How to make a septic tank from a barrel with your own hands: step by step instructions. Do-it-yourself sewerage in the country from a barrel Well from plastic barrels

If there are no centralized sewerage and water supply networks near your summer cottage, then for a comfortable stay in the house it is necessary to build an autonomous water supply system and a local treatment plant - a septic tank. Today we will talk about septic tanks. Thanks to them, wastewater will be disposed of in accordance with sanitary standards without harming the environment. It is easier and cheaper to make a home-made treatment plant from improvised materials, for example, a septic tank from barrels. The design can be designed for any volume of drains, depending on the number of people living in the house. In our article you will find a description of the nuances of making a cleaning device from this material, and the video at the end of the article will help you understand the process more clearly.

A septic tank from a barrel can be made with your own hands from different materials. The barrel can be plastic or metal. But the latter option is not the best, since the metal quickly corrodes in conditions of constant humidity, so the design will turn out to be short-lived. It is better to make a septic tank for a small dacha from polymer containers with a volume of 200-250 liters. If many residents live in your dacha or the building can be used year-round, then the volume of containers should be even larger.

There can be many options for self-construction in the country of water supply and sewerage. So, water supply can be equipped from a well or a well, and the choice of a septic tank design depends on the characteristics of the effluents, the hydrogeological conditions at the site and the required quality of wastewater treatment. A septic tank from barrels can be:

• Single chamber. This homemade septic tank, in fact, is an ordinary cesspool. It can be with or without a bottom, depending on the type of soil and the level of standing groundwater. Waste water from the sewerage system enters the tank, where it is either pumped out by sewers as it accumulates, or filtered into the ground through a special layer of gravel and crushed stone at the bottom. Such a septic tank is suitable for a shower or bath without a toilet. The thing is that this septic tank will not harm the environment, only if fecal sewage does not get into it.

Important: structures without a bottom can only be used on sandy soils with good absorption capacity. On clay soils, wastewater is pumped into a filtration well after settling with a drainage pump.

• Two-chamber. A septic tank of two containers is more perfect. For a small cottage, two barrels of 200 liters are enough. Drains immediately from the sewer enter the first chamber, where they settle, as a result of which the heavy components settle to the bottom. In the second chamber, the clarified waters undergo a post-treatment process. A septic tank of two containers can be made with a bottom in both chambers or only in the first of them. Then a filtering layer is arranged at the bottom of the second chamber, and water is discharged into the ground.
• Three-chamber. The best option is a sewerage system for giving from three containers with a volume of 200-250 liters each. In this design, the necessary degree of wastewater treatment is achieved, which does not contradict sanitary standards. Such effluents can be discharged into the ground without the risk of environmental degradation. Drainage from the sewerage is settled in the first chamber. Then the pre-treated waters flow into the second compartment, where their post-treatment is carried out by the biological method. There is also a small precipitate of small impurities. Only then the purified water enters the filtration chamber, where it is discharged through a layer at the bottom into the ground.

Requirements for a septic tank

To build an effective septic tank with your own hands from barrels, you must adhere to the following rules:

• For high-quality wastewater treatment, the septic tank must be multi-chamber. As you understand, single-chamber septic tanks are contrary to sanitary standards. In a multi-chamber design, wastewater in the first compartment undergoes mechanical cleaning under the action of gravitational forces, in the second chamber organic compounds are decomposed due to microorganisms. In the last filtration chamber, the final post-treatment of the liquid takes place, and the effluents are discharged into the ground.
• The septic tank from the barrel must be completely sealed, with the exception of the bottom of the last chamber. This is the only way to guarantee the safety of the entire structure.
• When choosing a place for a septic tank, it is worth adhering to the standard distances. So, from the source where the water for the water supply is taken, it should be at least 15 m. It is worth retreating at least 5 m from the foundation of the house. You should not lay sewer pipes near the water supply. The septic tank should be located at a distance of 1-2 meters from roadways and parking lots.

Tip: do not place the treatment plant too far from the house, as there will be problems with observing the slope of the sewer pipes. As a result, it may turn out that they enter the treatment plant at a very great depth, so the septic tank will have to be deeply buried in the ground.

• It is necessary to correctly determine the dimensions of all tanks of the treatment plant. The volume of the first chamber of the sump must be equal to the volume of the daily discharge, which is determined from the fact that one tenant consumes 200 liters of water from the water supply per day. This number must be multiplied by the number of residents and by 3 (so many days the drains are in the septic tank). As a result, we get the working volume of the septic tank. The actual volume is usually a little more, but not less.

Necessary materials

After performing preliminary calculations - determining the volume of the septic tank, the length of the sewer pipeline, the hydrogeological state of the soil, the depth of freezing, the dimensions of the pit and the required slope - you can begin to build a septic tank from plastic barrels.

For work you will need the following materials:

• Two or three barrels made of polymeric material with a volume of 200 or more liters. In addition, you will need a plastic corrugated pipe or another barrel for the well.
• To close the barrels from above, it is worth taking three sewer covers (also made of plastic).
• Pipes for sewerage with a diameter of 110 mm. The length must be determined from the distance from the house to the septic tank plus a couple of meters of stock.
• Ventilation pipe with a cap with a diameter of 110 mm. The length of the pipe is not more than 1.5 m.
• Angle fittings and tees for the diameter of the pipes used.
• Flanges and couplings.
• Small crushed stone with a fraction of elements not more than 40 mm.
• Sand.
• Adhesive for joining PVC elements.
• Epoxy based sealant.
• Rubber seals for sealing the entry of pipes into the septic tank.
• Cord and pegs.
• Shovel.
• Roulette.
• Bulgarian.
• Level.

If the groundwater in your area is very high, then the bottom of the pit will have to be concreted. To do this, you will need a cement-sand mixture, an electric mixer, a mixing container, fittings and steel cables to fix the barrels on the bottom.

If the soil is loose, then the walls of the pit will need to be reinforced with wooden formwork or steel fine mesh. To insulate the treatment plant and the sewer pipeline, you will need mineral wool for pipes, foam plastic or foam plastic for the treatment plant.

Installation

Before starting excavation work, a sewer pipe must be removed from the house. It is from this place that you will dig a trench with a slope to the septic tank. Next, we make a septic tank from a barrel in the following sequence:

1. From the place where the sewer is removed from the house, we dig a trench 1 m wide to the place where the septic tank is installed. At the same time, we make the slope of the bottom of the trench taking into account 2 cm of difference for each meter of length. Under the septic tank, we dig a pit. Its dimensions must be 20 cm larger than the size of the barrels. At the bottom of the pit, we make ledges 10 cm high to install each communicating tank at different depths. The first camera will be at the top.
2. Since the septic tank has impressive dimensions, but low weight, groundwater can easily raise the tank to the surface. To prevent this from happening, a concrete pad is made at the bottom of the pit. To do this, a cement-sand mortar is first mixed, then a sand cushion 10 cm high is made at the bottom of the pit. It is leveled and rammed. After that, a reinforcing mesh with outlets for fastening the septic tank is laid at the bottom. The bottom is poured with a layer of concrete 150-200 mm high.
3. After the concrete pad has hardened, you can proceed with the installation of the barrels. Each barrel is mounted on a separate step so that the next container is 10 cm lower. There should be a distance of 100-150 mm between the chambers. We attach the barrels to the outlets of the reinforcement in the bottom with a steel cable.
4. In the first chamber, at the desired height, we cut a hole for the supply pipeline with a diameter of 110 mm. We put a rubber seal in the hole and additionally seal it with mastic. Now insert the tee into the resulting hole. Then we connect the supply sewer pipe and ventilation to it.
5. At a height below 100 mm from the first hole on the other side of the first barrel, we make another hole for overflow. We also seal it with a rubber seal and insert the corner fitting.
6. We cover the first barrel with a lid and install a ventilation pipe.
7. Now cut a hole on the side of the second chamber and insert the corner fitting into it. The hole is sealed with a rubber gasket. We connect two daughters with fittings with an overflow pipe.
8. On the reverse side of the second container, we make a hole at the level of the middle of the barrel to install an overflow into the third chamber. We install the cover.
9. The third chamber is a sealed well with an overflow hole from the second chamber. We connect the second and third chambers with a pipe. We mount the cover. If a drainage well is used instead of the third chamber, then for its arrangement it is necessary to take a corrugated pipe with a diameter of 1 m. An overflow hole is cut in its wall, and a gravel-sand layer 300 mm high is equipped at the bottom. It is better to lay a layer of geotextile under the layer. Through it, water will be filtered into the ground.
10. Backfilling of the septic tank is carried out with alternating layers of sand and concrete. After making a layer 200-300 mm thick, it is wetted with water and rammed.

Important: as the backfill is completed, the barrels must be filled with water 20-30 cm above the backfill level. This will protect the septic tank design from deformation under soil pressure.

In a city apartment, plumbing and sewerage are the norm. At the dacha, you also want comfortable living conditions. However, not everywhere there are centralized treatment systems outside the city. You have to equip the septic tank yourself. There are many options for this, but a do-it-yourself sewerage system in a country house from a barrel is the simplest and cheapest of them.

For a private house, a septic tank is better to buy a factory-assembled, large capacity and with the use of bioenzymes. And for use in the country, a small barrel sewer with mechanical cleaning and soil aftertreatment is quite enough.

How to choose the right place for a septic tank in the country

A country house is characterized by a small amount of wastewater. They do not live in it permanently, but only on short visits, on weekends. However, sanitary and building standards are the same for everyone.

Sewerage from barrels - the best option for a summer cottage

The septic tank of an autonomous sewer in the country should be removed from:

• reservoirs, a drinking well or a well of 30 meters;
• garden beds for 10 meters;
• the foundation of the house by 5 meters;
• underground pipelines with gas for 5 meters;
• green spaces (shrubs and trees) by 3 meters.

Attention! Observance of minimum distances to sources of drinking water is the key to preventing their pollution and the spread of infections.

If the septic tank is placed too close to the country house, then the water will certainly begin to destroy its foundation. And the relevant sanitary standards are prescribed for a reason. Failure to comply with them can entail not only health problems, but also liability under the law.

Also, when choosing the location of the septic tank, you must consider:

1. The properties and composition of the soil - sand easily passes moisture, and on clay soil it will be necessary to equip a sand cushion.
2. The relief of the site - the sewer pipe should be laid at a slope from the house to the barrels, the water should move by gravity.
3. The depth of groundwater.
4. Climatic conditions - the maximum possible negative air temperatures in winter and the level of freezing of the earth.
5. The inevitability of the arrival of a sewage truck - containers must be available for cleaning and pumping out sewage.

Scheme of the simplest sewage system from a pair of containers

The simplest sewage in the country is an external pipeline and a pair of iron barrels as a septic tank. Pipes for self-laying can be taken plastic with a diameter of 110 mm. A smaller diameter will not cope with the peak volume of effluents, and you will have to overpay for a larger one.

Remember! It is recommended to install a septic tank from barrels as the basis of the sewer system in the country house only with groundwater not higher than 3-4 meters.

The slope of the sewer pipeline for reliable gravity flow must be at least 0.03 (vertically 3 cm / running meter of pipe). When laying pipes above the freezing level, it will be necessary to perform insulation using moisture-resistant heat-insulating materials.

Barrel sewer device

Which containers are better to use: iron or plastic

When arranging sewerage in the country with their own hands, barrels made of plastic or metal are used. The first option is easier to install and more resistant to corrosion, but when the soil swells, the plastic container will be easily crushed.

Iron barrels of 200 liters are more popular with Russian summer residents. This metal container for coatings, after firing, becomes an ideal container for creating a sewer sump. It is durable, cheap and lightweight, which allows you to do all the work yourself.

Iron two-hundred-liter barrels are popular with domestic summer residents because of their availability.

The only drawback of any iron is its susceptibility to corrosion. However, you can always treat an iron barrel for sewage with bituminous mastic or other anti-corrosion compound.

Advice! In order for the metal container for the sump to last longer, it must be coated with anti-corrosion protection (bitumen, paintwork materials).

Another nuance of choosing between an iron and a plastic barrel is their weight and the need to fill the foundation under them. Plastic is light, it will have to be fixed on a pre-prepared concrete pad, otherwise a plastic sump during floods may simply float up. With heavier iron, there are no such problems.

According to SNiP, the volume of the septic tank must contain three daily measures of runoff from the house. This is at a water consumption of up to 5 cubic meters / day - just for the country sewerage. But at the same time, one must understand that these data are indicated for regularly cleaned sedimentation tanks. At least twice a year, they must be cleaned without fail, removing accumulated sludge and debris.

The principle of operation of a country septic tank from two barrels

A standard two-chamber septic tank for a summer residence consists of a pair of metal barrels:

1. Sealed sump for primary coarse cleaning.
2. Tanks for soil cleaning.

A variant with one hermetic tank is possible. But then it must be much larger and will constantly have to be cleaned. And for this it will be necessary to call vacuum trucks with special equipment, paying for their work. This type of sewage is more suitable for a small cottage, and for summer cottages it is better to use an alternative from a pair of iron barrels.

In this case, the effluents first enter the first tank, where they are clarified and coarse sediment (sand, vegetable peels and other debris) settles. As soon as this tank is filled to capacity, partially purified water begins to flow into the second barrel, which has no bottom. As a result, moisture, passing through the sand filter and being additionally cleaned, goes into the soil.

Conditional diagram of a two-chamber septic tank

The first barrel should be slightly higher than the second. So the water will drain naturally without any pumps. Also in the first container, it is imperative to make a lid and a vent. Sooner or later, solid sediment will have to be cleaned out of it. And ventilation is necessary for the flow of anaerobic processes.

Sewerage technology in the country

First, earthworks. It is necessary to dig a trench for a sewer pipe from the house and a pit for iron barrels. From above, the containers will be sprinkled with soil 20–30 cm thick. The hole will have to be dug deep enough. There should be a gap of 25 cm on the sides.

If you plan to use the sewerage system in the country house made with your own hands from barrels in winter, it should be insulated. But in this case, at least a third of the tank must be below the freezing zone, otherwise the water in the tank will freeze. And this is an additional deepening of the pit. You may even need to call an excavator to dig.

1. In the first: on top - the inlet for the pipe from the house, and on the side - the outlet for overflow into the next tank.
2. In the second: on the side - incoming overflow, and from below - into the whole bottom for drainage into the ground.

The inlet should be located 10–20 cm higher than the outlet, otherwise the water may go back when overflowing.

Advice! In order not to engage in welding on metal, it is enough to cut even holes and insert rubber seals of the appropriate size into them. And they already introduce plastic pipes and coat everything with sealant.

All pipes inserted into the barrel must be carefully sealed.

A pillow of sand and gravel 10 to 30 cm thick is poured at the bottom of the pit and carefully compacted. Then the barrels are installed and connected by a jumper. If necessary, they are covered with insulation (foam or expanded clay).

Before connecting the sewer pipe, the containers must be covered with soil on the sides. The earth should be thrown in layers of 20 cm and compacted each of them.

It remains to connect the sewer pipe from the country house. It is inserted into the first tank using a tee, the free end of which is designed to organize the ventilation of the septic tank. In the end, everything is sprinkled on top with soil.

Septic tank maintenance and cleaning

Gradually, the first settling tank will be filled with solid waste and sludge from their decomposition. To clean it, you will have to call a sewer machine.

On average, the volume of sludge increases by 60–80 liters over the summer. But with a constant visit to the dacha, the septic tank can overflow long before the end of the season.

It is necessary to invite vacuum cleaners regularly

To prevent this, special biological additives are used that significantly accelerate the decomposition processes and reduce the amount of waste. However, at least once a year, barrels should be cleaned by professional vacuum cleaners.

Video: general principles of sewerage in the country

You can equip a sewer from metal barrels with your own hands in the country. There is nothing complicated here, all the necessary materials can be found on the construction market. Such a septic tank will cost inexpensively. However, it is not always worth saving too much on safety and health. Pollution by untreated runoff of soil and water bodies is punishable by law. Consultations and advice from professionals on the issue of sewer system installation will never hurt.

The owners of country houses do not want to give up the usual urban amenities and have to equip the sewer system on their site on their own. Often it is a simple cesspool, made from a barrel or otherwise, but if there is running water and households actively use plumbing fixtures, its capabilities will obviously not be enough.

The country sewerage scheme includes a collector receiving sewage, internal and external pipeline networks. Depending on financial capabilities, the collector is built of bricks, concrete rings, large car tires, eurocubes or a 200 l barrel.

Sewerage scheme with a barrel as a septic tank

Scheme and rules for organizing sewerage with a septic tank in the country

It is quite possible to equip a septic tank for giving with your own hands. Before starting work, a detailed sewerage scheme is drawn up. Drawings can be seen in the photo. On the diagram, you need to put the location of the storage tank, the internal and external wiring of the pipeline network. Building codes and regulations determine the required angle of inclination of pipes, features of the collector device and other parameters. Please note that simply draining sewage into a pit without pumping pollutes the soil and nearby aquifers.

Requirements for the placement of treatment facilities at their summer cottage

Treatment facilities in the summer cottage should be located no closer than thirty meters from water bodies, wells and artesian wells. In order to prevent the unpleasant smell from penetrating into the living quarters, the minimum distance of the septic tank from the house is five meters. This distance should not be greatly extended either, since this significantly increases the cost of laying an external sewer network.

Minimum distances from the septic tank to different objects

Care must be taken to ensure that the unpleasant smell does not disturb the neighbors, and the treatment plant should not be located too close to the boundaries of the site. Fruit trees and other green plantings with a developed root system should be at least three meters away.

Types of country sewerage

The easiest way to do it yourself for a private house and a summer house is to make an ordinary cesspool into which a simple drain of waste will be carried out. In doing so, it will pollute the environment. To prevent unpleasant consequences, a sealed container is installed in the cesspool.

The simplest cesspool from a barrel

This is a more acceptable way of arranging a waste disposal system, but in this case, frequent "visits" of the sewer truck are necessary. A more modern type of country sewage is a septic tank, in which the liquid fraction of waste is settled and, after filtration, is removed from the collector. The use of bacteria that decompose organic matter helps to make a septic tank without pumping.

Sealed cesspool

To equip a cesspool, they dig a pit at least two meters deep. With a complex relief of the site, it is located at the lowest level.

Sealed drain pit is convenient with a small amount of waste

The walls of the tank are laid out with brickwork or ready-made concrete rings, tires from the Kirovets tractor, barrels of two hundred liters and so on are stacked on top of each other. A layer of waterproofing is laid on the bottom of the tank, all butt joints are securely sealed to prevent leakage of wastewater.

Filter well

The filter well is equipped in the same way as a sealed cesspool, only instead of waterproofing, gravel or crushed stone with sand is made at the bottom of the mine. It forms a filter layer through which the liquid waste fractions get rid of contaminants before penetrating into the soil.

The device of the filter well from a plastic barrel

This design of the treatment plant makes it possible to pump out waste from the reservoir much less frequently, since it is filled only with their solid fragments. The quality of wastewater treatment is improved if not one, but several filter wells are installed, interconnected by overflow pipes.

Applying a filter field

The use of a filtration field helps to make a septic tank without pumping out. Its device requires a large area of ​​​​free space on the site.

Small filtration field device

The filtration field is a platform located underground, in which the sedimentation and purification of wastewater that has passed through the sewer takes place. From there, they are discharged through perforated pipes into the drainage system.

Gutter use

It is good if a gutter lies near the storage sewer tank. In this case, the drains that have passed through the collector can be directed directly into it. To do this, they dig a hole near the canal, filling it with crushed stone or gravel as a filter layer. Waste water is sent there, which, after passing the filter, enters the gutter.

Material options for a septic tank in the country

Depending on financial capabilities, the septic tank in the country is made from a variety of materials. With virtually no material costs, you can get decommissioned large-diameter tires at the nearest tire fitting workshop or at a car company.

An example of organizing a two-chamber septic tank from tires

Tires from the Kirovets tractor are well suited. They are stacked on top of each other in a dug pit. A septic tank made of ready-made concrete rings is equipped even faster and more reliably. The sewage receiver can be laid out with brickwork. Also used are barrels of large volume and the so-called eurocubes, which are sealed plastic containers.

When installed, they are concreted on the sides, as they are light in weight and can move when the groundwater level rises.

Installation depth of the septic tank and pipe laying

The installation depth of the septic tank and the laying of the sewer pipe directly depends on the level of soil freezing in a particular region. If sewage freezes in the sewer system, it will burst the pipes, and in the spring everything will have to start over.

A sewer pipe used only in summer can not be buried

The optimal volume of a septic tank in the country

The required volume of a septic tank in the country depends on the number of people permanently residing in it. It is believed that one person consumes up to two hundred liters of water per day. Multiplying this figure by the number of households and increasing the resulting value by approximately twenty percent, we obtain the optimal amount of storage capacity.

Of course, in the conditions of a summer residence, that is, without the use of a shower and a bath, this parameter will be much less.

Arrangement of a simple cesspool from a 200 l barrel

A cesspool from a 200 l barrel is easily made by hand. For its arrangement it is better to choose plastic containers. Compared to metal products, they have the following advantages:

• excellent resistance to aggressive chemical environments;
• longer service life;
• simplified installation due to low weight;
• no need for anti-corrosion treatment;
• high levels of tightness.

A plastic barrel as a cesspool can last a long time

When buried in the ground, plastic containers should be securely fastened with cables pulled to a concrete slab installed as the base of the structure. Otherwise, a homemade septic tank can “float” to the surface at the most inconvenient moment. The plastic barrels installed in the pit should be filled very carefully so as not to damage them.

Do-it-yourself assembly and connection of a septic tank from plastic barrels

Do-it-yourself assembly and connection of a septic tank from plastic barrels is not particularly difficult. First, a pit is dug to bury the tanks in the ground. For better wastewater treatment, two plastic containers with a volume of at least two hundred liters each should be installed. They are connected to each other with an overflow pipe.

Two-chamber septic tank with overflow from plastic barrels - a practical option

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The following video is carefully selected and will certainly help the perception of the foregoing.

Owners of private households, in an effort to save money, install an economy version of sewage tanks - a septic tank from barrels, designed to create home comfort in a country dwelling. Local sewerage, with an autonomous cleaning system, allows you to launch a convenient infrastructure in settlements where there are no centralized systems. In suburban areas in summer cottages, it makes no sense to install expensive septic tank options, because suburban summer cottages come to life only in the summer.

Manufacturers offer a wide range of cleaning systems, however, many prefer to design and manufacture a home-made septic tank in the country, the price of which will be minimal. Such an independent cleaning system with a septic tank as the main working element is easily built from improvised waste materials.

Let's analyze how to make a septic tank from barrels with your own hands, if the purchase of a finished structure is postponed. The article describes the technological nuances of manufacturing and installing home-made containers, provides step-by-step instructions with photo illustrations. The video will help you better understand the process.

In the absence of a centralized water supply and sewerage network near the site, it becomes necessary to build an autonomous system. A do-it-yourself septic tank made from barrels disposes of wastewater in accordance with hygiene standards.

The design is calculated on a certain amount of sewage, taking into account the people living in the house. Mounting a homemade device is recommended for the following reasons:

1. Cost reduction.
2. Self-purchase of components + use of existing materials.
3. Use of available tools.
4. The equipment is installed according to a modular scheme, that is, the possibility of understaffing is calculated in advance - connecting additional drain pipes to reserved entry points.

Only a person who has built a drain system on his own understands the weaknesses of the structure and knows its maximum capabilities. By calculating the approximate norms of family water consumption, the frequency of residence and, having studied the characteristics of the land, you can avoid unnecessary financial costs, physical losses, and prevent "emergencies" caused by low capacity.

On a note! The principle of operation of a cesspool from barrels is the construction of multi-level sedimentation tanks, as a result of which overflow, waste settles and the separation of wastewater into water and sludge is ensured.

After the process is completed, about 65% of the water is discharged into the ground, and the sludge accumulates at the bottom until it is pumped out of the treatment plant.

What are the pros and cons of plastic and metal barrels

The basis for the construction of an autonomous sewer system is a barrel tank. For arrangement, two types are used - metal or plastic. Since it is not so easy to make a septic tank from barrels with your own hands, the choice of packaging is up to the owner. Metal containers usually have a capacity of 200 liters. Plastic - available in large sizes. For reasons of economy, it is better to install the existing tanks. But when you plan to buy a container, you should explore different options.

Plastic variant

Pros of using:

• Little weight;
• Ease of installation;
• Ease of making holes;
• Full waterproof;
• Corrosion resistance.

Cons of products:

• The light weight of the product requires stable attachment to the foundation in order to avoid “floating” when flooded from excessive rainfall;
• The elasticity of the material leads to the compression of containers by soils.

Iron variant

Advantages of iron barrels for the construction of a cesspool:

• High rigidity and strength of products;
• Sufficient water resistance;
• Structural stability.

Flaws:

• Susceptibility to corrosion, which requires the application of a waterproofing coating;
• The labor-intensive process of making holes, using power tools.

The main disadvantage of a sump from barrels is the small volume of chambers. This is the reason for the frequent pumping of sediment.

Please note! If the volume of the chambers corresponds to 200 / 250 l drums, the effluent discharge must be regulated.

How does a homemade sewer sump work

All drains enter the sewer lines, and from there into the reservoir, the so-called pit. In this barrel, wastewater is "filtered", most of the pollutants settle. Through the connecting pipe, wastewater from the first tank enters the second tank. The process of filling the sections takes place in a strictly regulated manner, which is achieved by placing containers with a ladder at different levels.

The outlet and inlet are positioned so that water enters the next tank before its level rises to the inlet pipe. Gradually, the heaviest particles of dirt fall to the bottom, while small and light ones continue to move along the structure. In order for the waste stream to move freely along the sewer lines, a home-made septic tank from barrels is made with a slope.

In addition to mechanical cleaning, colonies of microorganisms are also involved in the process, which form in containers after 2-5 weeks and process organic pollution.

After processing in the second chamber, wastewater is sent to a storage or drainage system. In the first case, the accumulated water is drained after a while. If a drainage well is used, the liquid is discharged into the ground. In the sump, discharges are cleaned by 65-80%. If a higher level of purification is needed, a third barrel is used. The more compartments are discharged, the higher the degree of purification becomes. For a suburban area, a double level is sufficient.

Methane generated during wastewater treatment is removed by ventilation. It is placed vertically at the exit of the sewer from the house or near the last section of autonomous equipment. To get rid of unpleasant odors, a siphon is installed, it is possible in the form of a “knee”.

How to choose a place to install a septic tank

If you decide to install a septic tank from barrels in the country with your own hands, choose the right place. The structure must be removed from:

• Wells, wells and other sources at 30-50 m;
• The foundation of buildings - 5-10 m;
• Green spaces: shrubs / trees - 3-5 m;
• Underground pipelines - 10-15 m;
• Basement and garden beds - 10-20 m.

Wastewater enters the system in small portions, because the owners of suburban real estate do not visit the dacha every weekend. It is always necessary to adhere to building and sanitary restrictions. Any sanitary norm has its own reasons, its violation will lead to problems with health and the law.

Important! Strictly observe the distance between the source of drinking water and the septic tank. This will avoid contamination, reduce the likelihood of water contamination and the spread of infections.

When equipping a homemade septic tank from plastic barrels, do not place the object near the foundation, the treated drains will begin to destroy its foundation. When choosing a location, the following factors are taken into account:

1. The composition and properties of the soil - sandy soil easily passes water, clay, loamy and other dense soils are unsuitable for absorbing large amounts of moisture, so they build storage tanks or expand the drainage system with the addition of a large amount of sand and gravel.
2. The relief of the site - the house should be placed above the sump, and not vice versa, because the process occurs by gravity and the slope in the opposite direction will not allow wastewater to move in the right direction.
3. Groundwater Depth – Closely lying groundwater may be polluted by runoff or the ground near the tanks will become waterlogged due to excess moisture. In this case, the concreting of the drain pit is carried out.
4. Climatic conditions - it is necessary to ensure that the chambers do not freeze at low temperature indicators. If the pipe is installed above the freezing level, it is insulated with waterproof insulation.
5. Free access for sewers - you need to create access roads for the car to extract sewage.

What are the design features

The more sections the waste mass overcomes, the cleaner it becomes at the final stage. The most common model is a three-section, designed to filter viscous dark brown drains.

At the final stage, a hole is made in the last barrel leading to the filtration field. This post-treatment drainage mechanism consists of perforated pipes located underground. The pipeline is placed in trenches, where geotextile is preliminarily laid, sand / gravel is backfilled from above.

Note! Such a complex structure is recommended to be installed to clean the dirtiest sewage.

To clean the light sewage of a bath or kitchen, one / two compartments are enough. The simplest two-chamber system consists of tanks and an outer plastic pipe with a diameter of 110 mm. If the diameter is smaller, the structure will not be able to handle more drains. Iron barrels are installed if groundwater is below 8 meters; if the level is slightly higher - there are no better plastic containers.

The slope of the sewer line is 0.03. The vertical value is 3 cm per meter. Post-treatment of light effluents is carried out in an absorption well located in a second tank filled with gravel / sand.

What materials and tools are needed

After preliminary calculations of the chamber septic tank: volume, sewerage range, hydrogeological status of the soil, freezing depth, size and required slope - you can begin to build a septic tank from plastic barrels with your own hands.

For work you will need:

1. Two or three barrels made of polymer material with a volume of 200 / 400l.
2. Corrugated plastic + sewer pipes for installation. The length is determined by the distance from the house to the containers with sewage + a margin of several meters.
3. Ventilation pipes with a neck diameter of 110 mm. The length of the pipe is not more than 1.5 m.
4. Corners and tees.
5. Couplings, flanges.
6. Cement.
7. Small crushed stone with 49 mm granular elements.
8. Adhesive for joining PVC components.
9. Epoxy sealant.
10. Rubber seal to seal the pipe inlet.
11. Sand.
12. Sewer covers.

If there is a possibility of waterlogging, concreting of the lower layer of the pit will be required. For this you need:

• Concrete mixer;
• Electric mixer;
• mixing tank;
• Adapter fitting and steel cables for fastening barrels at the bottom.

If the soil is soft, reinforcing the walls of the pit with a wooden or steel mesh is simply essential. Mineral wool for pipelines, foam or polystyrene are needed to build an insulating layer for sewer equipment.

What is the sequence of work

To properly make a septic tank from a barrel, you need to remove sewer pipes from the house before starting excavation work. From the point of withdrawal, start digging a trench forward to the sewage sump. The sewerage device depends on the following procedure:

Important! After installation, fill the barrels with water 20-30 cm below the neck. This will help protect the septic structure from deformation under ground pressure.

After testing for water permeability, proceed to the final backfill. We lay down gradually layer by layer. Rocks, bricks, and other debris can be thrown into the slots to create a rigid structure.

The upper part is insulated and optionally covered with foam. Only sewer tank covers and ventilation ducts should remain above ground.

The general principle of organizing individual sewage

When the septic tank is ready for operation, general rules for its use are established for each family member. Small volumes of tanks require more attention to the number of liters used. It takes three days for partial filtration of water to occur. Therefore, make sure that the containers are not overfilled within 72 hours.

Do not dispose of bad or non-degradable items in the sink. Only organic is suitable for this method of getting rid of sewage. If you plan to clean the chambers yourself, then the silt from the barrels should be placed in a fertilizer pit and mixed with weeds and soil. After a couple of years, they will turn into an excellent fertilizer.

Do not put off the problem of waste disposal until tomorrow, start planning the model today. Since making a septic tank from barrels with your own hands is the best solution that allows you to create an autonomous sewage system in the country with a minimum investment.

Which you will use only in the summer, it makes no sense to make or buy an expensive autonomous septic tank. You can use the material, which ultimately will not pull large financial costs. So, you can make a septic tank from plastic barrels with your own hands. But it is important to understand that such a design can only be used with small volumes of wastewater.

If a family of three lives in the country house and only in the summer, it will be enough to install 2 or 3 barrels. The volume of one barrel can be 250 liters. Barrels are mounted one after another with overflow. As a result, a bundle is formed in one line. The overflow is mounted at a slight angle. The difference between them must be at least 100 mm. As for the installation depth of the barrels, each subsequent one is buried 150 mm deeper than the previous one.

Tool and material

To make a homemade septic tank from plastic barrels, you will need to prepare the following building material and tools:

• Electric jigsaw.
• Rake.
• Shovel.
• Building level.
• Water tape.
• Epoxy two-component sealant.
• Glue for PVC pipes.
• Flanges.
• Couplings.
• Perforated pipe (for arranging drainage).
• Elbows and tees.
• Sewer pipes Ø 110 mm.
• 2-3 plastic barrels, 250 l.
• Geotextile fabric.
• Sand.
• Crushed stone, fractions 1.8-3.5 cm.

It is necessary to start creating a septic tank with the preparation of plastic barrels. So, in a barrel with a jigsaw, cut holes for overflow, according to the diameter of the pipe. At the same time, you retreat 200 mm from the top of the container. On the other side of the barrel, drill a second hole, only 300 mm lower from the top of the container. Between the two holes you get a difference of 100 mm. To organize ventilation, a pipe is equipped in the first barrel. So that from time to time it was possible to clean the septic tank from solid particles of sewage, the lid must open. As for the second barrel, which will serve as a sump, make two holes at the bottom. In relation to each other, they should be at 45 °. This is necessary to connect the drainage pipe leading to the filtration field.

Each connection of the pipe to the barrel must be treated with epoxy sealant. This will prevent leakage of effluents into the ground.

The connection of all these barrels can be made on the surface, so you just have to immerse a homemade septic tank into the pit.

As for digging a pit, this is one of the most labor-intensive processes. Barrels should be installed with ease, so make the pit 250 mm wider. You will then fill the resulting gap between the barrel and the pit with a cement-sand mixture, which will prevent the destruction or damage of the walls during the movement of the soil.

If there is a risk of the barrel floating out under the influence of groundwater, then the bottom will need to be equipped with a concrete screed. It is also necessary to install embedded metal parts with hinges that will hold the homemade septic tank in place.

Installation of barrels and production of a filtration field

At the next stage, the septic tank is installed in the pit. Gently lower the entire structure from the barrels to the bottom and fasten it with straps to the concreted hinges. If it is impossible to lower the entire structure, then after installing the barrels, all pipe joints are connected and sealed. After that, fill the resulting space between the barrel and the pit with a sand-cement mixture.

As the mixture of sand and cement is backfilled and compacted, fill the barrel with water. This will reduce the risk of deformation.

Now it's time to make the filter fields. At a depth of 700 mm, near the buried septic tank, dig a trench. Insert perforated pipes into it. Pre-cover the walls and bottom of the trench with a geotextile sheet. The laid pipes from below and from above are covered with crushed stone, 100 mm thick. When joining geotextiles, make a small overlap of up to 200 mm. This is especially important when laying the canvas on top of the rubble. When the "pie" of perforated pipe, crushed stone and geotextile is ready, the remaining trench space is covered with earth. At the end, the field with filtration channels is decorated and sown with lawn grass.

Advantages and disadvantages

The technology of using plastic barrels has its pros and cons. For objectivity, when choosing a material for a septic tank, they should be mentioned.

• Ease of installation and transportation.
• Light weight.
• It is very easy to make overflow holes.
• There is no risk of soil contamination.
• The whole structure is waterproof.
• Resistance to corrosion under the influence of aggressive substances and water.

Disadvantages of plastic barrels:

• Arrangement of reliable fastening of barrels to the bottom of the pit is required.
• There is a risk of barrels floating to the outside if installed incorrectly.
• In the cold season, the plastic material of the tank can be compressed.

As you can see, everyone can make a septic tank out of plastic barrels. Once again, it is worth recalling that such a septic tank is relevant only for seasonal use. For permanent residence, a more reliable design will be required. We will be interested in your experience in making a septic tank from plastic barrels with your own hands. Leave comments and feedback at the end of this article. And if you have any questions or certain ambiguities, ask them to our expert.

Video

From the provided video material, you can see the principle of creating a septic tank from plastic barrels using the example of Eurocubes: