Pit for sewerage. Cesspool without a bottom with your own hands

The organization of the sewer system of a private house is a priority after the construction of the building. Without it, it is impossible to imagine the functioning of the plumbing, 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 the right place. The cesspool must be placed on a private plot, at a distance of at least 5 m from the buildings. Otherwise, the foundation may be eroded by the coming from drain pit after filtering with water. 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 pit completely sealed. This will require more frequent sewer cleaning, but it 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 time of residence (seasonal or permanent), the sizes may vary. It is estimated that an average person needs 150–200 liters of water per day, including showers and toilet flushes. When calculating, you need to lay a larger value in case of arrival of guests or relatives.
3. When planning a cesspool, you need to immediately decide whether waste from the plumbing and toilet will merge into one place. In some cases, separate pits are erected: for a toilet - with a sealed bottom, for waste water - in a pit without a bottom.
4. The choice of building material. You will need the following materials:

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

First of all, on the site you need to lay a pipe from the house to the future sewer container. It is placed in a trench, which has a slope from the house to the drain hole.

The depth of the trench should be below the level of freezing, or it is necessary to well insulate the hole for the system for draining water into the sewer:

• Lay a sand and gravel "cushion" at the bottom of the trench.
• Place insulation on top, then waterproofing material.
• After laying the pipe from above, fix the edges of the waterproofing and insulation, pour in a sand-gravel mixture and lay the soil.

Such measures will prevent deformation drain pipe going to the sewer.

Pit preparation

• After choosing the location of the drain pit, earthworks begin. If the sewerage in a private house is equipped with a brick, concrete mortar or plastic container, it is necessary to prepare a foundation pit right size. This can be done both with the help of hired equipment, and on your own, spending a certain amount of time and effort.
• If concrete rings are chosen as the building material, it is enough to put one of them in place of the future drain pit. For earthworks, you need to use a convenient shovel with a short handle. First, the earth is removed, being in the middle of the concrete ring. Gradually remove the earth from under the concrete walls of the ring, gradually lowering it into the pit. After the ring is completely immersed in the ground, you need to place the second ring on top of the first one and continue excavation.

When using this method, you need to keep a building level at hand, with which you need to adjust the position 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 entering the drain pipe from the house, and after its installation, seal the joint of the pipe and the wall of the cesspool.
• If you plan to equip an airtight cesspool, then the bottom of the hole in the ground must be concreted using reinforcement. On the prepared bottom, laying of bricks begins around the perimeter of the pit. Experts recommend treating with a solution not only the junctions of bricks, but also their side surface. This will give the reliability of the entire structure.
• If you plan to drain water into the soil, you need to create a natural filter, which includes not only a sand and gravel cushion, but also parts of a broken brick. The thickness of the filter layer should be at least 30–50 cm. This will protect the nearby soil from harmful influence waste contained in it.
• Laid on top: either a concrete slab or a wooden frame with metal sheets. In an impromptu hatch, it is necessary to provide an opening for periodic cleaning of the cesspool.

Arrangement of a cesspool made of concrete

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

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

Note! 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 desired diameter.

Drainage pit 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. Even 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 a concrete solution is poured on the sides, preventing soil pressure on the sewer in the winter.

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

Usage plastic containers very convenient in that they already have hatches of a suitable hole for periodic cleaning of the drain pit.

Additional cleaning methods

It is advisable to regularly clean the cesspool. Chemistry can help with this. It includes: bleach; oxidizers; formaldehydes; special ammonium compounds.

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

In addition to chemicals, you can use an antiseptic to clean the drain pit. This method is more environmentally friendly than chemicals. Antiseptic and antibacterial preparations accelerate the processes of decomposition, naturally reducing the amount of waste.

Preventive measures to clean drain holes will help keep the sewer system in perfect order.

Video

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

When building a new house, one important issue arises - this is a drain pit and its arrangement.

Residents of megacities and even small towns do not face sewerage issues, but outside the cities there are a lot of places where this problem comes first.

Probably most people have suburban areas whether it be a house or a cottage.

And when arranging such a site, you could encounter the problem of draining wastewater due to the lack of sewage. And without a sewer system, comfortable and pleasant living is impossible.

To solve this problem, you can arrange a drain hole with your own hands, especially since it is quite easy and quick to make it, you just need to understand the principle of its operation, get acquainted with the most convenient device options, and find answers to the most important questions.

You will find all this in this article.

In order to quickly arrange a sewage collection system, you must first determine the volume of the future structure, choose a location for placement.

You can make a drain pit with the involvement of a team of builders, or you can do it yourself, having minimal building skills.

The whole process consists in digging a hole and strengthening the walls. Let's understand in detail how to make a drain hole.

Modern country and country houses largely different from the old buildings.

Residents are gradually changing wooden toilets in the yard on comfortable toilets, install showers in the house, bathtubs, useful household appliances.

But in the absence of a central sewerage system, the question of where dirty waste water should flow is usually solved in the simplest and most convenient way.

Drainage pipes are installed through which water flows into the pit, which is located outside the house on the site.

The most common cesspool, which has been known since very ancient times, acts as a drive; it can be equipped very quickly in many ways, for example, using concrete rings, bricks, tires and much more.

When filling the pit, waste and sewage are pumped out of it using specially equipped equipment.

For people who go out of town mainly for the summer season, the easiest and cheapest way is a do-it-yourself drain pit, especially since it is usually made from the simplest materials at hand, and such installation takes only a couple of days.

The location of the future pit

So, when you decide to make a drain pit, the first thing you need to do is decide on its location, because there are special regulations in this regard:

• A drain pit in a private house should be located only in the adjacent territory;
• The device of such a pit should be at a distance of 10 meters from the foundation of your building and other structures, including those located in neighboring areas. Due to the proximity of the leaky drain pit, destructive processes are possible in the foundation of nearby houses and other buildings;
• Also, the cesspool should be located no closer than 1 meter to the fence;
• The depth of the pit should be no more than 3 meters. At the same time, it is important to take into account the level of groundwater occurrence;
• The device of the pit should be no closer than 30 meters from drinking wells;
• If there are elevation differences on the site, then the pit must be built in the lowland;
• pumping out drain pits should take into account the possibility of access to it special equipment.

Determine the future volume of the pit

Before deciding on the type of future pit, it is necessary to decide what dimensions the drain tank will have. The volume must be calculated with the conditions for using water resources in the house.

If the dwelling is a permanent location for the whole family, then the drive must also be provided for many sewer outlets.

But if your site serves only for recreation in the summer season or on weekends, then in this case the pit may also have a smaller volume.

Everything matters here, from the number of people resting to calculations of whether a drain pit will be used for a bath.

When calculating the volume of the cesspool, also take into account the accessibility of the sewer truck to it, given that pumping services are paid, with frequent use of water resources and a small volume of your pit, it fills up very quickly, so a frequent call will cost you a pretty penny.

Cesspool with bricks

The most accessible and easy way to equip the walls and bottom of the drain pit is to lay them out with brickwork.

Such a system has a number of its pros and cons, we will consider them in more detail.

Advantages of a brick drain pit:

• environmental friendliness - pumping out drain pits from bricks is quickly and easily done using a special sewage machine;
• independence from seasonal fluctuations in groundwater;
• does not pollute the adjacent soil, since the large-volume pit is equipped with a bottom and is fenced on all sides;
• ease of construction - such a pit can be quickly and without great physical costs made by a person who does not have building skills, with minimal knowledge.

Cons of a brick drain pit:

• The appearance of an unpleasant odor when filling the pit drain waters. Timely cleaning of the drive will help to cope with this;
• Fragility - when exposed to an unfavorable environment, the brick can be destroyed. Thus, the average service life is about 15 years;
• Cleaning cost. A brick pit requires a sewer truck to be called once or twice a month, subject to permanent residence, this will avoid the accumulation of silt mass at the bottom, which will subsequently make it very difficult to clean the drive.

Necessary construction tools and materials

Before starting work, you need to take care of necessary tools and materials:

• shovels - shovel and bayonet;
• measuring tape;
• level;
• buckets for carrying out the earth;
• stairs;
• sand;
• cement;
• gravel;
• bricks;
• reinforced rods;
• ruberoid.

The consumption of building materials depends directly on the volume of the future pit.

Construction of a drain pit made of bricks

The first step is to dig a hole. This can be done in two ways, with your own hands or with an excavator.

The second method is much more expensive, but it will help you save a lot of time and effort.

Usually a pit is made no more than a meter wide, the length is chosen in accordance with the volume of future wastewater. The upper layers of the excavated earth can be left to fall asleep in the garden.

After you dig a hole, you need to fill the bottom with sand with a layer of about 15 centimeters, a layer of concrete of the same thickness is laid on top of it.

On top of it, a screed is still made with a layer of 2-3 centimeters from a sand-cement mortar. Of course, the best option would be to place on the bottom reinforced concrete slab with a slope of 45 degrees.

Brick laying is done in a checkerboard pattern, they are fixed with a mixture of sand and cement.

over brickwork plastering can be done, for a longer service life, a layer of reinforced mesh can be laid, along which plastering will be carried out.

Do not forget to make a ventilation system, this is perhaps the most important stage.

Why is ventilation so necessary?

So that there is an outflow for the removal of methane gases, which fill the pit in the processes of decomposition. Ventilation is carried out through the hatch opening or an additional ventilation pipe is mounted.

Construction of a drain pit with concrete rings

Mounting the cesspool with concrete rings is done in this way.

If it is intended to use concrete rings without a bottom, then first you need to fill the bottom of the pit with a mixture of gravel and cement, about 10 centimeters thick.

After complete hardening, the resulting cracks must be additionally filled with cement mortar.

Installation of concrete rings is carried out quickly with the help of special equipment, but if it is not possible to involve it, then it can be laid manually with the obligatory help of other persons.

All joints of concrete rings in without fail needs to be sealed. You can also additionally waterproof the concrete rings and the bottom of our pit.

Before laying pipes, it is necessary to make holes for installation inside concrete rings.

A trench for pipes must be dug at least a meter deep to avoid freezing in minus temperature. Also, the slope of the pipes should be about 3 percent.

Drainage pit from tires

If a drain pit in a country house or plot is planned to be of a small volume, then the cheapest and in a simple way installation will be a do-it-yourself drain pit from tires.

Usually you need about 10 tires, which can be found for free in almost any tire shop.

When the pit is prepared, a hole is made in the center with a garden drill so that sewage can seep through the layers of soil after the pit is filled.

A drainage pipe is mounted in this hole, it should be placed about 1 meter above the bottom of the drain pit so that it is not clogged with large drain waste.

The bottom of the pit must be covered with a layer of gravel about 10 centimeters. After these steps, you can start laying tires, first you need to cut off the inside.

The joints formed between the tires must be sealed, and the voids between the tires and the walls of the pit itself are covered with clay.

After that, it is necessary to install a pipe through which drains will be drained. A tire drain pit is a fairly popular option.

Pit with a barrel

When digging a hole for a barrel, it is necessary to make it 15–20 centimeters larger than the diameter of the container.

The bottom of the pit is covered with a layer of sand, which is 15 centimeters, if the groundwater is very close to the surface, it is necessary to make a screed from a solution of sand and cement.

After the pillow is ready, you can begin to install the barrel in the pit. The remaining earth will go to fill the cracks around the walls of the pit and barrel. But such a sewer pit fills up very quickly.

This article on how to properly make a drain hole is completed. Guided by all the rules and advice, after looking at the photo instructions, it will not be difficult to build such a system on your own.

One of the main challenges before starting dacha construction, - laying of engineering communications. Without them, even the minimum level of comfort cannot be achieved. How to make a drain pit (septic tank) with your own hands? This question is asked by many homeowners. In the absence of a central sewer, it is necessary that the drain work around the clock and uninterrupted.

The choice of material for the construction of a septic tank

From building material used for a septic tank depends on the cost of the drain pit itself, as well as your labor costs. Traditional and quite justified options are as follows:

Plastic tank septic tank and plastic accessories.

Prefabricated concrete septic tank structures.

Drainage pit from monolithic concrete using metal inlets and outlets.

Drainage facility made of bricks.

Choosing a volume future drain pit, be guided by cistern tank capacity. You will have to periodically call it for pumping wastewater. The volume of the septic tank must be equal to or a multiple of the volume of the "barrel". Then you do not have to order cleaning several times a year.

If you are planning to stay at home live seasonally, then wastewater disposal is a solvable problem. It is necessary to make the most primitive cesspool of any sealed container. For a family from 3-4 a person, its volume should be no less 1,5-2 m³. If there is no such container, you can lay out a hole in the ground with red refractory bricks. Schemes of simple drain structures are shown in the picture above.

But at permanent residence such a sewer no good. Why - now you will understand. The life of the family involves the daily use of water in large volumes. These are baths, showers, washing dishes, wet cleaning, laundry, natural needs.

The calculation of water consumption is always based on maximum consumption, and this 180-280 liters per day for one household. That is, a group of 4 x person spends per day 0,5-1 m³ of water or up to 30 m³ per month. Based on this, even a large drain hole in 15-20 m³ must be cleaned 1-2 once a month.

Such a sewer drain your family budget . In addition, the cleaning procedure itself is specific and a rare owner has the desire to perform it too often. This is about unpleasant odors capable of spreading throughout the region.

Sometimes improvement the drain pit is carried out by creating holes in the ground so that dirty water leaves through them, being filtered naturally. But this method of disposal has many disadvantages, including prohibited by health regulations. Therefore, it is necessary to equip a septic tank with natural cleaning fluid.

Fundamental difference the septic tank from the cesspool consists in the fact that in the first flow anaerobic processes of organic decomposition.

Solid particles will linger at the bottom the first chamber, and the second serves for biological processing dirty water putrefactive bacteria. The number of cameras may be large, but the principle of operation itself will remain similar to that shown in the figure above.

First, let's define water consumption in the house, based on data tables:

Minimum Height septic tank should be not less than 1.2 meters, otherwise solid suspensions will not settle tightly at the bottom of the drain pit.

In the figure you see a diagram single chamber septic tank made of reinforced concrete rings 2 m³. Such a cesspool for the house can be made with your own hands.

inlet pipe must be above the water level 5-7 centimeters. This will prevent a hydraulic circuit between the inlet and outlet pipes. Both nozzles must be immersed in liquid for 30-35 centimeters.

bottom of pipes should be made open, and these ends should be led above the sewage level to 20 centimeters, so that gas does not enter the pipes, which will be released during the fermentation of putrefactive bacteria.

Channels between both concrete rings septic tank should be located within 30-60 centimeters above the water level. If the channel that is between the chambers is lower, then large suspensions will begin to fall into the small chamber. If the channel is higher, then fractions that float on the surface can get into this chamber.

For a septic tank, even the simplest, it is necessary to provide exhaust gases to the outside(vent pipe in the diagram above), as well as manhole for pumping liquid(can be wooden).

Configure Cameras drain pit can be different, as their shape and location do not affect on the quality of sewage treatment. It is only necessary to comply the following proportions: large camera should occupy 2/3 from the entire volume of the pit.

Ideal the form for a septic tank - round. Such a solution requires 10-15 % less building materials. In addition, the “cylindrical” pit is stronger because it can better cope with the force of soil pressure. For cladding and wall reinforcement better to use brick.

Water in the hole does not freeze as the fermentation processes raise the temperature. But the cooling of the liquid on the surface inhibits the activity of bacteria that clean sewage. Therefore, the upper part of a shallow septic tank is still it is recommended to insulate. At least half the depth of soil freezing in the region.

insulation can speak expanded clay, which is covered with a layer of thickness 25-40 centimeters, or foam boards PSB-25 thickness from 5 before 10 centimeters.

Probably, the vast majority of owners of summer cottages and suburban private houses cannot imagine their life without their own, since such a structure is an integral part of ancient Russian traditions. A bath is not only a place for washing, but also a kind of home “dispensary”, working to restore the strength and health of the owners, for the necessary periodic relaxation. But in order for it to bring only pleasant sensations, its arrangement, and in particular - all the necessary communications, must be carried out in accordance with all the rules.

One of the traditionally problematic components of the bath system is the disposal of used water, so it is very important to properly organize its removal and collection point. Discharging contaminated, untreated wastewater onto the ground or into natural water bodies is strictly prohibited, and such an approach will inevitably lead to penalties from environmental supervisory authorities. Therefore, in the absence of a centralized sewage system (as it most often happens), a special pit of storage or drainage action is usually created for these purposes. And in order for the drain pit for the bath to function effectively, it is necessary to study its design before starting construction, and during the period of work on the arrangement, follow the recommendations of experienced craftsmen.

The arrangement of any drain pit is a rather laborious process, since the pit will most likely have to be dug manually. At the same time, such a hydraulic structure does not differ in the complexity of the design, so any owner of the site can build and equip it on their own, without even involving assistants, of course, if there is enough strength for earthmoving.

Drainage pits can be divided into three main types - a sealed container, a pit with drainage capacity, and consisting of several chambers.

To begin with, let's figure out what each of the varieties is in principle.

• A sealed drain pit is most often equipped at construction sites with shallow ground aquifers. It is often called a cesspool, that is, requiring periodic emptying of the collected volumes of dirty water.

For its construction, a pit is dug into which a container with a sufficiently large volume is installed. It will collect sewage. As the tank fills up to a certain critical level, the waste is pumped out by a sewage machine.

This option is environmentally friendly, since no contaminants and chemical cleaning solutions enter the soil and groundwater, which can adversely affect the condition of the fertile soil on the site, as well as have a negative impact on high ground aquifers. However, this option is not convenient and cost-effective, since you will have to constantly monitor the filling level of the tank and often call specialized vehicles, and such services are not cheap.

• A hermetically closed bottom is not created in the drainage drain pit. As it is used a bulk layer of filter building material - most often crushed stone or gravel is chosen for this purpose.

In addition, often in the walls drainage pit holes are also made at a certain height through which water will be absorbed into the ground. This option is great for a bath and is perhaps the easiest to build, however, if the characteristics of the soil on the site allow it.

• The septic is whole system, consisting of two or more cameras with different purposes.

In any of the options, the first chamber most often has a sealed design and is used to collect, primary filtration and waste treatment - solid components settle to the bottom, and liquid components are clarified, go through a cycle biological treatment due to the action of aerobic microorganisms. This container is connected to the second chamber with a special overflow pipe - the clarified liquid waste flows into the next compartment, which is already organized according to the principle of a drainage well. Water passes through the drainage, is cleaned and absorbed into the soil.

If a septic tank of three tanks is planned, then the third chamber is made drainage. The second one serves for the final settling of suspensions, deeper purification of water through the action of anaerobic microorganisms. And from here comes the overflow of the purified liquid into the drainage well.

A septic tank is most often equipped in the case when it is supposed to collect the entire considerable amount of liquid waste from both a residential building and a bathhouse.

What is important to know about the design and rules of septic tank equipment?

A septic tank is already a rather complex engineering structure, the creation of which must obey certain rules. Often, homeowners prefer to install a prefabricated prefabricated system. What are the rules for arranging such a treatment plant, and what to look for Special attention at - read in a special publication of our portal.

Materials for arranging a drain pit for a bath

Various materials can be used to build drainage type bath drain pits. Their choice directly depends on the estimated volume of effluents, the financial capabilities of the owners of the site and the convenience of construction.

Drainage pit from barrels

To create this water drainage system, metal or plastic barrels of various sizes are used. However, such a drain can be equipped in different ways:

• First option. At the bottom of the excavated pit, covered with drainage material 300 ÷ 400 mm thick - crushed stone or coarse gravel, after tamping, a barrel with perforated walls and a cut bottom is installed. This takes into account the fact that between the walls of the barrel and the pit there should be a space of at least 100 mm, which is also filled with drainage backfill.

A pipe is brought into the barrel at the required slope angle, through which the used water from the bath will flow into the container. These runoffs will gradually, through the holes in the walls and through the bottom part, seep into the drainage layer, be cleaned, and then soak into the surrounding soil. In some cases, drainage material is filled not only free space pit, but even the barrel itself, that is, water will flow immediately into the drainage layers, and then into the ground. This way the barrel will never fill up.

It must be correctly understood that such a scheme is not suitable for collecting other types of wastewater from a residential building. For a bath, which is used for its intended purpose once or twice a week, such a pit becomes one of the best options.

• Second option. In this method of arranging the pit, two barrels are used, installed at different levels - one is about 200 mm higher than the other. They are interconnected at the top with an overflow pipe. Water from the bath enters the first upper container, soapy sediment and solid suspensions settle in it, and when it is filled, the water overflows into the second barrel, to which one or two long drainage pipes with perforated walls are attached.

The outlet pipes from the second tank are laid in drainage trenches with gravel or crushed stone filling, through which the water purified from chemical precipitation will be distributed, moistening the soil. The trenches are covered from above with a layer of fertile soil, approximately 500 mm thick, and can be planted ornamental shrubs that will constantly receive watering. Thus, two problems are solved at once - the removal of water from the bath and the irrigation of plants on the site.

This option for arranging a drain pit will be discussed in detail below.

Brick drain hole

The arrangement of the walls of the drain pit can be done with the help of bricks, which are laid out with gaps - through them, water is drained into the drainage backfill and further into the ground. The difference between this pit and the first version, made from a barrel, differs only in material, but the principle of operation remains the same. A drainage layer is poured into the gap between the soil and brick walls, which will purify the water and distribute it throughout the pit, diverting it into the ground.

A pit made of brick is more durable and designed for a larger volume of water. Moreover, if you dig a pit deep enough, and make the bottom and lower part of the walls airtight, then this design may well be used to drain other waste, but in this case the pit will have to be periodically cleaned.

To equip such a variant of the drain pit, it is not at all necessary to use a new brick - the used material is also quite suitable.

Drainage pit made of concrete rings

If there are financial and technical possibilities, then the drainage pit can be built from concrete perforated rings, which are installed in the prepared pit. After installing the rings at the bottom of such a well, a drainage backfill is arranged.

In this option, the entire space between the walls, as in the previous cases, is also covered with drainage material, so the pit, provided that it is used only for bathing needs, will never be filled with water. In the same case, when the pit is deep enough and the bottom of the well is cemented, then such a pit is suitable not only for a bath, but also for a common one. True, this will require additional calculations, an assessment of the absorbent properties of adjacent soils and the location of aquifers.

Pit from old car tires

Drainage pit made from waste car tires can only be used for liquid waste, so it’s impossible better fit to collect periodically incoming water from the bath.

Tires are installed in different ways: in some cases, holes are cut in their side walls, in others a small gap is provided between the slopes, in others, the outer walls are almost completely cut off, but the principle of operation of the drainage pit remains the same.

This option for draining water from the bath can be called the most popular, as it is easy to arrange, affordable (tires are easy to find for free) and practical to use.

On the diagram, the numbers indicate:

1 - Crushed stone or gravel of a large fraction - drainage backfill, with a layer of 250 ÷ 300 mm thick.

2 - Old car tires.

3 - Drain pipe from the bath (there may be two of them)

4 - Crossbars for laying the cover.

5 - Cover or hatch.

Around the laid out stack of wheels, and sometimes inside the resulting well, a drainage cushion is backfilled, which makes it possible to retain and purify the water coming from the bath. With good drainage capacity of the soil and periodic use of the bath, the pit never overflows.

It should be noted that other materials that can withstand exposure to high humidity are also suitable for building a drain bath pit.

How to independently equip a drain pit for a bath

Soil survey at the site of the planned drain pit

In order for the drainage system from the bath to be effective, it is necessary to determine the type of soil in the area at the approximate depth of the planned pit. To do this, a trench or test hole is dug. In order for the bath to be used in winter, the depth must be below the freezing level of the soil. Information about soil freezing in a particular area is easy to find on the Internet, or you can consult with the owners of neighboring plots who have been using systems of such drain sewers for a long time.

Sandy soils, sandy loams, including those with stony inclusions, have good drainage capabilities.

But dense clay layers can cause problems. At high humidity, they are well saturated with water, swell, and become practically waterproof, when dried, they shrink. In addition, they are highly susceptible to frost swelling. These qualities of such soils are unfavorable both for laying and when laying pipes in trenches, as they can lead to deformations and damage to themselves and other elements of the system.

To build a drainage pit in such soil, if it extends to a great depth, is an almost meaningless exercise. Well, if it is necessary to lay a pipe through such layers to a drainage pit that reaches the depth of the soil with high absorbency, then the bottom of the trench must be lined with a sand cushion 100 ÷ 120 mm thick, which will prevent the hard impact of ground vibrations on the elements of the drain system.

The level of occurrence of groundwater (GWL) is also important, since the degree of absorption of water entering the drain pit will also directly depend on this. So, between the bottom of the pit and the location of a stable aquifer, there should be a distance of about 1000 mm. If the groundwater is located close to the surface, then the polluted water will not go well into the drainage, and such a well will soon turn into a fetid pit, as it will be constantly filled. In this case, as with clay soils, the drainage pit option will not work. You will either have to install a sealed container that requires periodic emptying, or organize water drainage to special surface filtration fields.

Having chosen the material for the construction of the pit, it is necessary to decide on a few more important points its arrangement, on which the efficiency of the system, environmental safety, both of the site itself and its inhabitants depend.

First of all, you need to decide on the place where the pit will be located.

• Quite often, owners have a drainage pit directly under the building, but this becomes possible only if:

- the pit is equipped before the construction itself;

- the building rises above the ground on a columnar or pile foundation which will need to be well waterproofed;

- under the bath building should be provided good ventilation;

- the sewer pipe connecting the drain of the bath and the pit will require effective thermal insulation.

• If the pit is located separately, away from the bathhouse, then it must be provided that it is at the required distance from sources of drinking water, natural reservoirs, residential and outbuildings, trees, the border of the site and the road passing near it. The required standards are shown in the diagram below:

• The pit should be located below the level of the drain hole in the floor of the bath, at least 150 ÷ ​​200 mm, and the recommended distance from the bath building is 3 ÷ 5 meters.

• If the drain pit has to be located close enough to the structure of the bath, then:

- the bottom of the pit should have a slope of 20 ÷ 25 degrees, diverting water from the walls of the building;

- perforation in the walls of the barrel, concrete rings or tires, must be done from the side that will be farther from the walls of the bath;

• It is very important to observe the correct slope of the sewer pipe so that dirty water does not stagnate inside the channel, but immediately goes into the drainage pit, there is no risk of freezing when using the bathhouse in winter. It is especially necessary to remember this in cases where it is decided to place the pit far enough from the bath. The amount of slope required depends on the selected pipe diameter - this is quite clearly indicated by the diagram below:

It should be noted that to organize the drainage of water from a small bath without a toilet, a pipe with a diameter of 50 mm is usually sufficient. In order to maintain the desired slope, when digging a connecting trench, as well as when adding a sandy "cushion" into it, control the difference in its depth using the building level.

Arrangement of a drain drainage pit - step by step

In this section of the publication, two options for drain pits will be considered, which can be equipped independently.

conventional drainage pit

This version of the drainage pit has a design that can be made of various materials, which were discussed above.

Illustration
	After determining the location for the location of the drain pit, you can proceed to digging the pit. For a bath drainage well, a pit depth of 2500 ÷ 3000 mm will be sufficient. It can have a round or square shape in cross section - it will depend on the chosen material for arranging the walls. For example, if the pit is made out of brick, then it is more convenient to lay a square or rectangular shape out of it, but in some cases a round well also stands out from it. The diameter of the pit should be 150÷200 mm larger than the prepared container.
	When the pit is prepared, a trench is dug from it to the building of the bath at the right angle for laying the drainage pipe. The width of the trench can be 300 ÷ 500 mm, and the depth will depend on the level of soil freezing in the area where the bath is built, but not less than 500 mm at the entrance to the well.
	The bottom of the finished pit is covered with stone of the middle fraction - it is gravel, crushed stone, chipped brick or even broken slate. The drainage layer must be at least 300 mm, since it is designed to retain dirty water and clean it, that is, moisture must flow to the soil by capillary action, which will allow it to be quickly absorbed.
	Further, they act differently. You can immediately lay a sewer pipe, and then work on the brick walls of the water intake well, or first install or build a container, and in the course of its construction, a drainage pipe is inserted into one of the specially made holes. Most often, the pipe is laid at a time when the walls are brought out to the level of the depth of the trench, otherwise it will simply interfere with work.
	So the walls drain well may be built of brick. Masonry is carried out in compliance with the clearance between adjacent bricks in a row of 40 ÷ 50 mm. The wall can have a thickness of half a brick or one brick - this parameter is chosen by the builder, and to a greater extent depends on the amount of prepared material. Having raised the walls of the well by another 200 ÷ 300 mm, the space between the soil walls and the brick walls is filled with drainage backfill.
	If concrete perforated rings are used to form the walls, then specialized equipment will have to be involved in their installation, since each of them has an impressive mass, and distortions should not be allowed during installation. After their installation, the distance between the soil and concrete must also be filled with drainage backfill. It should also be noted here that if concrete rings are used for the pit, then one should not rush to install the walls of the sewer pipe into the hole, since under their weight they can sink somewhat into the ground - it happens that by 100 ÷ 150 mm. So ready concrete well it is recommended to leave it alone for some time to shrink, otherwise, the plastic pipe may crack or break from the resulting pressure and stress.
	When using metal barrels for the pit, the bottom and lid are cut off from them, and the side walls can simply be cut with the help of a grinder. The cuts are made at a distance from each other of 200÷250 mm horizontally and in increments of 100÷120 mm in height. If two barrels are used, they are placed one on top of the other. After installing the lower one, the free space around its walls is filled with drainage. After that, in the second of them, in the upper one, a hole is marked and cut out through which a drainage pipe will be installed in the barrel. The marking hole can be cut out by a grinder, but the opening made electric jigsaw. To do this, a hole is drilled at one of the points of the marked circle, into which the nail file of the tool should freely enter.
	If plastic barrels are prepared for the drain pit, then they are mounted in approximately the same way as metal ones, but quite often the drain pipe is connected through the top cover of the container. In a plastic barrel, the bottom can also be cut off or several round holes with a diameter of 100 ÷ 120 mm are cut into it.
	Holes with a diameter of 10 mm are drilled in the side walls along the entire perimeter of the polymer container with a frequency of 100 ÷ 150 mm horizontally and vertically. Around the barrel and under it, crushed stone or gravel is backfilled, into which, as in previous cases, water will flow from the holes of the barrel, be cleaned and go into the ground.
	The most commonly used and material for arranging the drainage well of the bath are car tires, which are stacked one on top of the other. With inside at the edges of the tires, in three or four places, holes with a diameter of 10 mm are drilled, through which they are fastened together by means of, for example, plastic clamps-puffs. The sewer pipe can be brought between two tires. In this case, for emphasis, along the edges plastic pipe and in three or four more places, bricks are installed between the tires at the place of its passage, which will remove the load from the plastic from the upper slopes.
	Another option for driving a pipe is to install it in a hole cut in the side wall of the tire. When choosing this method, it is necessary to foresee the possible shrinkage of the structure by cutting a hole larger than the pipe diameter by 70 ÷ 80 mm.
	Quite often, the drain bath pit is not filled with drainage material around the barrels or tires, but is filled with it by two-thirds - this allows water to slowly flow to the soil walls and slowly soak into them.
	It is recommended to strengthen the top of the pit with brick walls by equipping a concrete platform with a hole for the hatch. To do this, a formwork is built around the well, into which a reinforcing grid is laid, and then it is poured with concrete mortar, a layer 70 ÷ 80 mm thick.
	After the concrete has hardened, a homemade cover made of a steel sheet and a corner is installed on the hole. Factory-made hatches, metal or plastic, are also quite applicable.
	Special plastic manholes may have different shapes and linear parameters. So, when planning to install this particular option, the hatch is purchased in advance, and the top cover of the drain pit is already equipped according to its size.
	A well made of concrete rings is usually covered with a special cover made of the same material with a ready-made hole for a plastic or cast-iron hatch.
	The walls of the well, built from tires or from barrels, have less rigidity than brick or concrete, so it is best to strengthen them with cement mortar mixed with crushed stone. If the drainage was filled up between the walls of the well and the soil, then its upper layer, standing 120 ÷ 150 mm, is recommended to be made from the solution mentioned above. Further, the top of the pit can be left in this state by simply installing a hatch on the hole, or you can equip a concrete platform above the structure with its subsequent backfilling.

Pit on the principle of a two-chamber septic tank with an output to the filtration field

The second option is more complex in design, but its functionality is much higher. This system is perfect for arranging in areas with groundwater close to the surface, since it does not require a deep pit. In addition, such a design can also be a solution for organizing drainage water from the foundation, from a storm well filled from linear storm water inlets on the site or their gutters on the eaves of the roof of the house.

To figure out how to cope with the arrangement of such a hydraulic structure, you should consider this process in detail.

Illustration	Brief description of the operations performed
	This system uses two plastic barrels that are easy to prepare for installation work and connect to the sewer pipes of the same material. Usually, two or three containers with a volume of 200 ÷ 250 liters are enough for a drain pit of a small bath.
	The pit for the installation of barrels is also dug 100 ÷ 150 mm larger than their diameter, and due to the fact that containers of equal size will be installed at different levels, the pit for them should have a stepped configuration. The depth of the pit in this system should be 450 ÷ 500 mm more than the height of the barrel. This distance will be needed to equip a drainage cushion under the barrel and a recess for the pipe entering it. The difference in the installation level of the tanks should be 150÷200 mm, and the distance between them varies between 200 and 300 mm. Barrels are installed in one line. The bottom of the pit is compacted and covered with rubble of medium fraction, with a layer 80 ÷ 100 mm thick, which also needs to be compacted.
	Next, you can proceed to work on the preparation of containers. The barrel installed above will serve as the primary chamber, that is, a sump for dirty water. A neat hole is cut in its top cover into which a drain pipe will be installed. In the side wall, on the opposite side from the hole in the lid, holes are cut for the pipe, which will connect the first barrel to the second one, installed somewhat lower. To insert plastic pipes into the lid or into the walls of the barrel, you can find special flanges in the plumbing store, such as the one shown in the illustration.
	If not, then you will have to cut a hole with maximum accuracy, and then for sealing - do not spare high-quality silicone sealant.
	Additionally, it is recommended to cut a hole for installing a ventilation pipe with a diameter of 40 ÷ 50 mm, or install a tee, as shown in the illustration, where one outlet will be designed to connect the sewer drain pipe from the bath, and the other, vertical, for the ventilation pipe.
	The second barrel is equipped with three holes, one of which is drilled in the top cover, and two - in the side wall, below the top edge by 100÷120 mm. The axes of these side windows must be turned radially from the axis of the central hole by 45 degrees.
	Branch pipes with 45-degree bends installed on them are cut into the side holes and sealed. As a result, pipes for connecting drainage pipes become parallel to each other - as shown in the illustration.
	Additionally, in the lower part of the walls of the installed second barrel, with opposite side from the entrance, small holes are drilled, 5 mm in diameter, at a distance of 150 ÷ ​​170 mm from each other. This is an additional outlet of water to the drainage backfill around the barrel. However, if powerful filter fields will certainly cope with their task, and even more so if such a septic tank has to be installed in the immediate vicinity of the bath, then this operation is not mandatory.
	The result should be such a design, as shown in the illustration. Having mounted a system of barrels and nozzles, you can proceed to the creation of a filtration drainage field.
	For the drainage platform, which is located at a slope from the installed barrels, a trench is dug, having a width of 1200 ÷ 1500 mm and the same depth to which the first barrel above is buried. If desired, the drainage filter field can be stretched over the entire area, as it will not interfere with the arrangement of beds for annual crops or for planting shrubs above it. A geotextile sheet is laid on the bottom of the resulting channel, on top of which drainage will be laid. Backfilling the trench with crushed stone is done in layers, each of which should be carefully tamped and distributed under a slope along pre-set pegs. The slope of the trench should be approximately 25 mm per linear meter. The pegs pre-installed with the necessary difference in height will become a kind of beacons for the correct backfilling of the drainage layer.
	As the drainage material falls asleep around the lower barrel, water is poured into it, otherwise the external pressure of the soil can deform it. It is recommended to fill the space between the walls of the barrels with gravel or coarse sand, which should be compacted by spilling water. Further, pipes with perforated walls are connected to the nozzles, through which water will be distributed over the drainage site. Holes are drilled in increments of 150÷180 mm along the bottom and sides of the pipes. Pipes after drilling are dressed in a filter "casing" made of geotextile - so that the inside of the pipes is not subjected to silting.
	The next step of the pipe and the entire space of the trench is covered with crushed stone of the middle fraction mixed with sand. Such a layer should reach the lid of the barrel installed below, that is, completely cover the pipes from above with a layer of at least 100 ÷ 120 mm. On top of the rubble, it is best to backfill several different layers of soil. So, crushed stone is first covered with geotextile, on which a layer of moistened sand 70 ÷ 80 mm thick is laid, and the rest of the space can be filled with fertile soil. On this site, it is quite possible to equip a flower bed, plant annual vegetable crops or even small shrubs with shallow, fibrous root systems.

At the end of the publication, it should be noted that there are other materials that can sometimes be found in the yard among old stocks or even seemingly unnecessary trash, which in fact may well be suitable for building a drain pit for a bath. For example, you can find a use for old sheets of wave or smooth slate, or even those left after roofing works covering trimmings of corrugated board.

Some resourceful owners country houses lay out the walls of the drainage well with glass or plastic bottles, which are filled with sand, find others very interesting solutions. Therefore, if there is a desire to save money, and at the same time free up part of the yard or sheds from old materials, then you need to turn on the fantasy “to the fullest” - and act! We will be glad if some creative master will share his innovations on the pages of our portal.

Another example of a simple drain for a bath is shown in the video below.

Video: How to make a drain for a bath yourself, at minimal cost

Sewerage is one of the most important benefits of civilization. Without sewerage, washing, showering, taking a bath and going to the toilet are accompanied by difficulties and inconveniences. But connect to a centralized sewer system it is not always possible - it is not available for remote villages, summer cottages and cottage settlements. The way out of the problem is the arrangement of their own facilities for the collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater. The simplest and cheapest solution is to build a cesspool without a bottom with your own hands.

How is a cesspool without a bottom

There are two types of cesspools:

• sealed;
• leaky, without a bottom;

The first are the simplest structures made of concrete, brick or plastic, completely waterproof. They collect liquid and solid waste coming through the sewer pipe. Regularly, on average 1-2 times a month, a sewage machine should pump them out of a sealed drain pit. The services of such specialists are expensive, because some owners are thinking about how to partially dispose of sewage with the help of soil purification.

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

You may be interested in information about what it looks like

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

Advantages and disadvantages of a cesspool without a bottom

Let's briefly consider what is good and bad design of a leaky cesspool. Its advantages include the following.

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

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

1. Problems with the environment - if this is placed near a source of drinking water, then over time the latter may become unusable - sewage seeping through the soil will poison it with E. coli and other microorganisms. It is possible to drink from such a well, but it is not safe.
2. Possibility of conflict with neighbors - those who live near you are unlikely to enjoy the existence of a potential source of pollution. But, as practice shows, this is a problem only for well-maintained cottage settlements and garden partnerships - in other places, most likely, neighbors have the same or even more simple structures to collect sewage.
3. Problems with SES. If the sanitary and epidemiological service comes to your site with an inspection, then it may consider that you have a cesspool with seepage of sewage into the soil as a violation of the norms, with corresponding consequences.
4. The fragility of work - it should be understood that such a cesspool is unable to function for a long time - over time, the soil around it will silt up and stop passing water in the same volume. As a result, the structure will fill up with drains faster, so you will have to move it to a new location or replace it with a full-fledged septic tank. Or more often turn to the services of vacuum cleaners.

Choosing a location for the cesspool

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

It is worth saying that the current sanitary and building standards do not give a clear answer to the question of the admissibility or, conversely, the inadmissibility of building a cesspool without a bottom. Below are some excerpts from various documents.

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

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

• from cesspool to drinking well– not less than 50 m;
• to the reservoir - at least 30 m;
• to trees and gardens - at least 5 m;
• to the road or the border of the site - from 2 to 4 m;
• to residential buildings - 5 m.

Advice! Before starting construction, familiarize yourself with how the facilities for collecting sewage from the nearest neighbors are arranged. Also, if the case takes place in the country, discuss this issue with the chairman of the partnership. This will avoid unnecessary conflicts and reduce the likelihood of a visit from the sanitary service to your site.

Construction of a cesspool without a bottom from concrete rings

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

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

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

Name	Inner diameter, m	External diameter, m	Height, m	Weight, kg	Internal volume, m3
COP10.3	1	1,16	0,29	≈200	≈0,3
COP10.6	1	1,16	0,59	≈400	≈0,62
COP10.9	1	1,16	0,89	≈600	≈0,94
COP15.6	1	1,68	0,59	≈660	≈1,3
COP15.9	1,5	1,68	0,89	≈1000	≈1,97
COP20.6	2	2,2	0,59	≈970	≈2,24
COP20.9	2	2,2	0,89	≈1480	≈3,38

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

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

Step 3 Start the actual extraction of the soil. If the cesspool is supposed to be shallow, and there is enough time, then earthwork can be done manually. It is advisable to do this in pairs - one digs, and the other lifts the extracted soil up. The work is greatly facilitated when using a bucket with a strong rope and a garden wheelbarrow (or walk-behind tractor).

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

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

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

Step 6 With the help of a crane-manipulator, immerse the first concrete ring into the pit.

The ring is lowered into the pit

Important! For better fixation of the rings with each other, apply on their ends cement mortar before installing a new product.

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

Step 8 Complete the laying of concrete products with the installation of the upper round slab, in which a hole is cut out for the hatch.

Step 9 In loamy conditions, effective drainage will require big square contact. If you live in an area where the soil does not absorb water well, drill a series of drainage holes in the bottom of the cesspool. medium size. Their total area should reach 10% of the total area of ​​the internal surface of the structure.

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

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

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

Video - Cesspool

Construction of a cesspool without a brick bottom

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

Step 1. Construction of a cesspool of brick, like any other sewer facility, start with earthworks - choose a place and start digging a pit of the appropriate size.

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

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

Step 3 Get rid of the earth excavated during the construction of the pit. At the same time, leave a part of it for the subsequent backfilling of the cover of the structure.

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

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

Important! Silicate bricks absorb water well and at the same time gradually collapse. If you want the cesspool to last longer, replace them with ceramic ones.

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

Step 7 Finish laying the walls of the cesspool of bricks, not reaching a little to the surface of the earth.

Step 8 Lead the sewer pipe out of the house into the cesspool.

Step 9 Reinforce the pit with a metal bracket installed as shown in the image below. Instead, you can use wooden beam, but the latter will not last too long - over time, the material in an aggressive environment will begin to break down and rot.

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

Step 11 Seal the cesspool on top with a concrete slab, prefabricated or poured on site. Do not forget about the hole for the hatch, through which sewage will be regularly pumped out.

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

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