DIY cesspool for a private home. Do-it-yourself cesspool without a bottom How to dig a cesspool on a site

Good for those who live in the city. Issues of disposal of household waste in cities are resolved by municipal services. Those who live outside the city or own a private home have to work hard to find somewhere to dispose of household waste. A do-it-yourself cesspool made from inexpensive materials that are practically unnecessary in the household becomes a profitable solution. This design easily copes with the sanitary load and does not require serious financing. And most importantly, you can really build it without outside help.

Using cesspools - pros and cons

Perhaps the main advantage of a cesspool for a private home is its simplicity of design. It is erected easily, and most importantly, very quickly. It has a low cost. Construction is possible even from materials that were previously in use.

Tires are the cheapest option for a drain pit

However, it also has its drawbacks. From time to time, you will still need to call a sewer truck and pump out the drains. The frequency of pumping depends on the number of people in the family, the volume of the pit itself, and the water-consuming equipment. We can conclude that the arrival of a sewage disposal truck will be the main item in the expense item.

Perhaps many will think: if I dig a very large cesspool, then I can pump it out once every 5 years. Unfortunately, the recommended depth point is 3 meters. If you make it deeper, serious problems with pumping may arise.

And we decided to call the last drawback “sanitary unreliability.” This applies to situations where the cesspool is not sealed. This indicator can be affected by placement, incorrect design, and volume. As a result, the inhabitants of the house will constantly smell an unpleasant odor.

Even taking into account the disadvantages listed above, not a single dacha can do without a cesspool - and this is a fact.

How to choose the location and volume of a cesspool?

A do-it-yourself cesspool in a private house cannot be located in the place where you like it most. You will have to be guided by certain sanitary standards and documentation. And they say the following:

The distance from the pit to the residential building is at least 12 meters.
The distance from the pit to the fence is at least 1 meter.
You should not dig a hole next to a well or borehole. It is better to do this at a distance of 5 meters or more.

Do not forget that sooner or later household waste will have to be pumped out. Therefore, it is necessary to think over a convenient scheme for accessing the sewer truck to the site.

Now let's talk about the recommended volume. It depends on the number of people regularly living in the house. If a family consists of 3-4 people, the average drainage volume is 18-20 cubic meters. This indicator can be expanded if the soil on your site does not drain water well. For example, it contains a lot of clay.

What materials are used?

Various materials are used to construct waste pits:

Brick, concrete blocks and stone. It is relatively rare to build a brick cesspool with your own hands. This is due to the fact that laying bricks itself is a very long and labor-intensive process. And not every person has at least minimal mason skills.
. A fairly common construction option.
Barrels made of metal, plastic. On the one hand, they are easy and quick to install, but on the other hand, they have a relatively small volume of about 200 liters. It may be enough for 1-2 people, but not enough for a large family. The plastic version is more in demand because it is not afraid of rust.

Pit lined with bricks

Do-it-yourself sewerage for a private house (video)

Pit made of concrete rings - detailed diagram, structure

The advantages of cesspools made of concrete rings are obvious:

Durability. The structure can last up to 100 years.
Sustainability. Under the influence of fermentation and decay processes, concrete does not collapse.
Easy to install. Significantly reduces time costs.
Efficiency. Contaminants will never enter the neighboring soil and groundwater.

Due to the fact that concrete rings are so popular and have many useful qualities, we will consider their use in sewerage installations. Inside the concrete there is a reinforced mesh that increases the strength of the structure. Water will never penetrate concrete - except at the junction of concrete rings. It is recommended to treat these places with cement with water-repellent properties.

The ring has only one drawback - its massive weight. Therefore, you definitely cannot do without the use of special equipment. On the other hand, it significantly speeds up the work.

Before installing the rings, the bottom of the pit is filled with crushed stone and sand. Then a frame made of reinforcement is installed, and concrete is poured to a depth of at least 20 cm. This is necessary to prevent sewage from entering the groundwater.
The process can be speeded up by purchasing a ready-made bottom. They are usually sold in the same factories as concrete rings. The cost will increase, but the time will be significantly reduced.
The rings are lowered using a crane due to the excessive weight of the products. As soon as the first ring has been lowered into the hole, you need to immediately seal it at the junction with the bottom. For example, using liquid glass, a small amount of which is added to the cement mortar. Take the time to process the seams inside and outside. This will increase your confidence that the drains will not end up outside the concrete ring.
After lowering the second element, the joints are processed in the same way. The final step is to install the cover, which is equipped with a hatch, metal hooks and ventilation holes.

Pit made of concrete rings

Sealed pit - detailed diagram, device

The method that we will tell you about right now is much simpler and more affordable. We are talking about purchasing a ready-made container. It is a plastic tank produced by some factories. Compared to concrete rings, the advantages are as follows:

Light weight.
Easy installation.
100% tight.

Wide range of plastic containers for sewerage. They can be purchased at a hardware store

A plastic cesspool requires minimal labor costs. It is enough to dig a hole of the desired shape and volume, and then place the tank in it. The concrete pad is covered with sand, and a plastic container is lowered into the pits. After connecting the sewer pipes, the pit is filled with a mixture of concrete and sand in a ratio of 1:5, and then with ordinary soil. It is completely ready for use.

The layer of turf that was removed from the ground in preparation for work is not thrown away, but put back in place. After some time, it will quickly overgrow, and traces of any actions will remain almost invisible.

Rubber tires for cesspools - cheap and cheerful

Tire cesspool – a worthy alternative to the first two options described above. Almost every household has unnecessary tires that have long outlived their usefulness. Don't rush to throw them away - you can build a magnificent cesspool.

Rubber wheels are used as a base. You lay them in the same way as concrete rings. Clamps are used for fixation, and special waterproof glue is used for sealing. Lightness, quick installation, low cost (and sometimes even free) - these are the “trump cards” that a tire cesspool has. The only drawback is that in most cases there is no bottom in such a hole. Consequently, groundwater is still at risk of contamination.

Used tire pit

DIY tire pit (video)

Subtleties of pit cleaning

It is worth understanding that the operation of a vacuum cleaner does not guarantee complete cleaning of the tank. The machine is capable of pumping out only liquid waste, while sediment will always remain at the bottom. Every year it will accumulate and, of course, ruin your life. To prevent this, The overflow cesspool needs to be optimized for cleaning after the sewer truck arrives. You can do it using several drugs:

Bioactive complexes (or simply BAC). The composition of the BAC includes various bacteria, which have shown high efficiency in the fight against organic matter and unpleasant odors. Don't worry - they are absolutely safe for humans. But there is one caveat. The bacteria starts to “work” only when it’s warm outside. If the temperature drops to +4 and below, the effectiveness of microorganisms tends to zero. They simply die. Therefore, you can use bioactive complexes only in the warm season.
Chemicals. Naturally, we are interested in a substance that works effectively and at the same time is safe for humans. There is such a drug, and it is called a nitrate oxidizer. A cesspool made of slate, concrete, or plastic will no longer emit unpleasant odors. The oxidizer is safe for plants and animals, and is most often used in the cold season.

To prevent a cesspool with an overflow from emitting a bad smell, you can consider its ventilation in a private house. For example, using plastic sewer pipes installed in the upper part of the drainage pit. Recommended diameter – 10 cm, recommended height – 60 cm.

If the cesspool in a private house is equipped correctly, you can not only forget about the unpleasant smell, but also ensure safe, timely disposal of wastewater with minimal costs and effort.

Results

We considered several options for arranging a cesspool. Which one to choose is up to you. It is important to assess your financial capabilities and skills so as not to resort to the help of specialists. Most summer residents and owners of country houses prefer plastic tanks. Because it's simple, relatively affordable and durable.

There are two extremes in arranging a toilet in a country house. One is a booth in the yard with a “glass”, justified by a phrase from a famous Soviet film: “There are no bushes nearby!” Another is a system for the accumulation and disposal of sewage in a septic tank - equipment that does not require pumping out waste. The first is associated with inconvenience, the second with the high cost of installation. A compromise between them looks like a properly equipped cesspool, which you can easily build with your own hands.

The best place for a pit

In some (if not most) village houses, a cesspool is dug within the boundaries of the house's foundation, directly under the latrine, located somewhere in the depths of the hallway or corridor. On the one hand, it’s convenient: you don’t have to go outside; the design does not require the installation of drainage and sewerage outlets. On the other hand, such a pit cannot be used for household waste (from a sink, bathtub, shower, etc.), and the smell in and around the toilet is unpleasant.

The best solution to the problem is to install a storage tank in an area not far from the building, where sewage will be drained from the home toilet through a sewer pipe.

But even in this case, you can’t dig a pit everywhere. Sanitary standards stipulate that the sewer pit must be at least 5 m from a residential building, 30-40 m from a water intake (well, natural reservoir), and 2 m from a neighbor’s fence. Work should also not be carried out near fruit trees planted Location on.
In addition, it should be remembered that the pit is still intended to be a cesspool, that is, the contents, as it is filled, must be raked out and transported. Therefore, you should calculate in advance the accessibility of access for sewage disposal equipment at your summer cottage.

Photo: diagram of the location of the cesspool on a summer cottage

Volume calculations

The construction of a cesspool in a country house requires preliminary calculations. The basic indicator here is the daily water consumption per person (taking into account not only visiting the restroom, but also washing, bathing, laundry, washing dishes, etc.). The minimum figure is 150 l. Another thing that needs to be decided is how often it is planned to pump out sewage from the pit. Let's say once a month.

It remains to calculate the required storage volume (in cubic meters) using the formula: V = nNVl/1000, where n is the period between emptying the pit (in days), N is the number of people permanently living in the house, and Vl is the daily water consumption per person. Thus, for a family of four people, the cesspool should have a volume of 18 m3. It would be worth adding another 20 percent here - taking into account the guests.

The ratio of the depth and length of the pit walls for a given volume is not particularly important, but it is still better if the depth is twice as large as the sides of the square-shaped pit. For example, for 18 m3 the internal length of the walls is 1.5 m at a depth of 3 m. By the way, it is advisable not to dig storage tanks deeper than three meters: there is a risk that the hose of the sewage disposal equipment will not reach the bottom.

For those who have forgotten their school mathematics course, let us remind you that the volume of a circular pit (cylinder) is calculated by the formula V = πr2h (h in this case is the depth of the pit). That is, for a storage tank with a volume of 18 m3 you will need 6 concrete rings with a diameter of 200 cm and a standard height (0.9 m).

We build with our own hands

How to make a cesspool in a country house? Concrete rings, often used to construct wells, are one of the best ways to build the walls of a cesspool with your own hands. True, “our own” here is very conditional: they will have to be transported and installed using special equipment, because the weight of one of these, with a diameter of 2 m and a height of 0.9 m, is 2.3 tons (the price, for those interested, is 4800 rubles).

Photo: cesspool made of concrete rings

The bottom of the prepared pit does not provide for drainage; it must be filled with concrete reinforced with mesh and rings placed on it after drying. When preparing the solution, it is recommended to add crushed stone to the cement in a ratio of 6:1. After installing all the rings, the seams, including those at the base, must be sealed with sealant to make the structure waterproof. It is important at this stage not to forget about the technological hole for the sewer pipe.

And another important thing: it is better to make a double well cover - one directly on the upper ring, “sunk” 20-30 cm from the ground level, the second - at the level of the turf. Insulation (industrial wool, polystyrene foam, etc.) should be placed between them. Of course, both covers must have hatches for pumping out the contents, as well as holes for a ventilation pipe, which it is advisable to raise along the wall of some nearby outbuilding to the level of the roof.

Another way to build a cesspool on a site with your own hands is from brick. The masonry of the walls is no different from the usual one. It is better to fill the space between the edges of the pit and the walls with clay - for additional sealing and protection from groundwater, which can rise significantly in the spring.

Commonly used as a material for cesspool walls and concrete. Their construction is also classic: formwork, reinforcement, pouring. In any case, the bottom of the hole must be filled with screed.

Photo: storage facility with brick walls

Bottomless pit

A cesspool in a country house can be built with your own hands and in another way. Moreover, its volume will be less than the calculated one, but without compromising performance. This is the so-called absorption cesspool. It has no bottom. That is, there is a bottom, but it is not sealed, but is a drainage consisting of two layers - sand and crushed stone.

Photo: masonry of the wall of an absorbent cesspool

So how is drainage done? The bottom of the pit is lined with an even layer of sand (25-30 cm) and covered with a special material - geotextile, so that free edges remain. A 15-centimeter layer of medium-caliber crushed stone (30-50 mm) is poured onto the fabric and also covered with geotextile. Both layers of fabric are fastened together or glued to the wall with mastic. The drainage is ready. A few words about matter. The geotextile under the drainage allows liquid to pass through, but retains solid fractions, which can gradually “clog” its flow through the drainage. The material does not rot or mold even in a wet environment; neither insects nor rodents spoil it.

An absorbent cesspool has one more feature: in addition to the absence of a sealed bottom, its walls must have holes. If it is a brick, the masonry is done so that there are gaps of several centimeters between the bricks. If it is concrete, then it is better to make holes. It is clear that they, like drainage, are designed for faster outflow of contents.

True, when building an absorption sewer pit with your own hands, there is one “but”: sanitary and epidemiological standards prohibit its use with a system capacity of more than 1 m 3 of liquid per day.

How it goes down the drain

In conclusion, a few words about the installation of a sewer pipe through which sewage enters the storage tank. It is better to use plastic, with a diameter of 100-150 mm. It should be placed in a trench for drainage, without bends, at a depth below the soil freezing level (for central Russia - 50-70 cm). When laying, it is necessary to maintain a slope of 2-3 cm per linear meter. It is better to wrap the pipe with thermal insulation or cover it on top, for example, with pieces of penoplex.

Photo: trench under a sewer pipe

The fact is that the sewer pipe is a kind of “weak link” in the system. In winter, the wastewater in it quickly cools and settles as sediment on the walls, gradually narrowing the diameter and impeding drainage. Therefore, experts recommend laying a “backup” pipe in the same trench, to which you can switch the main one in case of difficulties during draining. Moreover, thanks to the microflora that lives in the sewer, the former’s performance is restored without intervention from the owner in 2-3 months.

Sewage is one of the most important benefits of civilization. Without sewerage, washing, showering, taking a bath and going to the toilet are accompanied by difficulties and inconveniences. But connecting to a centralized sewer system is not always possible - it is not available for remote villages, summer cottages and cottage communities. The way out of the problem is to equip your own facilities for collecting, purifying and recycling wastewater. The simplest and cheapest solution is to build a cesspool without a bottom with your own hands.

How does a cesspool without a bottom work?

There are two types of cesspools:

sealed;
leaky, without bottom;

The first are a simple structure made of concrete, brick or plastic, completely waterproof. They collect liquid and solid waste coming through the sewer pipe. Regularly, on average 1-2 times a month, a sewer truck must pump them out of a sealed drain pit. The services of such specialists are expensive, which is why some owners are thinking about how to partially recycle sewage using soil treatment.

And the simplest option is unsealed cesspools. They are a shallow well made from bricks, old tires or concrete rings. They do not have a sealed bottom - either the soil itself or a filter bed made of sand, gravel or crushed stone is located there. Also, many holes are created in the walls of the cesspool for the purpose of drainage. Through them and the bottom, liquid sewage partially goes into the ground and undergoes natural soil purification. The rest remains in the well and is pumped out by a sewer truck 1-2 times a year.

You might be interested in information about what it looks like

Such a structure is suitable for solving the problem of waste in a country house visited during spring and summer, or for a village house where 1-2 people live. For a large family, without a bottom is not an effective and environmentally friendly solution - in this case, it is preferable to build several concrete wells.

Advantages and disadvantages of a cesspool without a bottom

Let's briefly look at the good and bad aspects of a leaky cesspool design. Its advantages include the following.

The price of the structure is extremely low compared to the cost of a full-fledged septic tank - both factory-made and home-made, built from rings or monolithic concrete.
Easy to create - a pit and a trench for the pipe are dug, the walls of the cesspool and a lid are installed, and the connection is made. Without any problems, all these activities can be completed independently.
Speed of construction - it is quite possible to equip a cesspool without a bottom made of concrete rings in a couple of days.
Lower costs compared to a sealed cesspool - you can call a sewer truck not every month, but only 1-2 times for the whole year.

Due to its simplicity and maximum cheapness, such a sewer structure has serious disadvantages.

Environmental problems - if this is placed near a source of drinking water, then over time the latter may become unusable - sewage seeping through the soil will poison it with E. coli and other microorganisms. It is possible to drink from such a well, but it is not safe.
Possibility of conflict with neighbors - those who live next to you are unlikely to like the existence of a potential source of pollution. But, as practice shows, this is a problem only for well-maintained cottage communities and gardening communities - in other places, most likely, neighbors have the same or even simpler facilities for collecting sewage.
Problems with SES. If the sanitary and epidemiological service comes to your site to inspect it, it may consider the presence of a cesspool with waste seeping into the soil a violation of standards, with corresponding consequences.
The fragility of the work - it should be understood that such a cesspool is unable to function for a long time - over time, the soil around it will silt and will no longer allow water to pass through in the same volume. As a result, the structure will fill with wastewater faster, so it will have to be moved to a new location or replaced with a full-fledged septic tank. Or use the services of sewer cleaners more often.

Choosing a location for the cesspool

It was mentioned several times above that a cesspool without a bottom is not the best solution from an environmental and sanitary point of view. But a competent choice of location for its construction will minimize possible risks and avoid poisoning of reservoirs and wells.

It is worth saying that current sanitary and construction standards do not give a clear answer to the question of whether it is admissible or, conversely, inadmissible to build a cesspool without a bottom. Below are some excerpts from various documents.

So, if possible, a leaky cesspool should be created on soils with good water permeability and in places where the groundwater level is at least 1 meter below the bottom.

The list below gives the minimum distances between such a structure and various objects:

from the cesspool to the drinking well - at least 50 m;
to the reservoir - at least 30 m;
to trees and vegetable gardens - at least 5 m;
to the road or site boundary – from 2 to 4 m;
to residential buildings – 5 m.

Advice! Before starting construction, familiarize yourself with how the sewage collection structures of your closest neighbors are constructed. Also, if the matter occurs at the dacha, discuss this issue with the chairman of the partnership. This will avoid unnecessary conflicts and reduce the likelihood of inspectors from the sanitary service visiting your site.

Construction of a cesspool without a bottom from concrete rings

The most popular material for self-construction of bottomless cesspools, drainage wells and septic tanks are concrete rings. They have sufficient strength for such a structure, their installation does not take much time, and their low price makes these products accessible to any household. The process of making a cesspool without a bottom from concrete rings with your own hands is given below in the form of step-by-step instructions.

Important! Before you begin excavation work, determine how many concrete rings and what size you need. For convenience, the main characteristics of the most popular products are summarized in a table.

Table. Dimensions, weight and volume of concrete rings manufactured in accordance with GOST 8020-90.

Name	Inner diameter, m	External diameter, m	Height, m	Weight, kg	Internal volume, m3
KS10.3	1	1,16	0,29	≈200	≈0,3
KS10.6	1	1,16	0,59	≈400	≈0,62
KS10.9	1	1,16	0,89	≈600	≈0,94
KS15.6	1	1,68	0,59	≈660	≈1,3
KS15.9	1,5	1,68	0,89	≈1000	≈1,97
KS20.6	2	2,2	0,59	≈970	≈2,24
KS20.9	2	2,2	0,89	≈1480	≈3,38

Step 1. Start building a cesspool without a bottom by determining the location where it will be located. This is discussed in more detail in the previous section of the article.

Step 2. At the selected location, mark and determine the boundaries of the future pit. Its diameter is made 20-30 cm larger than the outer diameter of the concrete ring.

Step 3. Begin direct soil extraction. If the cesspool is supposed to be shallow and there is enough time, then you can do the excavation work manually. It is advisable to do this in pairs - one digs, and the other lifts the extracted soil upward. The work is greatly facilitated by using a bucket with a strong rope and a garden wheelbarrow (or walk-behind tractor).

Important! If, when digging a pit by hand, it is discovered that the soil is prone to crumbling, then for reasons of your own safety, work should be stopped immediately. Otherwise, there is a risk of suddenly being covered with earth. In such situations, you will have to bring in an excavator.

Step 4. Regularly measure the depth of the pit using a tape measure. For cesspools without a bottom, this depth does not exceed 3 m. Also remember that there must be a distance of at least 1 m between sewage drains and groundwater (preferably more).

Step 5. Delivery of concrete rings is usually carried out by the manufacturer, and they are brought on a truck with a crane. Check the availability of all ordered products and their quality.

Step 6. Using a crane, immerse the first concrete ring into the pit.

The ring is lowered into the pit

Important! To better fix the rings to each other, apply cement mortar to their ends before laying the new product.

Step 7 In the same way, place the second and subsequent rings on the first ring. At the same time, align them relative to each other.

Step 8 Complete the laying of concrete products by installing the top round slab in which a hole is cut for the hatch.

Step 9 In loam conditions, a large contact area will be required for effective drainage. If you live in an area where the soil does not absorb water well, drill a series of medium-sized drainage holes in the bottom of the sump pit. Their total area should reach 10% of the total area of the internal surface of the structure.

Important! Often, a cushion of crushed stone with a thickness of 30 to 50 cm is poured onto the bottom of such a cesspool. Its use allows you to at least slightly clean the sewage drains going into the ground. At the same time, the filler of such a pillow requires regular replacement or washing, which is not the most pleasant and simple job. Each homeowner must decide for himself what is more important to him - the ability not to pollute the surrounding land and groundwater too much or the absence of the need to go down into the cesspool and replace the crushed stone filtration bed. Instead of the latter, you can use regular sand.

Step 11 Fill the space between the walls of the pit and the concrete rings with earth or sand.

Step 10 Complete the arrangement of a cesspool without a bottom made of concrete rings by connecting a sewer pipe and installing a hatch.

Prices for concrete rings

concrete rings

Video - Cesspool

Construction of a cesspool without a bottom made of brick

Another, no less popular option for a cesspool is a structure made of brick. It should be understood that it will require more time and effort than a structure made of concrete rings. But if you have a lot of unused bricks left on your site after building a house, fence or barn, then it makes sense to put them to work and make a cesspool without a bottom entirely with your own hands, without involving third-party people and construction equipment. The step-by-step instructions with photographs below will help you in this matter.

Step 1. When building a brick cesspool, like any other sewerage structure, start with excavation work - choose a location and start digging a pit of the appropriate size.

Important! The presence of a simple lifting device will greatly facilitate the process of extracting soil from the pit.

Step 2. Check the depth and diameter of the pit using a tape measure.

Step 3. Get rid of the earth removed during the construction of the pit. At the same time, leave part of it for subsequent filling of the roof of the structure.

Step 4. At the bottom of the pit, build a flat ring of bricks, as in the image below. It will play the role of a kind of foundation under the walls of the cesspool.

Step 5. Proceed with laying the lower part of the brick cesspool walls. If you have not previously dealt with such material, then building this structure will be good practice for you, during which you will gain basic skills in working with bricks.

Important! Sand-lime bricks absorb water well and gradually deteriorate. If you want your cesspool to last longer, replace them with ceramic ones.

Step 6. Continue laying and rise higher and higher, to the edge of the pit. Fill the space between its walls and brick with sand - it absorbs water well and partially filters it before it enters the ground.

Step 7 Complete the laying of the walls of the brick cesspool, not reaching a little to the surface of the ground.

Step 8 Lead the sewer pipe from the house into the cesspool.

Step 9 Reinforce the sump pit using a metal angle installed as shown in the image below. Instead, it is allowed to use a wooden beam, but the latter will not last too long - over time, the material in an aggressive environment will begin to collapse and rot.

Step 10 Place the same flat brick ring on top as at the bottom of the cesspool.

Step 11 Cover the top of the cesspool with a concrete slab, either prepared in advance or poured on site. Do not forget about the hole for the hatch, through which sewage will be regularly pumped out.

A cesspool without a bottom is a quick and economical solution to the problem of sewage disposal. But, if possible, replace it over time with a full-fledged septic tank produced at a factory or.

A do-it-yourself cesspool without pumping can be built using various technologies; however, the wording “without pumping” does not imply a complete absence of any maintenance. Such a structure will still need periodic cleaning, however, the more efficient the wastewater recycling process is, the less often the owners of the house or cottage will have to remember the need to dispose of waste.

Depending on whether you live in the house permanently or use it as a summer cottage, the number of its inhabitants and other factors, you can choose different types of cesspools. Moreover, often several different types of designs successfully complement each other and provide comfortable living.

Choosing a location for a cesspool

Any, even a completely sealed cesspool, according to regulatory requirements, must be located at a distance from a source of drinking water (25-50 meters), as well as from garden plants and fruit trees (at least 3 meters). It is better to increase the distance if you choose a cesspool without pumping with a drainage layer instead of a bottom, and to intensify the process of decomposition of inclusions, not biological compounds, but chemicals are used. A distance from the house (at least 5 meters) is required not only for sanitary and hygienic reasons, but also to prevent soil shedding.

Don’t forget that the structure will still need cleaning at least once every few years, so you should place it so that a sewage disposal truck can drive up to it. At the same time, according to established standards, the distance from the main road must be at least 2 meters.

Another important nuance: If the terrain of the site is not level, the cesspool should be installed in the lowest place.

Calculation of volume and selection of materials

Sanitary standards require that a cesspool without pumping have a volume of no less than the three-day water consumption rate for all inhabitants of the house. It is generally accepted that a person needs 200 liters of water per day, including consumption for drinking and cooking, washing hands, showering, etc. Thus, the three-day norm will be 600 liters. To calculate the minimum permissible capacity of the treatment tank, it remains to multiply this number by the number of people living in the house.

It remains to be clarified that this refers to the total volume of all chambers during multi-stage cleaning, although the first tank in this case should be larger than the others - approximately 2/3 of the total capacity.

When installing a treatment system in a country house where people do not live permanently, the volume of the pit may be less than the standard, since there is no constant flow of wastewater.

A do-it-yourself cesspool without pumping for a summer residence can be made of various materials:

bricks,
monolithic concrete (the solution is poured into the formwork),
concrete rings,
plastic eurocubes, etc.

Installation of a cesspool made of monolithic concrete

As an example, we can consider how a drainage pit is built without pumping from monolithic concrete. Such structures are strong and durable, and when the walls are treated with special compounds, they become waterproof. The installation of such a structure is somewhat longer than with, since it takes time for gradual hardening, but it has certain advantages:

easier transportation of materials,
no need to use lifting equipment (it is impossible to lower heavy rings into the pit manually).

Diagram of a two-chamber cesspool with overflow, which, in fact, is already a septic tank

Advice: It is better to build such structures on light soils to allow purified water to drain through the bottom of the second chamber.

Once the optimal volume of the structure has been determined, the issue of its depth, which determines the capacity along with the surface area, must be decided. There are some restrictions in this regard. located at a depth of at least 1 meter underground in order to avoid freezing during the cold season. Taking into account the diameter of the pipe itself, the need for an indentation from the upper edge of the container to the point of its entry and the reserve for installing the lid and backfilling the structure with soil, the depth of the pit can be up to 3 meters, but no more.

A two-chamber septic tank is much more efficient than a single-chamber one. When installing a cesspool, the chambers are made adjacent, that is, the pit is divided into two parts, and the partition is also made of monolithic concrete.

Sequence of construction work

Living at a dacha or in a country house can only be called convenient and comfortable if there is a properly equipped sewage system on the site. The modern building materials market makes it possible to install a waste tank of any design, providing a choice of several options for solving the problem. Of course, factory sewer storage tanks and kits for their manufacture will require additional financial investments, but an inexpensive, efficient system can be made with your own hands. Various materials are suitable for this, including those left over after the construction of the house. The decision to tackle the issue yourself will bring another bonus - by choosing the design of a septic tank or cesspool without pumping out wastewater, you can also save money during the operation of the structure. Let's take a closer look at the process of building two simple, but reliable and workable structures.

Design, advantages and disadvantages of cesspools

The cost of factory treatment facilities is still quite high. A good alternative to such structures are homemade septic tanks and cesspools.

A cesspool is the simplest way to arrange a local sewage system, which is why this type of sewage storage tanks has become most widespread in suburban areas. Making this type of waste tank is quite simple. To do this, at a depth below the freezing level of the soil, a container is installed or built, to which a sewer line is drawn from all drain points located in the house. After the pit is filled with sewage, it is pumped out and removed from the site using sewage trucks. For this purpose, the design of the storage tank provides a hatch, which is also used to monitor the level of wastewater.

Depending on the design, all cesspools are divided into two types:

storage structures without a bottom;
sealed waste containers.

The first are a filtration type design. Once in the cesspool, wastewater is absorbed into the soil and, with the help of microorganisms, is processed into water and simple organic compounds. The coarse fraction settles at the bottom of the reservoir, where it is also exposed to bacteria, turning into sludge and liquid. To make the decomposition process more active, special products with biologically active components are added to the wastewater. Thanks to the absorption capacity of the soil and the processing of sewage by bacteria, the volume of wastewater in the storage tank is reduced many times over. Remaining sediments are rarely pumped out, so structures of this type are also called cesspools without pumping.

Construction of a cesspool without pumping

Very high requirements are imposed on the choice of location for installing filtration-type sewer systems, and non-compliance with them is subject to administrative and even criminal liability. In addition, if the groundwater level is high and the daily volume of wastewater is more than 1 cubic meter, the installation of leaking sewage structures is prohibited.

Sewage tanks of the second type are sealed systems, and therefore require regular use of the services of sewerage machines. Nevertheless, such cesspools are the safest in terms of impact on the environment and in some cases represent the only possible option for arranging the sewage system of a country house or cottage.

When constructing a sealed cesspool, you must be prepared for the regular use of sewerage machines

Advantages of cesspools without pumping:

simple design allows you to build a storage tank with your own hands;
the ability to use various materials for construction;
increased interval between waste pumping;
low cost and low operating costs.

It would seem that the design of filtration cesspools should have no alternatives, right? In fact, this option has significant disadvantages, which can sometimes cancel out all the advantages:

high requirements for choosing an installation location;
decrease in absorption capacity over time;
the possibility of unpleasant odors appearing in the area;
environmental hazard;
the use of special bacterial compounds makes it impossible to use chemical detergents.

Skeptics who claim that cesspools like village toilets have been in use for a very long time and have not caused any harm to the environment during this time, would like to remind you of the manifold increase in water consumption in everyday life. This factor is complemented by the high content of household chemicals in wastewater, so such arguments can be considered insignificant.

Design and features of septic tanks without pumping

By spending a little money, you can build a more advanced drainage system - a septic tank. Its difference from a simple sewage pit lies in the presence of several tanks designed to process sewage by anaerobic bacteria. During the decomposition of organic waste, it is transformed into a homogeneous mass and the foul odor is neutralized. In modern systems, the capabilities of biological processing and gravity sedimentation are complemented by forced post-treatment methods. The use of bioloading and biofilters allows you to filter up to 95% of wastewater. Unlike a cesspool, an anaerobic process occurs in septic tanks, due to which all bottom sediment is processed into sludge and liquid.

The presence of several chambers allows the use of an anaerobic method of wastewater purification with its subsequent discharge into a filtration well

Dividing the sewer tank into several tanks allows you to install an overflow system. Thanks to it, the wastewater goes through several stages of purification, which make it possible to obtain water at the outlet of the device, suitable for watering the garden and other household needs. If there is no need for this, then the excess liquid is simply drained into the ground, installing a filter bottom in the last chamber.

Just like a cesspool, you can build a septic tank with your own hands. Of course, it has a more complex design, but its manufacture does not require any expensive materials.

By deciding to install a septic tank on your property, you get a lot of benefits:

absence of unpleasant odor due to hermetic design;
you can completely dispense with the services of a sewer truck by using the sludge residue as fertilizer for the garden;
the risk of groundwater contamination by sewage is greatly reduced;
The multi-stage cleaning system operates effectively for a long time, ensuring constant sewage throughput;
A septic tank is a structure that practically does not change the ecological balance of the area.

The disadvantages of treatment facilities of this type include:

complicated design, involving the installation of several chambers, overflow and filtration systems;
the need for complete tightness of the structure;
higher construction cost compared to a cesspool.

As you can see, the disadvantages of a septic tank are few and are associated with the complexity of the design, which ultimately leads to higher construction costs. As for operating costs, they are considered insignificant.

Pros and cons of pumping

The existence of two parallel designs of cesspools and septic tanks, one of which is a storage type system, and the second a filtration system, gives rise to many disputes regarding the cost of operation and efficiency of use. To eliminate any speculation and rumors, we will try to give a comparative analysis of the positive and negative aspects associated with the regular removal of wastewater from the site.

Advantages of sewage tanks with waste pumping:

more lenient requirements for choosing a location for installing wastewater treatment facilities;
high environmental friendliness of structures allows you to comply with all environmental and sanitary legislation;
long service life without the need to move the sewer storage tank to a new location;
absence of unpleasant odors associated with the discharge of processed waste into the ground;
there is no need to use special preparations required for biological processing and filtration;
possibility of using household chemicals of any type.

One of the disadvantages of pits without pumping is that not all available materials can be used in their manufacture.

Disadvantages of systems with pumping:

complication of the design of waste tanks associated with the drainage of liquid into the ground;
it is necessary to ensure the tightness of the structure during operation;
inability to use chemical detergents in everyday life;
need for bioloading;
increase in the cost of construction;
higher requirements for building materials.

When making a decision to install a particular sewerage facility, first of all, one must proceed from the requirements of environmental and sanitary legislation. The opportunity to save is not always justified, especially when it comes to the health of others.

A cesspool made from a barrel that does not require pumping out wastewater

To make a cesspool without pumping, a regular plastic barrel is suitable

If the volume of wastewater is small or the sewage system is used irregularly, a plastic or metal barrel is an excellent option for a storage tank. When choosing a tank to connect to the toilet, you should give preference to a product as large as possible, since sooner or later you will have to remove the accumulation of non-degradable residues. Of course, in a humid, aggressive environment, a plastic tank that does not rot or corrode will be more resistant. However, you can get by with a simple 200-liter metal barrel, for example, one used for fuels and lubricants.

Preparatory activities

At the initial stage, it is necessary to determine the daily amount of wastewater. It should be understood that for a large volume of liquid household waste, you will need a tank that can hold several cubic meters of waste, equipped with an opening for removing sludge. If you need to drain water from a kitchen sink, washbasin, or a washing machine installed in your dacha, then a small container will be sufficient.

Next, choose a location for installing a sewer storage tank that will satisfy all the requirements of regulatory organizations and ensure the safe operation of the sewer system. In addition, it is necessary to make a small drawing indicating the depth of the pit, the entry points of the waste pipelines into the tank, and the design features of the filtration layer.

Tools and materials

To make a waste storage tank without pumping, you need to prepare the following materials and tools:

metal or plastic barrel;
angle grinder (grinder);
electric drill and drill set;
shovel;
coupling and pipe for inserting a sewer pipe into a container;
plumbing sealant;
rolled geotextiles (non-woven fabric);
fine crushed stone and gravel.

Remember that a small sewer tank is more prone to freezing in winter than sewage facilities designed to hold several cubic meters of wastewater. This, as well as the fact that disposal occurs due to the absorption of liquid into the ground, forces strict compliance with installation conditions in terms of deepening the structure below the level to which the ground freezes.

Instructions for making a cesspool from a barrel with your own hands

Scheme for installing a cesspool from a barrel. The drainage layer ensures the absorption of wastewater into the soil

A drainage system without the need for pumping, made from an ordinary barrel, is a special case of a drainage well. To install the container, you will need a small pit, which can be dug in a few hours. Its width is chosen based on the need for a 20-centimeter gap between the walls of the pit and the barrel, and the depth should ensure that the tank is installed below the freezing point of the soil, taking into account the thickness of the lower drainage layer (this parameter is taken to be 50 cm or more). For example, if frost reaches a depth of 1.5 m, and the height of the barrel is 1.2 m, then the depth of the pit should be at least 3.2 m (1.5 m + 1.2 m + 0.5 m).

When choosing a site for future construction, they comply with the rules and regulations for the installation of filtration wastewater structures, trying to maintain a minimum distance from the discharge point. Carrying out the work step by step will make it possible not to miss a single detail and avoid installation errors.

Drainage holes are made in the barrel. If you use a plastic container, then they should be staggered at a distance of 15–20 cm from each other.
How to make proper drainage holes Too dense a network of drainage holes can reduce the strength of the tank, so this is not recommended

As a rule, for normal operation of the structure, drilling with a diameter of 12 - 15 mm is sufficient. In this case, not only the walls, but also the bottom of the tank must be covered with a drainage network. In a metal barrel, you can remove the bottom and use a grinder instead of a drill, cutting grooves up to 10 cm long according to the same pattern.
A common mistake is holes that are too large.
A pipe for connecting the sewage system is mounted on the lid of the barrel. Its diameter must correspond to the size of the pipes that are used for the drain line. The junction points are treated with silicone sealant, which is applied both from the inside and outside of the structure.
Installation of a pipe for connecting a waste pipe
To protect the drainage holes from soil particles, the barrel is wrapped in non-woven geotextile. This material perfectly permeates water and is able to perform protective, filtering and drainage functions for a long time.
Geotextiles are secured using synthetic cord or adhesive tape. In this case, the inlet pipe is left open.
A 50-centimeter layer of crushed stone is poured onto the bottom of the pit, and for a thin-walled plastic container, 5–10 cm of gravel or screenings is added on top of the drainage.
Installing the tank in the pit. It should be noted that drainage holes not protected by geotextiles quickly become clogged.
Install the tank, orienting its outlet pipe towards the sewer line.
Using a coupling, connect the drain pipe to the barrel.
The sewer line can be connected not only through the top, but also from the side. In this case, the lid can be used as a hatch for pumping out bottom sediment.
The space between the tank and the walls of the pit is filled with crushed stone and the structure is covered with soil.

In a similar way, you can build a drainage pit connected to the toilet installed in the country house. The only thing that is needed is to cut a vertical pipe into the lid of the barrel that goes to the surface. This is necessary for periodic pumping of non-degradable waste.

Video: cesspool from a barrel at a summer cottage

How to build a septic tank in the country

No matter how large the cesspool, over time its filtration and absorption capabilities decrease due to particles of grease and dirt that clog the drainage pores. You can avoid these disadvantages and practically avoid pumping by installing a septic tank at your dacha. A simple, and most importantly, durable and effective structure can be built from concrete rings, which have a very affordable price.

Design and calculation

Schematic representation of a three-chamber septic tank

When starting construction, determine the volume of the structure’s settling tanks. To determine this parameter, you need to know the amount of wastewater that is generated at the dacha per day. There is no need to accurately measure this value; it is enough to take a consumption of 150 liters per family member and add the water consumption of each piece of household appliance connected to the sewerage system.

The volume of the receiving tank must accommodate three times the volume of daily sewer discharge. For a family of four, you will need a primary chamber with a volume of about 2.5 cubic meters. meters, that is, almost three standard concrete rings with a height of 890 mm and a diameter of 1 m. When building a septic tank, you can use ready-made drawings and diagrams. If they somehow do not suit you, when drawing up your project, do not forget about the correct ratio of the size of the structure and the need to ensure complete tightness of the receiving chamber.

Photo gallery: drawings of the future design

Diagram of a septic tank made of concrete rings Drawing of a septic tank made of concrete rings Drawing of a septic tank made of concrete rings Drawing of a septic tank made of concrete rings

Tools and materials

To make a 3-chamber septic tank you will need:

concrete rings - 9 pcs.;
covers with hatches - 3 sets;
sections of sewer pipes with a diameter of 110 mm;
cement;
crushed stone;
sand;
reinforcement or steel bar;
waterproofing;
shovels and buckets;
container for preparing the solution;
hammer drill

How to make a septic tank from concrete rings

Using the services of an excavator or turning to friends or relatives for help, you need to dig a pit. Its size should ensure the possibility of applying waterproofing to the external walls of the structure.
Preparing a pit for installation of concrete rings
The bottom of the pit is leveled and compacted, after which a shock-absorbing cushion is constructed. To do this, pour a 30-centimeter layer of sand and compact it thoroughly, after which it is additionally watered.
An armored belt is installed at a distance of at least 5–7 cm from the bottom of the pit, after which a concrete base for two chambers is poured.
If you have the opportunity to purchase rings made with a bottom, take advantage of it. This will reduce construction time and ensure good sealing of the bottom.
Installation of concrete tanks
After the concrete has set, the rings of the first two chambers are installed using a crane or winch. To increase the tightness of the structure, a layer of cement-sand mortar is applied to the upper cut of the lower ring, and the rings themselves are additionally fixed with metal plates after installation. This will avoid displacement or destruction of septic tank elements during soil movements.
Reservoirs are located at a distance of no more than 1 m from each other.
The third chamber is a filtration well, so perforated rings are used for it. In addition, a drainage cushion is installed under the last tank, for which the bottom is covered with a layer of crushed stone at least 50 cm thick.
Installation of perforated filter well rings
After installing all the chambers, an overflow system is installed, for which holes are made in the side walls of the tanks using a hammer drill. The pipe that connects the first and second chambers is installed 20 cm below the entry point of the sewer line. The point where the overflow enters the third container should be another 20 cm lower.
Installation of concrete tank slabs
All joints of rings and places where pipes pass are carefully sealed with cement mortar, and after it dries, bitumen mastic is additionally applied. The junction points are treated both inside and outside the septic tank, ensuring complete tightness of the structure. There is no need to seal the joints in the last chamber, since its function is to discharge treated wastewater into the ground.
The key to proper operation of a septic tank is reliable waterproofing of the tanks.
Hatches are installed on the tank covers, after which the septic tank is filled with soil.

If there is a large amount of wastewater, the septic tank is connected to filtration fields. They are a system of perforated pipes installed at an angle in a sand-crushed stone layer. Moving by gravity from the last chamber of the septic tank, the water undergoes additional purification. The main thing is that the distance from the filtration fields to groundwater is at least 2 m, otherwise the requirements of environmental and sanitary legislation will be violated.

The use of biological products can greatly increase the efficiency of a septic tank and reduce contamination of the cesspool with fatty deposits. The bacteria they contain actively convert wastewater into water and a small amount of bottom sediment. Microorganisms destroy sewage so effectively that they can even be used to restore the drainage properties of cesspools. The only drawback is that such products do not work well at temperatures below 4 ° C. In this case, you can use special chemicals.

Bioactivators and care products for septic tanks and cesspools

It should be remembered that when using biologically active substances, the release of ordinary household chemicals into drains is unacceptable. For washing dishes and other household needs, you should use special preparations with the indication “Bio” on the packaging.

If the septic tank or cesspool has not been used for a long time, then the wastewater can be pumped out with a conventional drainage pump, using the liquid processed by bacteria as fertilizer for the garden.

It should be remembered that a specially equipped wastewater facility is not a garbage container. Materials of inorganic origin, construction and household waste do not rot, so they will pollute the treatment structure, reducing its productivity. Use your sewer system for its intended purpose and it will repay you with cost savings and reliable, long-term operation.

By installing a cesspool or septic tank at your dacha, you receive comfort and convenience comparable to living conditions in a comfortable city apartment. Thanks to their simple design, treatment plants of this type are easy to install yourself, which allows you to avoid large financial expenses during construction and during operation. However, you should not save money if installing sewage storage tanks poses a risk of environmental pollution.