-yourself features of a drain pit made of concrete rings
Drainage pits made of concrete rings are a reliable structure that, if properly installed, can last more than a century. The process of working on such a design requires the master to work with welding machine. A number of advantages of cesspools made of concrete rings include:

• resistance to toxic, chemical effects of stock substances;
• long service life;
• water resistance of concrete material;
• placement of groundwater, for a concrete structure, practically does not matter.

The disadvantages of this type of cesspools include the fact that working with the structure requires the use of special equipment. This series can be supplemented by the fact that this work process is laborious and increased level pollution.

Drainage pits made of concrete rings are divided into two types. The first are structures with a bottom, the second are pits without a bottom. An all-weather, and actually harmless option, is considered to be a design with a bottom, since in this case there is no unpleasant smell, no danger to the environment, and as a result, other characteristic functional shortcomings.

According to the above criteria for choosing a place for construction, we determine the territory, after which we can proceed to the choice of the main material - concrete rings. It is best to use ready-made rings, which can be ordered from specialized suppliers. At this stage, it is worth immediately taking care of the equipment (crane), with the help of which the concrete rings will be placed in the foundation pit of the stock structure.

As a rule, construction work begins with the preparation of the bottom of the pit. At this stage, a concrete solution is used. To prepare the filling mass, we use 1 part of cement and 6 parts of crushed stone. The following installation procedures should be continued after the complete drying of this layer (not earlier than after 7 days).

After the bottom has completely dried, it is possible to install concrete rings, the seams of which must be treated with liquid glass, thus ensuring complete isolation of the structure.

It is worth paying attention to the type of concrete rings, as they come with and without a lock. The second type during the installation process is usually strengthened with metal brackets. A special overlap is installed on the last ring, which has a special place under the cover of the drain pit, a hatch.

Features of a do-it-yourself brick drain pit
Drainage pits made of bricks, as well as from concrete rings, can be either with or without a bottom. It's best to take care of it anyway. brick structures This type has the following pros and cons:

• environmental Safety;
• ease of installation and operation;
• does not depend on the level of groundwater and the type of land cover;
• the presence of an unpleasant odor;
• not a long service life;
• frequency of effluent pumping, etc.

Work on this type of drain pit requires considerable time and physical costs, and consists of the following steps.

• Choosing a building site.
• Calculation of the dimensions of the pit.
• Preparation of tools and materials.
• Pit dig.
• Bottom preparation.
• Walling.
• Pit interior.
• Cover installation.

To work with brick material and prepare a site for a cesspool, you will need: bayonet and shovel shovels; a container for mixing mortar, buckets, trowels, construction measuring tools, pegs and a rope for fencing the territory.

After the foundation pit is dug to the desired depth and the planned dimensions, you need to take care of the walls (level them and eliminate collapses). Next, you can do the bottom, it should be poured under a slope. After the base has dried, formwork is prepared for the construction of walls, then we can proceed to brickwork. Experts repeatedly remind about an additional layer of waterproofing for bricks. Bitumen is used as a protective layer different types(modified, or bituminous mastic).

Creating a cesspool with your own hands requires a reliable, durable floor. For this purpose, reinforced concrete structures are used, as they are able to withstand heavy loads. according to safety rules, hatches should cover the drain holes on the sides by more than 30 cm. It is worth taking care of the hole in the hatch for convenient pumping of wastewater.

How to make a drain hole on your site
The presence of a cesspool on the farm is undoubtedly an important, necessary and, moreover, very important moment. In order to answer the question of how to make a drain pit on your site, you should read some tips from experienced professionals.

Tip 1. Before starting construction work, read the sanitary standards in detail and choose the right place, any violations can lead to administrative penalties and fines.

Tip 2. Use only quality materials to neutralize the formation of harmful, poisonous fumes and odors.

Tip 3. Consult with experts on the issue of pumping wastewater, choose one of the methods (pump, sewage equipment, etc.), which will be the most convenient and efficient in your area.

Tip 4. In the process of installation work, do not forget about sealing and insulating joints and seams.

Tip 5. For durability, environmental friendliness and reliability of drain pits, install ready-made, sealed septic tanks that will simplify even the process of neutralizing wastewater.

For more information on the topic, watch the video:

Before every owner country house there is a question of the organization of disposal of effluents and waste.

It is impossible to equip sewage here, as in urban conditions. The best solution would be a cesspool.

Previously, to equip a cesspool, people dug a large well, the bottom and walls of which were lined with a thick layer of clay, which protected the earth and groundwater from mixing with drains.

But, you see, we are talking about a rather laborious process.

Today, no one uses this method of arranging sewage.

There are new technologies that make it easier and more efficient to cope with the task.

It cannot be said that the cesspool is arranged in the place where the owner of the house wishes. When deciding where to dig a cesspool, you must definitely be guided by special documents and sanitary standards, and they say the following:

• the distance from the cesspool to the residential building should not be less than 12 meters;
• the distance from the cesspool to the fence should be more than 1 meter;
• the distance from the cesspool to wells or wells with drinking water cannot be less than 5 meters.

But, these are far from all the points that should be considered when choosing a suitable place. You need to understand that you can not place a pit near a garden or vegetable garden. It is also necessary to provide easy access to it so that a machine can drive up to pump out the contents.

How to calculate the volume of a cesspool

In order for you not to have to call the sewer machine too often to clean the cesspool, you need to correctly calculate its optimal volume. It will depend on the number of people living in the house. For a family of 3-4 people, the average monthly flow is usually 12-13 cubic meters. Based on this, it can be determined that for such a number of people the minimum volume of a cesspool should be 18-20 cubic meters. Simply put, the minimum supply of cesspool volume is 40% of the monthly flow. But, such a reserve can be made only in cases where the soil passes water well. If your summer cottage has clay soil, the stock of the pit should be larger.

Cesspool Materials

There are several types of materials that are used to equip cesspools, preventing runoff from entering the ground and groundwater. Of these, you will need to choose the most suitable:

• brick, concrete blocks, stone - today they are used very rarely, because laying requires a lot of labor and a lot of time;
• reinforced concrete rings - they are often used in the arrangement of cesspools;
• metal and plastic barrels - their average volume is 200 liters. This wave is enough for a small family. Plastic containers are more in demand because they do not corrode.

Cesspool in a private house with their own hands

What kind of material to use for arranging a cesspool, each person decides independently, before evaluating the durability of the future structure, as well as financial costs, ease of installation.

Cesspool of concrete rings: scheme and device

Concrete rings are quite popular today among owners of private country houses. . This is not surprising, because they have many significant advantages over other methods:

• durability of the structure - the service life of such products reaches 100 years;
• concrete well withstands the processes of fermentation and decay, which constantly occur in the cesspool and are dangerous for the soil;
• ease of installation of the structure, due to which it is possible to reduce the time spent on arranging a cesspool;
• effective protection of soil and groundwater from pollution.

Considering high performance the popularity of concrete rings, let's take a closer look at their use in arranging sewers.

The rings themselves are products made of high-strength concrete. Inside them is a reinforcing metal mesh that provides additional strength. Rings are good because through them water will definitely not be able to penetrate into the soil and groundwater, contributing to their pollution. The only point that you should pay attention to when arranging such a cesspool is the joints between the concrete rings. They should be well treated with a special water-repellent cement mortar.

As for the shortcomings, in this case there is only one - the large weight of the products obliges to resort to the help of special equipment. But, if you look at this need from the other side, then on the contrary, using special equipment, you can cope with the work much faster.

Important! When considering the installation of a cesspool in a private house, special attention should be paid to its bottom so that drains cannot enter the groundwater through it. You can arrange the bottom in one of the following ways:

• prepare the bottom of the pit by filling it with sand, gravel or crushed stone. Next, install a special frame made of metal reinforcement, and then fill the bottom with concrete mortar 20-25 cm in height. This method is quite cheap. But, its disadvantage lies in the fact that the concrete solution will take a lot of time to dry completely;
• buy a finished bottom - it is made at the same factories as the concrete rings themselves. Accordingly, the cost of such a method of arranging the bottom of the pit will be higher, and the installation will have to be carried out using special equipment. The advantages include the minimum amount of time required to solve this problem.

Now consider in detail the installation of a cesspool of concrete rings. The work is not particularly difficult, but must be carried out in strict accordance with existing technology:

1. you need to dig a hole corresponding in volume to the number of people living in the house, and in diameter - in accordance with the size of the concrete rings;
2. you can start arranging the bottom. If you prefer cement mortar, then you should take care of its proper preparation. The ratio of cement and crushed stone will be 1:6. It will take a week for the solution to solidify. If you equip a cesspool in the summer, the concrete should be periodically moistened with water. So you can eliminate the appearance of cracks on its surface;
3. lowering rings. It is carried out using a special crane, because the products are heavy. After you lowered the first ring into the pit, immediately seal its joint with the bottom. This is best done with liquid glass, which is added to the cement mortar. After the mixture is well mixed, the seams can be processed with it. Note! If the site has a high level of groundwater, it is better to process the seams not only from the inside, but also from the outside of the structure. So you will be completely sure that the drains will not fall into the ground. After lowering the next ring, it is necessary to process its joint with the previous one in the same way. It is best to use concrete rings with a special "lock" that will ensure their strong bond. If this is not the case, then the products must be fastened with metal brackets;
4. the final stage is the installation of a well cover, which can be bought at the same factory as the rings. The cover is mounted with a crane. It is equipped with a special hatch and ventilation holes.

We looked at how to make a cesspool out of concrete rings - there is nothing complicated here, the work can be done by hand, without the help of specialists.

In addition to the main workflow, there will be some more points that may cause you questions. For example, in which part of the cesspool should the drain pipe be connected, how to do it so that the sewerage system works properly. For an answer to your question, check out cesspool scheme in a private house, located above. A thematic video is also proposed here, which shows each stage of installation and arrangement of the structure. Some people draw up cesspool schemes on their own, using previously learned information.

Sealed cesspool: scheme and device

There is another method for arranging a cesspool. It is considered the simplest and quite affordable. We are talking about special containers - plastic tanks, which are produced by factories already in finished form. They have some advantages over concrete rings:

• light weight;
• ease of installation;
• tightness.

To equip a cesspool in this way, you do not need to perform many laborious steps. It is only necessary to dig a hole of the required volume and shape so that a tank can be placed there, then prepare it for installation by equipping a special concrete pad. Its surface must be even. Next, the pillow will need to be covered with a 10-centimeter layer of sand, after which you can begin to lower the plastic container into the pit. When the tank is installed, it remains only to connect the waste pipes. After that, the pit is filled with a concrete-sand mixture (1: 5), the top layer is made of soil. The cesspool is ready for use.

We considered several options for how to make a cesspool with your own hands. To choose the one that suits you best, you first need to evaluate your financial capabilities, as well as your skills, if you do not resort to the help of professionals. Of course, arranging a cesspool with a plastic tank will be the simplest, so this option is preferred by most owners of country houses.

Depending on the amount of drained water, you can choose the appropriate option:

• a pit without a bottom (drain) is a suitable option to make a drain in the bath;
• sealed cesspool - for a large number of drains;
• septic tank - for partial treatment and draining of wastewater.

Which is better - a sealed or drain cesspool?

If the daily amount of discharged water does not exceed one cubic meter, a drain pit can be used. This is convenient, for example, when organizing a drain in a bath. It is enough to dig a pit with a volume of 3 m³, lay a pillow of 30 cm of sand and 50 cm of stones on the bottom, strengthen its walls with brick, concrete or even tires and close the hole.

If much more water is drained, it does not have time to seep and be cleaned. Then you can make a completely sealed cesspool. Ready-made containers are sold, which can be immediately buried.

The only drawback of such a pit is the monthly pumping of waste.

A septic tank is the best cesspool

If the amount of drain exceeds one and a half cubic meters per day, but it is unprofitable to order a monthly pumping out of the pit, the best way out is to make a septic tank in a private house. It filters waste quite well, polluting environment much smaller than the usual latrine with a pit. Ready-made systems are sold, which are enough to bury on the site, or you can do it completely on your own.

Advantages and disadvantages of a homemade septic tank

A do-it-yourself septic tank has a number of advantages over ready-made solutions:

The final cost is significantly lower;
+ does not require a large area for the organization of the filtration field;
+ you can organize one septic tank for two houses;
+ depending on the type of wastewater, pumping is required every few years;
+ It is possible to carry out a complete cleaning once every ten years.

But the disadvantages of such a septic tank are also present:

- significant labor costs - it is problematic to cope with the device of a septic tank alone;
- time - pouring cement into the formwork and its hardening takes about a month;
– optional equipment- to simplify the process, you will need a concrete mixer or a drill with a mixer.

Site selection

The requirements for a septic tank are the same as for a cesspool - no closer than 15 meters from the well and 30 meters from the reservoir. At the same time, do not forget about the neighbors - the distance to their well should also not be less. But to the house it can be placed almost close - 3 m from the foundation with a one-story building, and 5 m - with a two-story building. In addition, this is how the issue of insulating the drain pipe is solved - the greater the distance to the pit, the deeper you will have to dig a trench and insulate the pipe.

Be sure to take into account the direction of groundwater and flood water - they should not go from the septic tank to the house or well. At the same time, it is also undesirable to arrange a septic tank in the lower part of the site - melt and runoff water will flood it. To protect the septic tank from flooding or raise it above the groundwater level, it can not be buried completely in the ground, insulating the above-ground part to prevent freezing.

Step by step instructions on how to make a septic tank

After choosing a place for a septic tank, work begins on its organization. It is necessary to calculate the required volume of the main chamber and the overall dimensions of the pit. So, for four people, the main chamber will be at least 150x150 cm, and for five or six - 200x200 cm. In this case, the depth should be at least 2.5 m, but not deeper than 3 m. This is done for the convenience of future pumping. The second, or drainage, chamber cannot be less than a third of the main one.

If there is a shower in the house and it is used daily, the size of the chambers must be increased by another 50%. It is also better to leave a small margin, since the filling of the working chamber should not exceed 2/3 of the total volume per day. In addition, the drains in the working chamber should settle a little, and not immediately overflow into the drainage chamber. The optimal volume of a septic tank is the daily amount of drained water multiplied by 3.

1. After determining the size of the chambers, markings are made and a foundation pit is dug. The upper fertile layer is removed - it can be used to cover the septic tank and arrange the beds.



2. The trench for the drain pipe is dug at the same time as the pit. The slope of the pipe is 3 degrees per meter. So that the masses do not stagnate, the pipe must be laid without straight and sharp corners.
3. It is desirable to get to sandy or sandy soil. On clay soil a sand and gravel pad is being made. First, 30 cm of sand is poured and tamped, and then the same amount of crushed stone of a fraction of 5 cm. Thus, for a septic tank 2.5 m deep, you will have to dig a pit 3.1 m deep.



4. The rest of the formwork is done on top of the pillow. The formwork along the walls is one-sided - the second side is the earth.



5. A drain pipe with a diameter of 100 mm is inserted into the formwork at a height of at least 80 cm from the bottom. If it is above freezing of the soil, the pipe must be insulated.
6. A tee is inserted into the wall formwork between the chambers, through which settled water will drain into the drainage chamber. It should be 20 cm below the drain pipe.
7. Concrete can be kneaded both manually in a trough with a chopper, and a concrete mixer. To give the mixture elasticity and frost resistance, you can add a tablespoon of ordinary washing powder to each bucket of water.



8. Concrete mixed with crushed stone and stones is poured into the formwork different size, and the mixture itself is bayoneted, removing air bubbles. The pipe and tee are poured so that after the formwork is removed, there is a monolithic wall around them.



9. As soon as the concrete hardens, you can make the top floor. It is most convenient to use corrugated board for formwork. It is laid so that it goes halfway onto the walls of the septic tank - so that when pouring, the roof and walls merge into a monolith.
10. A technical hatch with a diameter of 1 m is made, around which formwork is installed. It is necessary to make two holes above the chambers and insert pipes. In the main chamber - a pipe with a diameter of 100 mm and a reverse slope for pumping out sludge, which does not reach the bottom by 20 cm. A vacuum relief hole is made at the end of such a pipe. A ventilation pipe with a diameter of 50 mm is inserted into the second.





11. An overlap with a minimum thickness of 15 cm is poured with the obligatory addition of stone and bayonet. After hardening, the septic tank is covered with waterproofing and it can be completely covered with earth, leaving only a technical hatch. So that in winter the septic tank does not freeze through this hatch, it is covered with foam plastic and covered with another lid.

An improved do-it-yourself cesspool is ready to go. After some time, the bottom of the main chamber becomes silted, bacteria develop there, increasing the filtration capabilities of the pillow, and the final cleaning of the drain water takes place in the second chamber.

And how to make a simple cesspool is described step by step in the video: