DIY cesspool. Choosing a place to build a cesspool

Living in a city apartment is good because no problems usually arise with the discharge of wastewater. In this regard, private houses lag behind, since they do not have a central drainage system, and the only way to ensure comfortable living is to install a cesspool into which waste products are dumped.

Without a cesspool, wastewater discharged into nearby areas will quickly pollute the soil and can harm not only nature, but also people.

Classification of cesspools

There are several design options for a cesspool, so it’s worth understanding them first.

1. A simple pit is a structure without a bottom in which liquid is absorbed by the earth. This option is the most popular, because pumping in this case is carried out quite rarely. But with increased water consumption (over 1 m³ per day), the earthen “filter” simply will not cope. Moreover, it is not environmentally safe, especially if toilet waste is discharged into it. Of course, you can fill it up from time to time, but this will reduce the usable volume, and the characteristic sewer smell will still be present.

   

2. The sealed pit requires periodic cleaning, but is absolutely safe for the environment. Arranging a sealed structure is much more complicated than the one described above, and the costs are higher, but the numerous advantages completely justify it all.

   

3. - a modern analogue of a cesspool. Its bottom is lined with gravel, stones or broken bricks, which allows for mechanical purification of water (read: the soil is not polluted). Moreover, filling the pit occurs quite slowly.

   

Now let's find out how to make a cesspool correctly.

Construction of a brick cesspool

Before you begin construction, determine a suitable location and calculate the required dimensions of the structure.

Stage one. Selecting a location

The construction of a cesspool on a suburban area is regulated by SNiP. The location of the pit, as well as the distance to certain buildings, are clearly regulated by sanitary standards. When planning, these requirements must be taken into account.

1. The distance between the pit and the fence must exceed 1 m.
2. The distance to the premises in which people are planned to live must be at least 12 m.
3. If you plan to create a simple hole, that is, without a bottom, then the distance from it to the nearest well or borehole should exceed 30 m.

Based on these requirements, select the optimal location, and then begin calculating the dimensions.

Stage two. Dimensions

There are a number of parameters that need to be taken into account when calculating the dimensions of the future structure.

1. First of all, the dimensions depend on the type of rocks that occur in a particular area. And if the soil consists predominantly of moisture-permeable rock (for example, marl), then the volume of the structure should be 40% of the waste that is produced during the month. And if these are rocks that do not permeate moisture well (for example, clay), then the volume should be equal to the monthly norm + a small reserve.
2. This also includes the number of permanent residents of the house. On average, one person produces 180 liters of wastewater per day. And if the family consists of, say, 3 people, then the monthly volume of wastewater will be 12 m³.
3. According to SNiP, the distance to the surface must be at least 1 m. If this condition is not met, uncleanliness may go beyond the structure, and unpleasant odors will certainly appear.
4. The depth should be a maximum of 3 m. This is the optimal depth, because sooner or later you will have to resort to using vacuum cleaners for cleaning. And if the pit is sealed, then such cleaning will need to be carried out several times a month.

Stage three. Preparing the necessary equipment

The work will require:

• bayonet and shovel shovels;
• trowel, container for mixing cement mortar;
• roulette;
• cord with small wooden pegs;
• building level;
• ladder.

Stage four. Digging a pit

You can handle the construction of a cesspool on your own, without resorting to the help of a construction team with special equipment. This will allow you to save significantly. But remember: you will have to manually remove about 20 m³ of soil.

On a note! If possible, the hole should be dug at the stage of digging a pit for the foundation of the house. After this, only a small part of the work will remain.

Mark the perimeter of the future structure. Often the width of the pit is 1 m and the depth is 1.5 m. The length depends on the volume of wastewater. You can distribute the fertile layer of soil around the site, the rest will have to be removed. Leave only 1.5 m³ to fill the floor.

The excavation is almost complete

At the same stage, you should dig a trench into which the sewer pipe will be laid.

Stage five. Base

If you are planning to build a sealed sewage pit, then place a “cushion” of sand 15 cm thick at the bottom of the pit. Lay a layer of concrete of the same thickness on top of the sand, then pierce the solution with a sharp object to remove air bubbles. Then all that remains is to lay a 4-centimeter cement-sand screed on top of the concrete.

You might be interested in information about what it looks like

Wait until the base is completely dry, then lay a sewer pipe to remove sewage.

Stage six. Wall masonry

Let’s say right away that you don’t have to try too hard on the quality of the masonry, since no one will see it anyway. Do it in ¼ or ½ brick, in a checkerboard pattern, use cement-sand mortar. Plaster the masonry on both sides with the same solution - this will extend the basic service life of the structure. Bandage the corners.

Having finished with the masonry, insulate the walls with bitumen mastic.

Stage seven. Overlap

To install the ceiling, follow these steps:

Step 1. First, dig in about 20cm of soil on each side to provide additional support for the deck slab.

Step 2. Build the formwork. It is advisable to use corrugated sheeting for this so that the ceiling is as rigid as possible. Also make formwork around the hatch and the hole for the ventilation pipe.

Step 3. Lay the reinforcing rods, maintaining a distance of approximately 10-15 cm. Bandage the intersecting rods using steel wire.

Step 4. Fill the ceiling with concrete mortar and level it.

Spread the concrete so that it completely fills the reinforcing mesh. Fill the solution to the desired thickness and wait until it hardens. This often takes a minimum of 28 days.

On a note! On top of the ceiling, you can lay a layer of waterproofing material - for example, roofing felt or PE film.

Stage eight. Backfill

As soon as the concrete gains strength, begin filling the cesspool. It is advisable to use clay soil for this in order to create additional protection for groundwater from runoff. You can lay thermal insulation material (for example, sheet polystyrene foam) on the ceiling, and fill the soil on top. At the end, install the ventilation pipe.

On a note! It is advisable to construct a double hatch - this will prevent the spread of unpleasant odors, especially in the warm season. Install the first cover at ground level, the second at the level of the ceiling slab. You can fill the space between the covers with slag or expanded clay.

from concrete rings

There is another option - it costs more, but the finished design will look more organic. Brick pits are often rectangular or square, but the use of reinforced concrete rings allows you to achieve a perfectly round shape. This will prevent excessive load on the walls and, as a result, their destruction. The only drawback of this option is that the work may require special equipment, because concrete cylinders weigh a lot.

Stage one. Selection of rings

Today, concrete rings are produced in several modifications, differing from each other in diameter (it varies between 70-250 cm). For a cesspool, products with a diameter of 1 m and the same height are most suitable. For an average house you will need five rings, the total usable volume of which will be 5 m³. If according to calculations the volume should be large, then take other reinforced concrete rings or buy products with a larger diameter.

Dimensions (inner diameter × outer diameter × height), mm	volume, m3	Weight, kg
700×800×290	0,05	130
700×840×590	0,10	250
700×840×890	0,15	380
1000×1160×290	0,08	200
1000×1160×590	0,160	400
1000×1160×890	0,24	600
1500×1680×290	0,13	290
1500×1680×590	0,27	660
1500×1680×890	0,40	1000
2000×2200×590	0,39	980
2000×2200×890	0,59	1480

Such rings are classified according to design features into two large groups:

• flat;
• with a lock.

In the first case, the edges of the products are ordinary, flat, and in the second, they are equipped with tongue-and-groove locking joints. Locking rings are very convenient because they not only provide ease of installation, but also reliably seal the entire pit.

On a note! In the manufacture of reinforced concrete rings, a minimum of “five hundredth” cement and a metal reinforcing frame are used. There are also products with a lid and a bottom, which greatly facilitates construction.

Stage two. Construction

Step 1. First, dig a pit. It is important that its dimensions are approximately 40 cm larger than the diameter of the rings. The depth of the hole should exceed the total height of all rings by about 25-30 cm.

Step 2. Level and compact the bottom of the hole, then fill it with a 2-centimeter layer of coarse sand. Pour water over the sand and compact it. This way you will create a kind of “cushion” on which further installation will be carried out.

Step 3. Further events will develop according to one of two possible scenarios:

• The ring with the bottom is installed first;
• regular rings are installed.

In the first case, you will get rid of the labor-intensive procedure of pouring the base; This is the simplest option, so it is recommended to use it. But if for one reason or another it was not possible to purchase a ring with a bottom, then you will have to fill the bottom with concrete.

To do this, lay reinforcing rods in the form of a lattice at the bottom of the pit, and then tie them together with steel wire.

On a note! Raise the reinforcing mesh above the surface so that it (the mesh) is entirely in the body of the concrete base. Use pieces of bricks for this.

Then start preparing the solution. To do this, mix cement, water, sand and crushed stone in a ratio of 1:0.5:2:3. Use at least “four hundred” cement, and if the grade is lower, then reduce the volume of fillers. You can use a concrete mixer for mixing, or you can do the work manually using a shovel. But remember: the solution must be prepared in such a volume that the bottom of the hole is filled in one go, without subsequent mixing.

Pour concrete and spread it over the entire surface. Poke it with a sharp object to remove air bubbles.

Stage three. Installation of rings

You cannot lower the rings into the hole by hand, because they weigh quite a lot. To do this you will need a truck crane. Each ring has four fastening elements made in the form of ears (the products are lifted using them). To make such ears, a wire rod is used, the diameter of which is at least 0.6 cm.

On a note! The rings should be lifted simultaneously by all the ears, and the cables should be evenly tensioned. The entire procedure must be performed carefully and slowly.

Once the first ring is down, level it and level it using a level. After that you can omit the rest. Seal the joints between the rings with cement-based sealant, and treat all walls of the structure - external and internal - with bitumen mastic.

Finally, the lid is installed. When the truck crane lifts and places the cover in place, seal the joints between it and the last cylinder. After this, fill in the voids between the walls of the structure and the walls of the pit.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated about this. Of course, you will have to carry out labor-intensive excavation work and pay for the rental of special equipment, but good sewerage in a private house is simply necessary, so all costs are completely justified.

Video - Brick cesspool

Reinforced concrete rings or bricks – what to choose?

Each of the options is quite simple to implement, but both concrete rings and brickwork have their advantages.

1. The strength and practicality of a cesspool made of reinforced concrete rings is noticeably higher.
2. A brick pit less often needs sewage cleaning.
3. The rings can withstand a greater load than brickwork, even if it is made “in a chessboard style.”

As a result, we note that the construction of a cesspool on a site requires substantial investment, at least if we are talking about a really good design, for the manufacture of which high-quality materials are used. You should not skimp on materials that will come into contact with moisture (do not use cinder blocks or sand-lime bricks in construction), because everyone knows that the miser pays more than once. Act carefully, ask friends and acquaintances for help if necessary, do not rush - and the sewage pit will serve you for many years.

Table. Water consumption for a private home. Selecting the volume of the cesspool

Water consumers: individual or block residential buildings	Specific average daily (per year) domestic and drinking water consumption in populated areas per inhabitant, l/day
with running water and sewerage without baths	120
with water supply and sewerage without baths, with gas supply	150
with water supply, sewerage and bathtubs with water heaters running on solid fuel	180
with running water, sewerage and bathroom with gas or electric boilers	190
with water supply, sewerage, with high-speed gas heaters (columns) and several baths	250

Good luck with your work!

Construction of a storage septic tank made of concrete rings

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If a person lives in a house, it must have a sewer system, since waste products still need to be removed somehow. And it’s hard to disagree with this, isn’t it? Modern industry offers many solutions: from multi-section septic tanks to neat dry closets. But an ordinary cesspool in a private house is still relevant and in demand.

But, before you start building a cesspool on your site, you will have to weigh the pros and cons. After all, an incorrectly chosen location, and the design of the cesspool itself, subsequently threatens to result in many problems. The most common of them is the appearance of an unpleasant odor. We will tell you how to avoid this problem.

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

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

Any wastewater contains a certain amount of bacteria that absorb and transform these accumulations. Part of the filtered wastewater passes into the underlying soils.

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

Image gallery

At summer cottages, a separate cesspool for the toilet is often installed. It looks like a relatively small depression in the ground, over which a light wooden structure is installed.

When the hole is full, the toilet is removed and the hole is filled with earth. Waste rots in the soil and turns into compost, a useful fertilizer.

In the future, a fruit tree is planted in this place, which will give an excellent harvest in such a well-fertilized place. And for the toilet, they dig a new hole, which is subsequently disposed of in a similar way.

But for the needs of a large house, especially for year-round living, such a solution, of course, is not enough.

The diagram shows the structure of one of the pit options - a filtering sewer well. A structure with sealed walls, at the bottom there is a multi-layer filter made of sand, crushed stone or gravel mixture

Modern cesspools have a fairly large volume, and their walls are constructed from a variety of materials.

It could be:

• brick;
• aerated concrete blocks;
• wood;
• old tires, etc.

To construct a simple cesspool, you can now purchase a ready-made one with a hatch and strong walls.

With its help, the process of constructing a mini-sewage system in a suburban area is significantly simplified and accelerated significantly.

The classic version of a cesspool for a country house is a pit about 1.5 m deep with sealed walls and bottom. A hinged lid is installed to pump out and remove wastewater, and a ventilation pipe is installed to remove odors.

When choosing material for a cesspool, it should be taken into account that prolonged contact with an aggressive environment will gradually destroy its walls. To extend the life of the structure, you need to choose materials that are resistant to such impacts.

There are two types of cesspools: sealed And filtering. In the first, wastewater is accumulated and stored until pumped out. Secondly, there is no bottom in the traditional sense of this term, and there may be holes in the walls so that some of the waste enters the ground.

If filtration of wastewater through the walls of the structure is expected, then a gravel-sand filter with a thickness of at least 15 cm is installed around them.

When thinking about a place to place a cesspool, you should immediately take care. The easiest and fastest way to perform this unpleasant procedure is to use a vacuum cleaner. Therefore, sufficient space should be provided for the passage of such equipment.

It also happens that the area for a cesspool that complies with the standards does not allow the use of a sewer truck. In this case, accumulated wastewater is removed using a special pump or an ordinary bucket.

The pit is made airtight or with holes for filtering. The choice is influenced by the groundwater level at the site. If it is less than a meter, the pit must be completely sealed.

Otherwise, runoff may penetrate into the aquifer and negatively affect water quality. It will not be easy to restore its normal composition in such a situation.

For a sealed cesspool, you can take a special plastic container. Such an element must be installed carefully so that the walls do not bend or burst under soil pressure from the outside.

To create a sealed cesspool, the bottom is concreted and the walls of the structure are made without gaps. An alternative option is a plastic container installed inside the pit.

It will also provide the necessary tightness, but it should be remembered that the strength of plastic is significantly inferior to concrete or brick.

If the first aquifer from the surface lies 1 meter or more below the bottom of the pit being constructed, then it can be constructed according to the principle of a filter or absorption well.

The bottom of the pit is formed from material with high filtration properties: sand, crushed stone or gravel with sand filler. The thickness of the filter bed is at least 1 m.

There is no point in installing a filter structure on rocky and semi-rocky rocks, loams and clays, because processed wastewater simply will not be able to migrate further into the ground.

It is also not done if there is a possibility of unloading into open water bodies near swimming areas or points of water intake for technical purposes.

Absorption cesspools are constructed in soils capable of passing treated wastewater. They are allowed to be installed only in cases where between the conditional bottom of the filter well and the highest level of groundwater, the soil thickness is at least one full meter thick

For a small family of three people, there are folk standards for constructing cesspools. They are arranged at the rate of 0.5 m 3 per person, with an average depth of 1.0 - 1.5 m, and a width of 0.8 - 1.0 m.

If a small-sized closet rises above the cesspool for summer residents who do not permanently live in a suburban area, the standard dimensions and estimated volume can be slightly reduced.

To make an absorption pit using brickwork, a small gap is left between the bricks. Gaps can not be made throughout the entire masonry, but only in certain places

Features of installation of cesspools

So, the place has been chosen, it’s time to start building the foundation pit. Usually, special equipment is used for this, since removing large volumes of soil manually is too time-consuming and difficult. The pit configuration can be square, rectangular, round– it all depends on the chosen material.

In agreement with local inspection structures, in rare cases it is permissible to build a cesspool made of wood. It is recommended to pre-treat wood with special materials to increase its service life.

As practice shows, wooden cesspools do not last long and may need repair after a few years.

To make the cracks between the logs waterproof, they caulk and tar, and a waterproofing layer of clay 45 cm thick is applied to the bottom and walls. The cesspool is covered with tightly packed logs on top, and a hatch of approximately 80x70 cm is installed to allow drainage to be pumped out.

And another option for finishing the walls of a cesspool is old tires. They are stacked in a pit to protect the walls of the pit from destruction. Of course, we are not talking about any special tightness in this case.

This is a temporary option that does not provide a large volume for the accumulation of wastewater. But making a tire pit is relatively easy, and it performs its functions quite satisfactorily.

A tire cesspool is a relatively small waste disposal facility. Its main advantages are the availability of materials and ease of execution.

The nuances of operating cesspools

If the cesspool is constructed correctly, there will be no major problems with its operation. The main problem is regularly cleaning the container from accumulated waste. You should not wait until the container is full; you should start removing wastewater earlier.

However, simply pumping out sewage does not automatically make the structure clean. In cesspools, over time, phenomena such as silting of the bottom and contamination of the walls with fatty deposits are observed.

All this leads to a reduction in the volume of the structure, it fills up faster, and sewer trucks have to be called more often.

Over time, silt deposits may accumulate at the bottom of the cesspool, which prevents the natural removal of liquid from the sewer tank

In addition, pollution intensifies the already unappetizing aromas characteristic of sewers. One way to solve the problem is to use special . These microorganisms are simply poured into a container in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

The presence of bacteria helps speed up the processing of wastewater and prevents the possibility of contamination of the surrounding soil. In addition, microorganisms can significantly weaken and even completely eliminate unpleasant odors of sewage.

Before using bacteria, you should carefully study the instructions. Such preparations are not always compatible with some types of household chemicals. You need to choose a different composition or change products for cleaning, washing and other needs to more suitable ones.

Sometimes bacteria don’t help either, and the walls and bottom of the container become covered with deposits. In this case, mechanical cleaning of the container will help. After pumping out the wastewater, a worker descends into the pit to clean the dirt from the walls.

Then a layer of sludge is removed from the bottom. The cleaned bottom should be covered with a fresh layer of crushed stone or gravel.

The work of cleaning cesspools is not only labor-intensive, but also dangerous. They should be performed in special protective clothing and a respirator. Safety glasses and, of course, gloves will also help. It is not recommended to perform such work alone.

Sediments can release gases that are hazardous to human health. A worker inside the pit may suddenly lose consciousness due to exposure to such fumes. Even if there are two or three people working below, they should be insured by someone on the surface in case of such trouble.

Cesspool made of concrete rings

The use of ready-made reinforced concrete structures, in this case concrete rings, significantly speeds up construction, which is why they are used quite often. Such elements can be used to create both a sealed and absorbent cesspool.

In the first case, monolithic rings are used, and in the second, special rings with holes are used.

To construct a permeable cesspool, intended for additional purification of wastewater transferred from a septic tank, you can purchase concrete rings with perforation

Of course, intact elements without cracks should be used so that the structure does not fall apart during operation.

To make a cesspool from concrete rings, follow these steps:

1. Choose a location for the construction.
2. Make markings.
3. Dig a pit.
4. Level the bottom.
5. Fill the bottom of the hole with concrete screed.
6. Install concrete rings.
7. Lay the necessary sewer pipes.
8. Seal the seams.
9. Carry out waterproofing and sealing work.
10. Backfill the pit.
11. Install a concrete slab with a hole and a cover.
12. Install ventilation structures.

Of course, for an absorption cesspool there is no need to concrete the bottom. Instead of a screed, a layer of gravel or crushed stone should be placed on the bottom to improve the drainage of the structure. And for a sealed structure, you can find a ready-made concrete ring that already has a bottom. But such options are not common.

The bottom is concreted using a screed about 10 cm thick. To give the layer additional strength, crushed stone is added to the composition. the solution should be as homogeneous as possible to achieve uniform drying.

Until the screed dries, it is impossible to continue work on arranging the cesspool. You'll have to wait at least a week. After drying, flaws may appear on the screed - cracks, unevenness, etc. They must be removed using a special repair solution.

Concrete rings should be installed very carefully. This can be done using a crane or manually. The connections are sealed using rubber gaskets; you can use old car inner tubes. At the joints, the rings are insulated using a solution.

To install concrete rings in a cesspool, it is recommended to use special construction equipment. This work can be done manually, but you will have to involve several people

To dig a trench with a slight slope - about 3 degrees. The recommended depth of such a trench is at least one meter so that the pipes do not freeze in winter. For the same purpose, the pipes are covered with a layer of heat-insulating materials.

A hole in a concrete ring for connecting a sewer pipe can be made using a hammer drill.

After the pipes are laid, the quality of the work is checked by flushing some water down the drain. Once you are sure that there are no leaks, you can begin backfilling the trench. A reinforced concrete slab is usually used as the top floor.

It is best to choose a design that already has a round or square hole for maintenance. This hole is closed with a standard lid.

Good ventilation of the cesspool helps improve waste processing and remove unpleasant odors. For ventilation, you must make a special hole in the upper ceiling and bring the pipe up.

A plastic pipe with a diameter of at least 100 mm is suitable. It must be covered with a special deflector on top to prevent precipitation from penetrating into the wastewater.

A cesspool is an ancient structure, but useful. This is the simplest and relatively cheap way to provide your home with reliable independent sewerage.

You just need to choose the right place, decide on the volume and strictly follow the technology of work.

Do you know the secrets of arranging an autonomous sewer system with a cesspool? Perhaps you recently built a sewage storage tank with your own hands from scrap materials? Tell us about it - your experience may be useful to other owners of country houses.

Organizing the sewer system of a private house is a priority task after the construction of the building. Without it, it is impossible to imagine the functioning of the water supply, shower and toilet in a residential building. Building a cesspool with your own hands is a fairly simple task that even a beginner can handle.

1. Choosing a suitable location. The cesspool must be placed on a private plot, at a distance of at least 5 m from buildings. Otherwise, the foundation may be washed away by water coming from the drainage pit after filtration. The distance from the pit to the water source on the site should be at least 20–30 m. If the size of the site does not allow maintaining the required distance, it is advisable to make the hole completely sealed. This will require more frequent sewer cleaning, but will completely isolate the soil on the site from harmful wastewater.
2. Volume calculation. Depending on the number of family members living in a private house, as well as the length of stay (seasonal or permanent), the sizes may vary. It is estimated that an average person needs 150–200 liters of water per day, including showering and toilet flushing. When calculating, you need to include a larger value in case guests or relatives arrive.
3. When planning a cesspool, you need to immediately decide whether waste from the water supply and toilet will be drained into one place. In some cases, separate pits are built: for the toilet - with a sealed bottom, for waste water - in a pit without a bottom.
4. Selection of building material. The following materials will be required:

• Concrete rings.
• Brick.
• Concrete.
• Plastic container.

First of all, you need to lay a pipe on the site from the house to the future sewer container. It is placed in a trench that slopes from the house to the drainage pit.

The depth of the trench should be below the freezing level, or you need to properly insulate the hole under the water drainage system into the sewer:

• Place a sand and gravel “cushion” at the bottom of the trench.
• Place insulation on top, then waterproofing material.
• After laying the pipe on top, fix the edges of the waterproofing and insulation, pour a sand-gravel mixture and lay down the soil.

Such measures will prevent deformation of the drain pipe leading to the sewer.

Pit preparation

• After selecting the location of the drainage pit, excavation work begins. If the sewer system in a private house is installed using bricks, concrete mortar or a plastic container, it is necessary to prepare a pit of the required size. This can be done either with the help of hired equipment or independently, spending a certain amount of effort and time.
• If concrete rings are chosen as a building material, it is enough to place one of them in the place of the future drainage pit. For excavation work, you need to use a comfortable shovel with a short handle. First, the earth is removed from the middle of the concrete ring. The earth is gradually removed from under the concrete walls of the ring, gradually lowering it into the hole. After the ring is completely immersed in the ground, you need to place the second ring on the first and continue excavation work.

When using this method, you need to keep a building level at hand, with the help of which you need to adjust the position of the concrete rings in the horizontal plane.

• A brick cesspool requires a rectangular, square, or round hole in the ground, along the perimeter of which masonry is made to the very top. Below the freezing level, it is necessary to prepare a hole for introducing a drain pipe from the house, and after its installation, seal the joint between the pipe and the wall of the cesspool.
• If you plan to build a sealed cesspool, then the bottom of the hole in the ground must be concreted using reinforcement. Laying bricks around the perimeter of the pit begins on the prepared bottom. Experts recommend treating not only the joints of bricks with mortar, but also their side surface. This will give reliability to the entire structure.
• If you plan to drain water into the soil, you need to create a natural filter that includes not only a sand and gravel bed, but also parts of broken bricks. The thickness of the filter layer should be at least 30–50 cm. This will protect the nearby soil from the harmful effects of waste contained in it.
• Either a concrete slab or a wooden frame with metal sheets is laid on top. It is necessary to provide a hole in the improvised hatch for periodic cleaning of the cesspool.

Construction of a concrete cesspool

A drainage pit can be made by pouring concrete into prepared formwork, but professionals suggest giving preference to concrete rings. They are easy to install, although they require some effort to install them in place.

Concrete is a reliable building material that allows you to make drainage pits, both with a sealed bottom and with a natural filter for water coming from the sewer.

Note! The concrete structure perfectly withstands the loads arising from soil deformation in winter.

You can close such a pit using a concrete slab or hatches of the required diameter.

Drain hole made from a plastic container

In this case, a plastic container of the required volume is selected. If you cannot find the required container, you can combine two smaller containers using a connecting pipe. While still on the ground around the plastic containers, a reinforced frame is prepared from metal rods welded together. The entire structure is placed on a concrete bottom, and concrete mortar is poured on the sides, preventing soil pressure on the sewer in winter.

Note! The need to fill a container with concrete arises when it is installed in unstable soil, and is determined individually for each case.

The use of plastic containers is very convenient in that they already have hatches with suitable openings for periodic cleaning of the drainage pit.

Additional cleaning methods

It is advisable to regularly clean the cesspool. Chemistry can help with this. These include: bleach; oxidizing agents; formaldehyde; special ammonium compounds.

The use of chemicals in each specific case should be determined by the type of cesspool and its location. It must be remembered that, although chemicals are effective and do not depend on the hardness of the water, as well as the impurities in it, they cause great harm to the environment, so their use must be extremely dosed. These drugs may come as powder, liquid, or tablets.

In addition to chemicals, you can use an antiseptic to clean the drainage pit. This method is more environmentally friendly than chemicals. Antiseptic and antibacterial drugs speed up decomposition processes, naturally reducing the amount of waste found.

Preventative measures for cleaning drainage pits will help keep the sewer system in perfect order.

Video

Video on how to make a high-quality and inexpensive cesspool:

Owners of suburban housing do not always manage to take advantage of the benefits of civilization, since villages rarely have centralized water supply and wastewater disposal systems. To solve the water supply problem, as a rule, a well or well is built, but wastewater collection can be organized in different ways. One of the simplest is the construction of a cesspool - a reservoir into which wastewater from the house will flow. Let's consider how to make a cesspool in a private house.

Quite often, areas intended for dacha construction find themselves at a considerable distance from sewer collectors. Therefore, already when planning to build a house, you should think about how wastewater will be disposed of.

Types of cesspools

It must be said that there are many options for installing local sewage systems. This can be a fairly simple and cheap option, or purchasing a plant that completely processes wastewater to form technically pure water and sludge.

If it is decided to use a simple option for constructing a local sewer system, the owner should learn how to properly make a cesspool. Since this method requires a small investment of money and labor.

Cesspools can be built using different materials, but these sewerage structures are classified not on this basis, but on the principle of operation. There are two varieties:

• Filtering cesspools. In such devices, most of the liquid waste is filtered into the ground.
• Sealed cesspools. These devices have waterproof walls; waste is pumped out of them using sewage equipment.

Advantages and disadvantages of filter pits

The main advantage of such a sewerage device is the simplicity of its design. It is enough to make a pit of a suitable size, fill its bottom with crushed stone, and strengthen the walls with some kind of water-permeable material. For example, you can lay the walls with brick so that there are gaps in the masonry.

The drainage through the pipe will flow into the prepared container and settle. Solid waste will settle to the bottom, liquid will filter into the soil. Thanks to this device, the pit will have to be cleaned quite rarely, since the main part of the wastewater is water, and not solid inclusions.

However, the filter pit also has a significant drawback, which negates all its advantages - the entry of dirty water into the ground worsens the environmental situation on the site. In addition, since today a lot of plumbing fixtures are installed in dachas, the amount of wastewater has increased greatly and, often, the liquid does not have time to filter into the ground.

Advice! One cannot fail to mention another significant drawback of this method of wastewater disposal - the unpleasant odor that will spread throughout the site.

The construction of filter pits is prohibited in many densely built-up areas. Such sewerage structures cannot be built on the territory of sanitary zones. But at dachas in villages remote from the city, filter pits continue to be built quite often. Such a sewerage installation can be used if the total volume of wastewater is no more than a cubic meter per day.

Sealed storage

A cesspool with sealed walls and bottom is an environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional solution. When using this option, wastewater does not penetrate into the ground, so there is no threat of soil and water contamination.

However, this option also has its drawbacks, namely, rather expensive maintenance. The storage tank must be regularly cleaned of accumulated wastewater, using the services of companies providing sewage disposal services.

Advice! To optimize your costs, you should choose the right drive size. In this case, you won’t have to call the vacuum cleaners too often.

You can build a sealed storage tank yourself; the most optimal solution is to build a monolithic concrete tank. This design is reliable, in addition, it is completely sealed.

But building tanks from concrete rings or bricks is not the best choice. The fact is that such structures are prefabricated and do not provide a sufficient level of tightness at the joints.

Another option for constructing a storage tank is to install a ready-made plastic container. Such a polymer tank, made in a factory, is absolutely impermeable to water. Tanks come in different sizes, so you can always choose the best option.

Choosing a place to build a cesspool

Before starting construction, you need to determine the construction site, calculate the required volume of the tank and decide what materials will be used.

Where should the cesspool be placed?

When choosing the location of the pit, you need to take into account the requirements that are formulated in SNiP 30-02-97. Basic moments:

• The pit must be at least 5 meters away from housing.
• You cannot place the pit directly next to the fence with the neighboring plot; you should step back from the fence by at least a meter.
• It is extremely important that the pit is located far from drinking water intake points. You need to retreat from the well at least 30 meters in case of heavy, poorly permeable soils, and at least 50 meters if the soil is sandy.

Particularly strict requirements are imposed on the choice of location for the filter cesspool. If you plan to install a storage tank, then the likelihood of contaminated water getting into the ground is virtually eliminated. However, an emergency depressurization of the tank cannot be ruled out, so the storage tank must be installed at the maximum distance from the source of water intake.

When choosing a place to build a cesspool in a country house, you need to take into account such an indicator as the level of groundwater rise. So, if the water rises high, the filter pit will constantly be flooded and it will be impossible to use the sewer.

How to choose a tank size

The size of the pit should be selected depending on the water consumption in the house. And this indicator, in turn, depends on the number of people in the house and the equipment of the house with plumbing. It is clear that the greater the water consumption, the larger the tank volume will be required.

Advice! To meet the needs of a family of 4 people, a cesspool with a volume of 12-18 cubic meters is required. In this case, as a rule, a hole is dug 3 meters long and 2 meters wide, the depth of the tank should be 3 meters.

What materials are used for construction

To build a pit, you need to use a material that is resistant to aggressive environments, which include sewage. Thus, the use of wood or, for example, metal is unjustified, since these materials quickly collapse under the influence of moisture.

Most often, the following materials are used:

• Brick.
• Concrete. The bottom needs to be filled with concrete mortar; in addition, formwork can be built to make monolithic walls of the tank.
• Finished reinforced concrete products - well rings.

Advice! Another option for constructing a cesspool is to install a ready-made reservoir made of plastic in a prepared pit. This method of construction requires much less labor and allows you to complete the work as quickly as possible.

Construction of a cesspool

Let's look at how a cesspool is constructed. First comes the preparatory stage, during which the necessary materials and tools are purchased. In addition, it will be necessary to make a fence around the construction site to eliminate the risk of accidentally falling into the pit.

Pit preparation

This stage is the most labor-intensive, so if it is possible to use construction equipment, then it is worth doing. If this is not possible, the work will have to be done manually. After the hole is ready, you will need to prepare its bottom. For this:

• Compact the bottom surface, making sure that there are no large stones, roots or other irregularities on it.
• Sand is added by spreading the material in a layer about 20 cm high. The sand cushion is necessary to compensate for seasonal movements of the soil during freezing and thawing.

• In most cases, concreting the bottom of the tank is required. To perform this work, a concrete solution is used, which is prepared from a mixture of one part cement, 4 parts sand and 6 parts small crushed stone. The solution is poured onto the prepared surface and leveled. Then the solution should be allowed to harden, and in the summer heat it is necessary to cover the surface of the concrete area with a wet cloth so that the solution dries evenly.

Construction of tank walls

After the concrete at the bottom of the pit has hardened, it will be possible to begin building the walls. The easiest way is to install a ready-made container made of plastic. Despite their large size, such tanks weigh little, so when installing them you can do without the use of lifting equipment.

In the event that you plan to use well rings, it will not be possible to cope without the use of lifting equipment. When constructing a tank from concrete rings, you don’t have to concreting the bottom of the pit, since in addition to through rings, they also sell rings with a bottom.

The most difficult construction options are laying the walls with bricks or constructing a monolithic tank. It is recommended that only craftsmen with relevant experience undertake the construction of such types of cesspools.

Waterproofing and connection to sewerage

If a sealed tank is being constructed from brick or reinforced concrete rings, it is necessary to carry out waterproofing measures. First, all joints are treated with mortar; if the walls are brick, then the entire surface of the walls has to be covered with cement mortar. Then you need to provide additional protection from moisture.

To do this, you can use sheet materials, for example, roofing felt, or special mastics that are applied with a brush or roller. The sewer pipe is connected to the container using a rubber connecting collar.

Such a connection is not rigid, so it will not collapse when the soil moves. At the last stage of construction, the container is backfilled using sand and soil removed from the pit.

So, if you want to improve your country house, you should find out how to make a cesspool. You need to decide on the type of structure, decide what materials the tank will be built from, and choose the most suitable location for placement. After such preparation, you can proceed directly to the construction process.

A cesspool is an integral part of comfortable living in a country house or in a private house. If it is not possible to connect to the city sewer system, you should consider an alternative solution. Making a cesspool with your own hands is not an easy task. But if you want to fully enjoy your time at the dacha at any time of the year, you will have to work a little. In this article we will talk in detail about all the methods of arranging a cesspool.

In the city, the issue of disposal of household wastewater and waste is resolved quite simply - this is handled by the municipal services, and to make a sewer, you just need to call the experts. In the case of organizing such a system in the private sector, things are a little more complicated.

There are different types of cesspools, and the choice depends not so much on financial capabilities, but on the specifics of use and volumes of wastewater. For a large house where 3-5 people permanently live, a spacious septic tank or local treatment station is needed. For more modest country houses, even the simplest cesspool will suffice.

Speaking about the simplest designs, one cannot fail to mention the “predecessor” of all modern systems for wastewater disposal. This is a simple hole in the ground, the walls of which are coated with clay and reinforced with boards. This design was replaced by wooden barrels that were buried in the ground, metal tanks, containers and any other suitable containers. Today, this method is also actively used, but barrels have been replaced by capacious plastic tanks. They can be installed if the daily volume of wastewater does not exceed 1 m³.

You can make the most ordinary cesspool for a toilet, but in some cases their arrangement contradicts sanitary and epidemiological standards, and, to put it mildly, using them is not entirely convenient. This is of no use - today many inexpensive and practical options have been invented.

It is clear that every owner of a country house wants to save as much money as possible on installing a cesspool. Below we will look in detail at the most relevant methods, among which you will definitely find the right one.

Depending on the design features, cesspools are either absorbent or sealed. Septic tanks are also designed to collect and filter wastewater, but they are more complex from a technical point of view.

Absorption pits do not have a bottom, so the wastewater that falls into them undergoes rough cleaning with a layer of sand, gravel, broken bricks or other bulk material that can serve as a filter. This option is the most economical, and doing it yourself will not be difficult. Partial infiltration allows you to reduce the frequency of calling sewer trucks to a minimum. One such pit can only be built if the volumes of wastewater are small and the house does not have equipment that works with water (washing machines, Jacuzzis, etc.). Otherwise, the earth will not be able to absorb as much liquid.

Sealed cesspools are waterproof tanks made of concrete, brick, plastic or other materials. As they fill, they must be emptied by calling a sewer truck. The tightness of the structure allows you to avoid the spread of unpleasant odors throughout the area, however, the pit must be constantly monitored so that it does not overflow. If a house uses a lot of water for domestic needs, it is impractical to resort to this method, because the container will quickly fill up, and the services of a sewer service will cost a pretty penny.

The fastest and easiest way to make a sealed cesspool is to buy a large plastic container. It is buried in the ground, and a hatch is installed on top for pumping out wastewater.

Preparatory work

Despite the fact that technology is developing at a breathtaking speed, and human civilization is in full bloom, it has not touched some aspects of everyday life. It is very difficult to install a centralized sewer system in a village or town, so many are still forced to make do with cesspools.

Choosing a location

Whatever design you choose, it is very important to find the right place for it, otherwise all your efforts will go to waste. For this, there is a special SNiP, which describes in detail the requirements and standards for a cesspool for a residential building.

In short, the hole should be at least 12 m from the house, but as close to a fence or driveway as possible so that the sanitation workers can do their job without hindrance. If you are making a bottomless drain with a coarse filtration system, you should ensure that the distance from the cesspool to sources of drinking water (wells, boreholes) is as wide as possible. Also take into account the constant direction of the wind so that unpleasant odors do not disturb your or your neighbors’ lives.

Calculation of the cesspool

Once you have decided on the location of the future cesspool, you can begin to calculate its size. In this case, you should start from the number of people permanently residing in the house. If an average adult consumes about 180 liters of water per day, then a family of 3 people will produce 12 cubic meters of wastewater per month. Since it is better to take the volume with a reserve, the cesspool of such a family should accommodate at least 18 cubic meters.

The second thing you should pay attention to is the presence in the house of equipment that works with water - washing machines, dishwashers, Jacuzzis, etc. The mechanical composition of the soil also plays an important role and affects the size of the future pit. If your site is on light soil, for example, with marl, then the water will seep through well, and you can take 40% of the monthly runoff for the volume of the cesspool. If the house is located on clay or hard soil that does not allow moisture to pass through, then the volume will be required with a reserve exceeding the monthly norm.

The depth of the cesspool should be no more than 3 m, and the distance between the surface and the hatch should be about a meter so that the waste does not spill out.

Construction of a cesspool

If it is not possible to use the benefits of a central sewer system, why not do the maximum to feel comfortable in your own country house? We invite you to consider several simple but effective ways to make a cesspool correctly.

Brick pit

The most difficult thing in building any cesspool is digging a pit. Without large specialized equipment, getting rid of several tens of cubic meters of earth will not be easy. Therefore, if you do not know excavator operators, pick up a shovel and be patient. The best option would be to dig a drainage hole while laying out the foundation.

For the construction of a brick cesspool, it is better to use only red burnt brick, since it better withstands moisture and is more durable than other types.

The scheme for constructing a cesspool is quite simple:

Bottomless pit

The design is similar to the previous one, except that there is no bottom. In some cases, only a metal mesh is placed on it to trap large particles of sewage. The walls are also laid with bricks, but using the half-brick method. The result will be a less stable structure, but it will drain wastewater better, and its cost is very low.

To save even more, use scrap and used materials. For example, use inexpensive half-blocks instead of regular cinder blocks. Instead of bitumen mastic to waterproof the walls from the inside, coat them with rich natural clay.

Such a pit will serve you for about 20 years with regular use. Afterwards, spot repairs may be required, but no more. It will not have to be pumped out too often, since due to the lack of a bottom, the water goes into the ground, and only large fractions remain in the hole.

One of the disadvantages is the fact that the pit will eventually become overgrown with silt, so after pumping it is recommended to further clean and disinfect it.

Concrete pit

Making a cesspool from concrete costs much more than from brick, and it takes much more time, but the result will more than pay off all the efforts. There are two types of such structures: a cesspool made of concrete rings and a solid one.

In the first case, the bottom of the pit is filled with a concrete screed, and concrete rings of the appropriate diameter are laid on it. You can build such a pit very quickly, but the work will require the participation of large construction equipment and several people. This design is of the sealed type, so keep in mind that the vacuum cleaners will have to be called quite often.

We invite you to watch a video about a cesspool made of concrete rings, built on an area with a high level of groundwater:

It is more difficult to make a solid cast pit, since not only the bottom, but also its walls must be reinforced and then filled with concrete. Even a beginner will not have any difficulties with horizontal surfaces, but making smooth and strong walls of a pit several meters deep will not be easy. The principle of operation is reminiscent of building a foundation, when formwork is made, reinforcement bars are inserted into it and filled with cement-sand mortar. After the walls have hardened (3-4 weeks), they should be covered with waterproofing material. Bitumen mastic or liquid rubber will do this task perfectly.

A solid pit will outlast any other in terms of durability. Moreover, it can last longer than the house itself. It is also environmentally friendly because it is completely isolated and does not release waste into the ground. It is not clogged with silt, so the volume will not decrease over time. Unfortunately, wastewater from such a pit will have to be pumped out no less often than from a brick or plastic one, and the price is several times higher.

Tire pit

What do a cesspool and old tires have in common? The answer to this question will be a common “life hack” that resourceful summer residents came up with to save money, effort and precious time.

To build such a structure, dig a pit of the required depth and with a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of a car tire. Then stack the tires until the hole is filled, install a basic ceiling made of waterproof material and a hatch.

How to make a cesspool without spending a penny? Contact your nearest tire shop - maybe they will give you your old unnecessary tires completely free of charge. The durability of this design is impressive - the pit will last 20-25 years without repair. It is better to use tires from passenger cars. They are strong, waterproof and durable.

The tire pit also has disadvantages. Firstly, excessive flow (water seeping between the tires and through the bottom) can be detrimental to soil conditions. Secondly, the pit silts heavily, so it must be cleaned often. Thirdly, tires can begin to rot if the waste is not pumped out in a timely manner.

We have described the most common ways to make a cesspool in a private house, so that you can evaluate all their advantages and disadvantages and choose the most suitable option. Reminds you that before this you should calculate the required volume - the nature of the structure and the scale of the work to be done will depend on it.

Cesspool: photo