Do-it-yourself cesspool: analysis of popular options for arranging

The correct operation of the local sewerage system of a country cottage cannot be organized without a drain tank. One of the cheapest ways to dispose of sewage is considered a cesspool - you can build a sewer structure yourself using inexpensive materials.

We offer you to get acquainted with the most popular and budget options for sewage tanks. The article describes in detail the technology of their construction, and also identifies the features of the operation of cesspools.

Features of operation of cesspools

A cesspool is a structure designed to collect domestic wastewater of biological and technical origin, followed by pumping them out as they fill up with sewage equipment.

The indisputable advantage of cesspools is the simplicity of their execution. Such a construction can be built quickly enough, even using used building materials.

According to the standards, according to clause 2.4 of SNiPa 2.04.03-85, it is believed that the volume of the storage tank is determined from the calculation in which up to 25 liters of water are consumed on average per person’s needs per day.

Therefore, if the daily amount of wastewater does not exceed the figure of 1000 liters, a cesspool with a capacity of 2-3 cubic meters can fully cope with the function of collecting sewage. m

The only drawback of cesspools is the need for regular waste pumping. In order to reduce the number of calls to the services of scavengers, biological agents and chemicals are used.

This leads to the fact that over time, the need for regular pumping decreases, and the periods between calls of the cesspool machine increase.

The easiest way to organize a pit for collecting sewage is to install a sealed container buried in the ground. As it is being filled, they call up the dump trucks to empty the tank

When using biological agents, sewer masses are cleaned to a degree of 95%. As a result, they can be redistributed into the soil after filtration in an absorption well or in a drainage system. But such drugs only work effectively if the ambient temperature is above + 4 ° C.

In the winter, chemical preparations - nitrate oxidizing agents - will cope with the task. When they are used, insoluble sediment is released from the sewer mass, which also needs to be removed from the tank.

A cesspool is the best option when installing sewage for a small cottage in which a family of 1-3 people resides, provided that water-consuming appliances are not connected to the drain (+)

Waste Tank Classification

The cesspools are classified according to two main criteria: design and type of material used for the construction of walls.

Design Options

The cesspool can be equipped in the form of an absorbing well or a sealed storage. In the first case, the bottom of the tank is simply covered with a layer of fine gravel or gravel, which will be responsible for filtering the effluents.

Absorption wells are mainly used for collecting and cleaning gray sewage from washing machines, dishwashers, showers, etc. On rocky, semi-rocky rocks and clay soils (clay, loam, sandy loam) to equip cesspools without bottom not allowed.

To organize a filter well, soils with filtration capabilities are necessary.

Partially sealed structures are convenient in that they do not require regular pumping. At the first stage of operation, water seeps into the ground quite quickly.

However, over time, when the device is installed on the ground with layers of loam, sludge may accumulate at the bottom of the tank, making it difficult to filter. This leads to the need for more frequent cleaning of the well.

Passing through the drainage bottom, the drains will be sequentially cleaned and penetrate into the underlying layers. Between the roof of the water-saturated layer and the conditional bottom of the filtering well should be at least 1 m

Giving preference to partially sealed structures, experienced owners recommend separating the drains by equipping separate cesspools:

• first - for waste water;
• second - for the toilet.

In this case, the toilet pit will fill up more slowly, and therefore less likely to need pumping special equipment. And drains from the kitchen and bathroom, which contain a tiny amount of insoluble inclusions, will almost completely seep through the filter into the ground.

Leakproof structures may only be equipped if the drain does not exceed 1 cubic meter. m / day. In constructions of this type, to accelerate the decomposition of impurities and improve the quality of cleaning, it is recommended to use specialized means for cesspools.

If we compare these two types of structures, then closed sealed tanks are preferable in the sense that they are safer for the environment (+)

When a sealed cesspool is closed, the bottom of the tank is completely concreted. To equip the bottom in the tanks use special slabs, cement pouring or brickwork.

The walls of the drives are also made of building materials: monolithic concrete, reinforced concrete rings, fired brick, foam blocks. The walls and bottom of the sewer structure are completely waterproofed.

Types of Materials Used

Depending on the dimensions of the structure, as well as the accumulating or filtering principle of action, a waste water collection facility may be:

• tire pit;
• Plastic container;
• tank of concrete rings;
• construction with brick walls.

Choosing the right option depends on the terrain and the capabilities of the owner of the site. The main requirement for the material used for the storage tank device is to prevent leakage of effluents into the soils in contact with it.

The material must perfectly resist ground pressure, and also be resistant to aggressive environments, which include sewage. For this reason, the use of metal or wood, quickly destroyed by moisture, is unjustified.

Tank Arrangement: Sanitary Accounting

Despite the fact that the process of constructing a cesspool is simpler than building the same septic tank, a number of certain nuances should be taken into account when erecting a structure. Indeed, the effectiveness of the sewer system and the convenience of its use directly depend on them.

The place for the construction of the pit is chosen away from the house and sources of drinking water so that drains leaking into the ground do not harm. It is necessary to provide for the possibility of access of a cesspool machine for pit cleaning

Regardless of the type of design chosen, in order to properly make a cesspool, it is necessary to correctly approach the place of its arrangement.

When determining the location, it is important to take into account the level of occurrence of groundwater. If there is a likelihood of infiltration of treated effluents into the water intake horizon, it will be necessary to abandon the absorption structure.

In addition, in regions with characteristic flood events, it is impossible to build wells with filtration holes in the walls. Because there is a high probability of contamination of groundwater during the flooding of the sewage system during the period of its seasonal increase.

The organization of the storage tank is also carried out according to special rules. To the buried drive should be provided a free access of the sump equipment, which in most cases differs in impressive dimensions.

The rules for placing cesspools are strictly regulated by SNiP. Failure to comply with the prescribed requirements is punishable by fines.

A cesspool is located at a distance of 4 meters from residential buildings, 30 meters from a water source, 5 meters from a road and 3 meters from garden beds and plantings (+)

When determining the dimensions of the structure, consider that the maximum depth of the pit should not exceed three meters. Exceeding the depth greatly complicates the process of pumping effluents.

In addition, the walls of the structure must be insulated to the depth of seasonal freezing of the soil, and in the upper part of the pit a small protrusion should be provided for the installation of the cover.

The construction of the tank from tires

Main advantage tire racks - long service life and the use of almost free material. The construction will function properly for more than 30 years.

For work, you can use tires of any modifications - both those that are installed on cars, and tires more than a meter, designed for trucks

The end parts of the tires can be cut off. But raw car tires will reduce the size of the filter in plan. As a result: with frequent use of the structure, the bottom quickly silts up and stops quickly and efficiently filtering the water.

Therefore, to simplify the installation of car tires and prevent the accumulation of solid waste in the protruding rims, it is advisable to cut off the end parts of the tires with a jigsaw, forming a flat plane.

The construction of the pit from tires is carried out in several stages:

1. Determination of hole diameter in soil. The calculation is based on the outer section of the selected tires.
2. Digging mine. Manual excavation may take several days.
3. Bottom arrangement. Using a garden drill, a drainage hole is drilled at the center point of the bottom for the installation of a borehole pipe. The well will let sewage pass through itself, delaying sediment.
4. The formation of the drainage "pillow". The bottom of the pit, equipped with a well, is sprinkled with a 15-cm layer of crushed stone with sand aggregate. A filter layer of at least 85 cm of sand is arranged on top of the crushed stone pillow.
5. Tire installation. Tires are successively stacked on top of each other and fastened together by bolting. A hole is made in the side surface of the upper tire for introducing a pipe to discharge the effluent.
6. Stitching. Joints and suture contours are treated with sealant.
7. Backfill pit. To equip additional waterproofing, the outer walls of the sewer structure made of tires are previously better sealed with clay.
8. Construction Overlap. They cover the pit with boards covered with roofing material.
9. Installing a protective cover. It is best to use a finished product made of polymer materials.

If additional sewage treatment is planned in the drainage system, then drains are connected to the well. These are pipes laid with a slope towards the filtration fields with drainage holes along the entire length.

To equip an additional filter and increase the final quality of cleaning, a polypropylene mesh is pulled onto the pipe walls.

The number of tires depends on the depth of the structure; on average, 5-7 tires (+) are spent on arranging a pit that needs pumping of sewage equipment

Ventilation is not a mandatory element of an absorption sewage tank. But experts still recommend installing an exhaust pipe. It should rise about 60 cm above the ground.

Further, with intensive use, such sewer structures require cleaning 1 - 2 times a season.

Selection and installation of a plastic tank

Today, plastic containers are quite actively used in the arrangement of local sewage systems - polymer cesspool resistant to decay and aging, due to which it is able to last several decades.

Lightweight construction makes installation easier. But the lightness of the tank can also provoke the fact that under the influence of soil pressure during operation, it simply extrudes to the surface.

To prevent expulsion, the container is attached to a reinforced concrete slab laid at the bottom of the pit, or fixed with an anchor holding the plastic tank in place.

The only drawback of thin-walled containers is the vulnerability to mechanical damage, fiber reinforced walls reinforce the situation.

The technology of digging a pit and preparing the foundation is practically no different from the process described above. Under the installation of the container, a hole is dug of such a size that the distance between the earthen walls and the plastic is 30-40 cm.

The bottom of the excavated pit is leveled and poured with a concrete layer 20 cm thick, checking the horizontalness of the plane using the building level.

A plastic drive is installed on top of the hardened concrete slab. He is lowered down with the help of ropes.

Some craftsmen to protect the walls of the tank from the pressure of the ground masses build a casing made of metal mesh, or erect brickwork.

Upon completion of installation work, the outer walls of the tank are sealed with a layer of earth. So that when backfilling, the structure does not accidentally crack under the thickness of the soil surrounding it, as the walls become denser, gradually pour water into it. After installation is complete, water can be pumped out using a pump.

The storage cesspool is ready. It remains only to bring the sewer branches to it, laying them at a slight slope. Direct it towards the receiving tank. On a running meter of the sewer pipeline there should be 2 - 3 mm of a bias.

Pipe fittings are connected using appropriate sized couplings. To increase the tightness of the system, the joints are covered with silicone sealant.

The upper fertile layer of earth, taken during the excavation of the foundation pit, can be safely used to add beds to the garden plot, and the soil from the depths - for the embodiment of landscape design

At the final stage, set manhole cover, and around the tank itself, the earth's surface is leveled.

If you need cesspool with overflow, that is, the option to make it from Eurocubes:

Concrete ring construction: step-by-step instruction

Standard sewer storage consists of 2-3 rings. Each ring measuring 1x1.5 meters can accommodate up to one and a half cubes.

Construction of a cesspool from concrete rings is a multi-step process that requires a certain sequence.

Step number 1. Digging and arranging the bottom

Having decided on the dimensions of the future "well", they dig a pit, the dimensions of which exceed the diameter of the installed rings by 80-90 cm. The walls of the pit are cleaned and leveled. The bottom of the pit is carefully tamped.

During the construction of the filtering structure, the bottom of the pit is lined with a 25-cm layer of fine-grained gravel or broken brick

To equip the sealed bottom of the pit, pouring cement or laying bricks is performed on a pre-built formwork, the dimensions of which correspond to the shape of the future tank.

The bottom with the installed formwork is laid out in several layers of bricks or poured with cement mortar. Concrete hardening takes from 5 to 7 days. To simplify their task, use ready-made concrete rings, already equipped with a bottom.

Step number 2. The construction of the walls of the structure

After the flooded bottom has acquired the desired strength, proceed to the installation of concrete rings. In the prepared mine well with the help of a winch or crane, the rings are successively lowered. If during the dive the ring is skewed and stuck in the ground, the pit should be slightly expanded.

When installing and adjusting the rings in order to avoid distortions, the verticality and horizontalness of the planes should be checked using the building level

To soften the blow and avoid the appearance of cracks in concrete, boards are temporarily laid on the upper face of each ring. Concrete rings, if necessary, are tied with reinforcement and fastened together with steel plates or brackets. More reliable grip can be achieved using rings with a “lock”.

The joints are covered with cement mortar with the addition of water glass and waterproofed using old rubber seals.

To ensure waterproofing qualities, the outer surface of the installed rings is coated with bituminous mastic and wrapped with roofing material

After the installation of the trunk of the void tank between the outer walls of the erected tank and the foundation pit is completed, they strengthen

• stones;
• broken brick;
• soil dumped during digging;
• construction waste.

In regions where the depth of soil freezing exceeds one meter, it is desirable to insulate the walls of the tank.

The pipeline to the cesspool is laid below the freezing point of the soil. To achieve the required slope, pipes are laid in a trench using brick supports.

Step number 3. Installation of the hatch and ventilation pipe

The upper ring is closed with a slab made of reinforced concrete. At the final stage, ventilation is installed, which will discharge methane and explosive sulfur gas resulting from decay.

For the construction of the outlet pipe, a meter section with a diameter of 100 mm is taken and buried in the cavity of the well so that the upper end rises half a meter above the ground.

To prevent the spread of unpleasant odors, the cesspool is covered with a plastic waterproof hatch. It is installed on the neck with a height of 300-500 mm.

The inspection hatch must be equipped with two hermetically sealed covers: the first is placed at the level of the ceiling, and the second at ground level

A double cover will prevent the spread of unpleasant odors in the summer and freezing of contents in the winter. To increase the insulating properties of the structure, the space between the covers is laid with mineral wool cuts or pieces of foam.

A clay layer is lined on top of the ceiling, on top of which decorative soil is poured at the level of the installed lid.

Construction of a brick cesspool

Significant plus brick cesspool - durability. The construction can last more than half a century. In addition, such a tank is repairable.

Step number 1. Calculation of the volume of materials

To properly build a cesspool of brick, you need to make a construction plan and carry out preliminary calculations. You should calculate the number of pieces of material and determine the number of rows. To do this, the estimated height of the walls is divided by the height of the brick row, not forgetting to add 6 mm to the seams.

Knowing approximately the number of bricks in each row, it will not be difficult to find out the required volume. To determine the number of bricks in a chess masonry, you need to multiply the number of bricks of one row by 0.6.

For the construction of the pit, you can even use a used red solid brick with chips and small cracks.

When erecting a brick wall, the masonry is performed on a cement-sand mortar, prepared in a ratio of 1: 4.

Step number 2. Earthworks and masonry

You can dig a pit yourself, armed with a bayonet shovel, or using small-scale mechanization. The shape of the pit can be any: round, square, rectangular. At the same stage, they dig a trench 55 cm deep for laying sewer pipes.

For the construction of an absorbing structure, the bottom of the pit is covered with a drainage layer with a thickness of at least 100 cm, and during the construction of a sealed drive, it is poured with a cement screed.

The walls are laid in a checkerboard pattern so that the vertical seams between the rows do not form a single line; the thickness of the solid section may be one brick or half a brick

Walls made of bricks must be plastered with cement mortar. To achieve complete tightness, the surface is covered with bituminous mastic, and to prolong the life of the plaster, ironing is carried out.

A reinforced concrete screed is best suited as a ceiling. On the sides of the pit should overlap 25-30 cm.

To create a ceiling, formwork is assembled from wooden boards. Inside it, concrete is poured in two layers. To do this, first pour a solution of a thickness of 7-8 cm.

On top of the first layer, a reinforcement grid is laid, maintaining a step between the rods of 10 cm, the lined crate is poured with a second layer of solution

An inspection hole with a diameter of 700 mm is made in the overlapping cavity.

After the concrete has set, the overlap is covered with roofing material, plastic wrap or any other waterproofing material. The finished structure is sprinkled with soft clay and soil.

After completing the organization of the sewage system with a cesspool, all you have to do is monitor the filling of the tank and, if necessary, draw in pumping equipment.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The easiest way to build a drive:

Walkthrough for arranging a cesspool with brick walls:

Choosing the option of constructing a cesspool depends on your capabilities and preferences. In any case, if all installation steps are carried out correctly, the sewer tank will serve you for many years, perfectly coping with the tasks assigned to it.

Share with your readers your experience in the construction and operation of a cesspool. Please leave comments on the article and ask your questions. The feedback form is located below.