Why do drainage in the drain pit. Rapid filling of the cesspool: options for solutions. Filter drainage well

City dwellers of high-rise buildings rarely think about how the sewer system in their homes is arranged. In country houses, this question is one of the key ones when it comes to improvement and convenience. One of the essential elements of a comfortable country life is a cesspool.

You can equip it in different ways. However, even at the stage of preliminary development, the question may arise: how to drain the cesspool with your own hands? Here it is important to figure out what type of cesspool we are talking about, why drainage is needed, and how realistic it is to do everything yourself.

Types and purpose of cesspools

Most of us will immediately remember the word "septic tank". The water in it is really filtered and drained away. However, a septic tank is a complex wastewater treatment plant. All cleaning systems are already incorporated into its design. This means that there is no question of an independent device.

Another well-known option is a sealed cesspool. In this case, a special plastic container for a cesspool or a composite storage container is installed underground, carefully sealed from the inside and outside, and equipped with a hatch.

Sewage from such structures is pumped out by special fecal pumps into tank cars or a sewage vacuum machine. In such designs, drainage is not provided.

The last option remains: the so-called absorption cesspool. It is its arrangement that assumes the absorption of wastewater by the soil and requires drainage. Let us dwell on this construction in more detail.

A ridge of any design has its own advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of an absorbing cesspool are simplicity and relatively low cost. A lot of work can really be done on your own.

The downside of such a structure is its low throughput. It is impossible to arrange an absorber pit if the volume of wastewater exceeds 1 m 3 per day. This figure is not just tested by practice, it is contained in sanitary standards.

If several people constantly live in the house, there is a boiler, a washing machine and a dishwasher, then an airtight reservoir for drains or a septic tank is required. Another drawback is the possible harm to the ecology of the site. After all, liquids with the contents dissolved in them seep into the soil and can eventually disrupt its microflora.

However, with a small volume of wastewater, this option is considered optimal. If in your particular situation the pros outweigh the minuses, then a self-absorbing cesspool is quite real. Mechanical assistance is required only in the delivery and unloading of materials.

Preparation for work

An independent installation of a sewage pit does not require a detailed project and serious research. The main preparatory moment is the choice of the place.

It is necessary to arrange the cesspool so that:

• to any source of drinking water was at least thirty meters;
• there was at least five meters between the pit and the house (bathhouse, summer kitchen);
• the distance to the boundaries of the site was at least two meters;
• at the time of installation and in the future, automobile equipment could drive up to the sewage pit.

The last point is sometimes a little surprising. Many people understand that at the time of the pit construction, a car entrance is necessary, but why then? Answer: even with small volumes of wastewater, the cesspool will sometimes have to be pumped out. Indeed, only liquids go into the ground, solid particles settle and gradually fill the volume. A vacuum machine for pumping out a cesspool will be needed when 35 cm remains from the surface of the contents of the pit to the hatch cover.

After choosing a place, you need to decide on the material of the walls of the cesspool. They can be made of bricks or made of concrete rings.

The first option will take longer, but you can do it yourself. The second method is faster, but requires the involvement of a crane. Please note: the absorber pit has no bottom... But the top plate with a hole for the hatch should be.

Is the material selected? Now we need a calculation: what size the cesspool is to be built. If the walls are made of concrete rings, then you will have to proceed from their dimensions. When laying out brick walls, the size of the cesspool can be chosen more arbitrarily, although here, too, the parameters of the upper slab will need to be taken into account.

The total amount of materials is calculated in accordance with the dimensions of the future absorber pit. At the same time, the dimensions of the pit are determined.

Important: the depth of the cesspool in a private house should not be more than three meters, since otherwise the hose of the sewage machine, when pumping out sewage, will not reach the bottom and 100% high-quality cleaning will not work.

The device of a cesspool in a private house

The outflow of liquid from the absorption pit, ideally, should occur not only through the bottom, but also through the walls. This is necessary in order to exclude long stagnation of wastewater.

For this, small holes are made in the concrete rings, and the bricks in some rows are placed not end-to-end, but with a certain gap. Such holes should not be made close to the top slab of the pit, so that the soil is not saturated with unwanted odors.

However, the drainage device of the cesspool will provide much better outflow of liquids. This will require sand, gravel and geotextiles. It is necessary to plan such drainage in advance, since the holes in the walls of the cesspool will no longer be needed (only for entering the sewer pipe), but bituminous waterproofing of the walls from the inside and outside will be required.

Drainage is performed after installing the walls as follows:

1. A layer of sand 30 cm thick is poured at the bottom of the pit.
2. A geotextile for drainage is laid on the sand so that its edges overlap the walls.
3. A layer of crushed stone (fraction 50) with a thickness of 15 cm is poured.
4. Cover with another layer of geotextile.
5. The edges of the lower and upper geofabric webs are held together. They can be sewn or fixed on the walls of the well using bitumen mastic.

High-quality drainage of the cesspool will provide a quick outflow of liquids and will not allow wastewater to stagnate in the well for a long time. Despite the simplicity of the device and low costs, the structure will last a long time and will not require much attention and effort during operation.

Living in a private house is not so easy. After all, every day a person is faced with masses of problems that do not require waiting. For example, the flooding of the site with melt, rain or groundwater. This is a real problem that, if ignored, can lead to waterlogging, lower yields and destruction of foundations.

A drainage pit for draining water is a simple and alternative solution to this issue. Waste water will be collected along the entire perimeter into the drainage system.

What is a drainage pit?

A drainage or drainage pit is the simplest design, which is a dug hole from which a sewer pipe departs. Through the drainage pad, the water flow will be absorbed by the soil. If you have a clay soil type on your site, then the pit is pumped out in different ways (quite simple).

If we talk about the advantage of a drainage pit, then it can be noted that it does not take a lot of costs, it is performed quickly, easily and without the recommendation of specialists. There is also a disadvantage, the fact is that waste water, if not cleaned for a long time, can spread very unpleasant odors throughout your area and beyond.

A do-it-yourself drainage pit will not only save your finances, but also serve as a good assistant in collecting, cleaning and disposing of water.

We build a drainage pit with our own hands

A do-it-yourself drainage pit is built at the stage when the foundation is laid. You need to dig a hole at a distance of 1.5 meters from the room. The depth will depend on the freezing of the land (it will need to be multiplied by 2). For example, if the ground freezes 1 meter deep, then it is permissible to dig a hole 2 meters deep.

In order for the water to flow in the right direction to the pit, drainage ditches are pulled out, into which pipes with a diameter of 50 mm are laid. Such a pipe will be quite enough for draining waste water from a small bath or summer shower.
If you are building a drainage pit for a bath, then the pipes can be laid shallow, but this is the case if you use the bath in the summer. The use of a drainage pit in winter involves laying pipes deeper, below the level of soil freezing. In addition, the pipes will need to be insulated with fiberglass.

In order for the pipes to be at the required slope, it is necessary to pour a cushion of crushed brick or crushed stone at the bottom of the ditch. To check the correctness of the slope, experts use the building level.

Further, the bottom of the drainage pit is covered with sand, granulated slag or bricks. This is necessary for the natural partial purification of waste water and the strengthening of the bottom. This drainage component must occupy the freezing level.

Craftsmen use concrete rings, old metal tanks or car tires for the construction of sewage pits. A tire drainage pit serves as an economical option. Installation of such a pit is easy to perform and does not require special construction skills.

Summer shower drain

For most people, an outdoor shower is an obligatory building on a personal plot, cottage or in a country house. In order for the water to go somewhere, the craftsmen came up with many options:

For its full functioning, a drainage system and a drainage pit are required. To make it, many hire teams of specialists, but it is quite possible to make a drainage pit for a summer shower on their own.

Its design is not very different from a drainage pit for a sewer. Such a pit will be located not far from the shower itself, but its advantage is that there will be no dirt under your feet, gardens and vegetable gardens will not be flooded with sewage.

The size of the drainage pit for a summer shower is small (you can dig a hole 1 meter wide and 50 cm deep). the interesting thing is that it can be built under the shower frame itself, if the land plot does not allow you to dig a hole at a distance. There is no difference, so it will even be hidden from view.

It turns out that the constant flow of water into the same place can lead to very unpleasant moments:

• If the water is not properly drained, erosion, fungus, mold, soil depletion can form.
• This can lead to a huge congestion of insects over your drainage pit.
• If the waste water is not absorbed by the soil in time or discharged into the sewer, you cannot avoid unpleasant odors.
• The drainage pit can become like a puddle, there will be no life for trees or plants.

There is only one conclusion - the drainage system must be installed according to all basic rules. Do not neglect them, so that soon you will not have to completely redo everything, and this will be several times more difficult.

Probably, the overwhelming 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. 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 done 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 drainage and collection point. Dumping contaminated, untreated sewage onto the ground or into natural water bodies is strictly prohibited, and this approach will inevitably lead to penalties from the supervisory environmental authorities. Therefore, in the absence of a centralized sewage system (as it most often happens), a special pit of accumulative or drainage action is usually created for these purposes. And in order for the drainage pit for the bath to function effectively, it is necessary to study its design before starting construction, and during the period of construction work - adhere to the recommendations of experienced craftsmen.

The main types of drain pits

Arrangement of any drainage pit is a rather laborious process, since the foundation pit will most likely have to be dug manually. At the same time, such a hydraulic structure is not very complex in design, so any owner of the site can build and equip it on his own, without even involving assistants, of course, if there is enough strength for earthmoving.

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

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

• A sealed drainage pit is most often set up in construction sites with shallow ground aquifers. It is often called cesspool, that is, requiring periodic emptying from the collected volumes of dirty water.

For its construction, a pit is dug into which a container with a sufficiently large volume is installed. Wastewater will be collected in it. As the container is filled to a certain critical level, the waste is pumped out by a sewer truck.

This option is environmentally friendly, since no pollution and chemical cleaning solutions at all get into the soil and groundwater, which can negatively affect the state 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 economical, since you will have to constantly monitor the filling level of the tank and call specialized vehicles quite often, and such services are not cheap.

Septic tanks prices

• A hermetically sealed bottom is not created in the drainage pit. A bulk layer of filtering building material is used as it - most often crushed stone or gravel is selected for this purpose.

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

• A septic tank is a whole system consisting of two or more chambers for different purposes.

In any of the options, the first chamber most often has a sealed design and serves for collection, primary filtration and cleaning of waste - solid components settle to the bottom, and liquid components are clarified, undergo a biological treatment cycle 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 further purified and absorbed into the soil.

If a septic tank of three containers is planned, then a third chamber is made drainage. The second serves for the final sedimentation of suspensions, for a deeper water purification due to the action of anaerobic microorganisms. And from here there is an 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 volume of liquid waste both from a residential building and from a bath.

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

The septic tank is already a rather complex engineering structure, the creation of which must obey certain rules. Often homeowners prefer to install a ready-made factory production system. What are the rules for arranging such a treatment plant, and what to pay special attention to when - read in a special publication of our portal.

Materials for arranging a drain pit for a bath

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

Drain pit from barrels

To create this water drainage system, metal or plastic barrels of different 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. In this case, it is taken into account that a space of at least 100 mm must remain between the walls of the barrel and the pit, which is also filled with drainage backfill.

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

It must be understood correctly 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 most optimal options.

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

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

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

Brick drain pit

The arrangement of the walls of the drainage pit can be done with the help of a brick, which is laid out with gaps - through them, water is diverted 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, and 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, taking 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 structure may well be used to drain other waste, but in this case, the pit will have to be periodically cleaned.

For arranging such an option for a drainage pit, it is not at all necessary to use a new brick - a used material is also quite suitable.

Prices for metal barrels

metal barrels

Drainage drainage pit made of concrete rings

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

In this option, the entire space between the walls, as in previous cases, is also filled with drainage material, so the pit, provided it is used only for bathing needs, will never be filled with water. In the same case, when the pit is deepened enough, and the bottom of the well is cemented, then such a pit is suitable not only for a bath, but also for a general 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

An overflow drainage pit made of unnecessary car tires can only be used for liquid waste, therefore it is the best suited for collecting periodically incoming water from the bath.

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

This option for draining water from the bath can be called the most popular, since it is easy to set up, affordable (tires are easy to find for nothing) and practical to use.

On the diagram, the numbers indicate:

1 - Crushed stone or coarse gravel - 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 - Beams for laying the lid.

5 - Cover or hatch.

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

It should be noted that other materials that can withstand the effects of high humidity are also suitable for the construction of a drainage pit.

How to independently equip a drain pit for a bath

Survey of the soil at the site of the planned drainage pit

In order for the drainage system from the bath to be effective, it is necessary to determine the type of soil on the site at the approximate depth of the planned pit. For this, a trench or test pit is dug. In order for the bath to be used in winter, the depth must be below the level of freezing 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 long been using systems of such a drainage system.

Concrete ring prices

concrete rings

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

However, dense clay layers can be problematic. 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 for both laying and laying pipes through trenches, as they can lead to deformations and damage to themselves and other elements of the system.

Constructing a drainage pit in such soil, if it spreads to great depths, is practically pointless exercise. Well, if it is necessary to lay a pipe through such layers to a drainage pit that reaches a depth of soil with a high absorbency, then the bottom of the trench must be lined with a sand cushion 100 ÷ 120 mm thick, which will prevent the harsh effect of soil vibrations on the elements of the drainage system.

The level of occurrence of groundwater (GWL) is also important, since the degree of absorption of water entering the drainage 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, since it will be constantly filled. In this case, as with clayey soils, the drainage pit option will not work. You will either have to install a sealed container that requires periodic emptying, or organize the drainage of water to special surface filtration fields.

Having chosen the material for the construction of the pit, it is necessary to decide on several more important points of its arrangement, on which the efficiency of the system operation, the environmental safety of both 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, the owners have a drainage pit directly under the building, but this becomes possible only if:

- the pit is equipped before the construction itself;

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

- good ventilation should be provided under the sauna building;

- 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 bath, then it is necessary to provide 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 around 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 hole 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, which diverts water from the walls of the building;

- perforation in the walls of the barrel, concrete rings or tires, must be done on 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 canal, 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 the required slope depends on the selected pipe diameter - this is clearly indicated by the diagram below:

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

Arrangement of a drainage pit - step by step

In this section of the publication, we will consider two options for drain pits, which can be easily equipped on your own.

Common drainage pit

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

Illustration
	After determining the location for the location of the drainage pit, you can proceed to digging the foundation pit. For a sauna 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 material chosen for the arrangement of the walls. For example, if the pit will be made out of a brick, then it is more convenient to lay a square or rectangular shape from it, but in some cases a round well also stands out from it. The pit diameter should be 150 ÷ ​​200 mm larger than the prepared container.
	When the pit is prepared, a trench is dug from it to the structure of the bath at the desired 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 bathhouse was built, but not less than 500 mm at the entrance to the well.
	The bottom of the finished pit is covered with a stone of the middle fraction - this is gravel, crushed stone, chipped brick or even broken slate. The drainage layer should be at least 300 mm, since it is designed to retain dirty water and purify it, that is, moisture should flow to the ground by capillary, 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 a container is installed or built, and during its construction, a drain 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 depth of the trench, otherwise it will simply interfere with the work.
	So, the walls of the drain well can be built of bricks. The masonry is made in compliance with the gap 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 ones is filled with drainage backfill.
	If concrete perforated rings are used to form the walls, then specialized equipment will have to be attracted to install them, since each of them has an impressive mass, and distortions must not be allowed during installation. After installing them, the distance between the soil and the concrete must also be filled with drainage backfill. It should be noted here that if concrete rings are used for the pit, then one should not rush to install a sewer pipe in the hole of their wall, since under their weight they can sink somewhat into the ground - sometimes by 100 ÷ 150 mm. Therefore, it is recommended to leave the finished concrete well alone for a while for shrinkage, otherwise, the plastic pipe may crack or break from the pressure and stress that has arisen.
	When using metal barrels for the pit, the bottom and the lid are cut off from them, and the side walls can be simply cut with the help of a "grinder". The cuts are made at a distance of 200 ÷ 250 mm from each other horizontally and with a step of 100 ÷ 120 mm in height. If two barrels are used, they are stacked 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 hole according to the marking can be cut with a grinder, but the opening made with an electric jigsaw will still be more accurate. To do this, a hole is drilled at one of the points of the marked circle, into which the 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 barrel holes, cleaned and go into the ground.
	The most commonly used material for arranging the drainage well of a bath is car tires, which are stacked one on top of the other. On the 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 run between the two tires. In this case, for an emphasis, along the edges of the plastic pipe and in three to four places between the tires in the place of its passage, bricks are installed, which will remove the load from the plastic from the upper slopes.
	Another option for penetrating the pipe is to install it in a hole cut in the side wall of the tire. Choosing this method, it is necessary to provide for a possible shrinkage of the structure by cutting a hole 70 ÷ 80 mm larger than the pipe diameter.
	Quite often, the drainage pit is not filled with drainage material around the barrels or tires, but is filled with two-thirds of it - 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 lattice is laid, and then it is poured with concrete mortar, with a layer of 70 ÷ 80 mm thick.
	After the concrete has hardened, a homemade cover is installed on the hole, made of steel sheet and a corner. Factory-made hatches, metal or plastic, are also quite applicable.
	Special plastic manholes can have various shapes and linear parameters. So, 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 backfilled between the walls of the well and the ground, then its upper layer, 120 ÷ 150 mm in height, 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 over the structure with its subsequent backfill.

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

The second option is more complex in design, but its functionality is significantly higher. This system is perfect for arranging in an area with a near-surface location of groundwater, since it does not require a deep pit. In addition, such a design can also be a solution for organizing drainage drainage of water from the foundation, from a storm well filled from linear storm 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
	For this system, two plastic drums are used, which are easy to prepare for installation work and connect to the sewer pipes of the same material. Usually, for the drain pit of a small bath, two or three containers with a volume of 200 ÷ 250 liters are sufficient.
	The pit for the installation of barrels is also dug more than their diameter by 100 ÷ 150 mm, and due to the fact that tanks of equal size will be installed at different levels, the pit for them must have a stepped configuration. The depth of the pit in this system should be more than the height of the barrel by 450 ÷ 500 mm. 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 level of installation of the containers 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 filled with crushed stone of the middle fraction, with a layer 80 ÷ 100 mm thick, which also needs to be compacted.
	Next, you can proceed to work on the preparation of the containers. The barrel installed above will serve as a 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 a branch pipe that connects the first barrel with the second, installed slightly lower. To insert plastic pipes into the lid or into the walls of the barrel, you can find special flanges in a 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 branch 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, 100 ÷ 120 mm below the top edge. The axes of these side windows should be radially rotated 45 degrees from the axis of the center hole.
	Nozzles with 45 degree taps installed on them are cut into the side holes and sealed. As a result, the drain pipes will become parallel to each other - as shown in the illustration.
	Additionally, in the lower part of the walls of the second barrel to be installed, on the opposite side from the entrance, small holes with a diameter of 5 mm are drilled 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 filtering 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 assembled a system of barrels and nozzles, you can proceed to creating a filtration drainage field.
	For the drainage platform, which is located at a slope from the installed drums, a trench is dug, having a width of 1200 ÷ 1500 mm and the same depth to which the first above the barrel is buried. If desired, the drainage filtering field can be extended over the entire area, since it will not interfere with the arrangement of beds above it for annual crops or for planting shrubs. A geotextile fabric is laid on the bottom of the resulting channel, on top of which drainage will be laid. Filling 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 installed in advance with the necessary height difference will become a kind of beacons for the correct filling of the drainage layer.
	As the drainage material falls asleep around the bottom barrel, water is poured into it, otherwise the external soil pressure 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 attached to the nozzles, through which water will be distributed along the drainage area. Holes are drilled with a step of 150 ÷ ​​180 mm along the bottom and sides of the pipes. After drilling, the pipes are put into a geotextile filter “casing” so that the inside of the pipes does not become silted up.
	The next step of the pipe and the entire space of the trench is filled 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 crushed stone, it is best to backfill with several different layers of soil. So, crushed stone is first covered with geotextiles, 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 a shallow fibrous root system.

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 use for old sheets of wave or smooth slate, or even scraps of corrugated board remaining after roofing work.

Some inventive owners of country houses lay out the walls of the drainage well with glass or plastic bottles that are filled with sand, and find other very interesting solutions. Therefore, if there is a desire to save money, and at the same time to free part of the yard or barn premises from old materials, then you need to turn on your imagination "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 device for 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

The problem of flooding and increased waterlogging of the soil is familiar to the owners of sites located in the central region of Russia. Dampness and stagnation of water after melting snow do not allow for proper preparation of the summer cottage for the summer season, and waterlogging of the soil with constant precipitation is detrimental to many plants. There are several ways to solve these problems, but the most effective is the arrangement of drainage.

When is a drainage system necessary?

Drainage is a technology for collecting and draining ground, melt and storm water from a site, technical and residential buildings. The drainage system prevents leaching, swelling and waterlogging of the soil, which occurs due to oversaturation of moisture.

Arrangement of a drainage system is not necessary in every area. In order to determine how much your site needs drainage, a visual inspection will be required. Pay attention to whether the area is heated after the snow melts, how quickly the water is absorbed after watering the plants, whether there are puddles after heavy rain and downpour. If you have observed these signs more than once, then drainage is required.

The drainage system helps to remove stagnant water from the site

If there is little visual confirmation, then a simple experiment can be carried out - using a hand drill or an ordinary shovel, you should dig a hole 70–100 cm deep. It is better to do this in several places on the site. If, after 24–36 hours, water accumulates at the bottom of the pit and does not leave, then this is a direct evidence of soil oversaturation with moisture.

Soil drainage is carried out under the following conditions:

• high groundwater table;
• the site is located in an area with clay soil;
• the site is located in a lowland or vice versa - on a slope;
• a large amount of precipitation falls at the site of the site.

The presence of drainage contributes to the preservation of finishing and facing materials used for laying garden paths, finishing the basement and facade of the building.

Types of drainage systems

There are a great variety of land drainage systems. Moreover, in different sources, their classification can be very different from each other. In the case of drainage systems for suburban and suburban areas, it is recommended to use the simplest and most proven solutions.

Surface drainage

Surface drainage is the simplest and most effective system. The main task is to drain the soil by draining the water formed as a result of heavy rainfall and uneven melting of snow.

The grates protect the open drainage system from the ingress of large debris

The surface drainage system is constructed over the area of ​​the site, around the house and adjacent buildings, near garage structures, warehouses and courtyard. Surface drainage is divided into two subspecies:

1. Point - in some sources it is referred to as local drainage. It is used to collect and drain water from a specific place on the site. The main area of ​​application is dehumidification of areas under gutters, near entrance doors and gates, in the area of ​​the location of containers and taps for irrigation. It is often used as an emergency system if another type of drainage is overloaded.
2. Linear - used to drain the entire area. It is a system consisting of receiving trays and channels arranged at a certain angle, providing a constant flow of water. The drainage system is equipped with filter grids and sand traps. Trays and drains are made of PVC, polypropylene, HDPE or polymer concrete.

When installing a surface drainage system, it is recommended to combine point and linear drainage. This will ensure the most efficient operation of the system. If necessary, point and line drainage can be combined with the system described below.

Deep drainage

Deep drainage is carried out in the form of a pipeline laid in places where it is necessary to constantly drain the soil or lower the groundwater level. Drains are laid in compliance with the slope in the direction of the flow of water that enters the collector, well or reservoir located outside the site.

The process of constructing deep drainage in a suburban area

To lower the groundwater level, pipes are laid along the perimeter of the site to a depth of 80–150 cm. In the case when it is necessary to drain water from the foundation of the structure, the pipes must be laid below the depth of its occurrence. And also drainage pipes can be laid over the entire area of ​​the site with a certain step. The distance between drains depends on their depth and the texture of the soil.

For example, when installing a drainage system, when drains are laid to a depth of 0.9–1 m, the recommended distance between them is at least 9–11 m. On loamy soil, under the same conditions, the step between drains decreases to 7–9 m, and on clayey up to 4–5.5 m. More detailed data for different depths can be seen in the table below. Information taken from the book "Drainage of Land for Gardens" by A.M.Dumbliauskas.

When laying the pipe, the features of the terrain are observed. According to the technology, drains are laid from the highest to the lowest point on the site. If the site is relatively flat, then a slope is formed along the bottom of the trench to give a slope. The minimum slope level is 2 cm per 1 lm of the drainage pipe when constructing drainage in clay and loamy soil. For sandy soil, a slope of 3 cm per 1 m is observed.

When installing a long drainage system, a minimum slope should be observed along the entire length of the drainage line. For example, for a drainage system with a length of 15 m, the minimum level difference between the starting and ending points of the route will be at least 30 cm.

If possible, it is recommended to exceed the declared slope norms. This will provide faster drainage, reduce the risk of silting and clogging of the drain. In addition, digging a trench with a steep slope is much easier than measuring 1–2 cm.

Drainage at their summer cottage - the easiest ways with instructions

In order to independently carry out the drainage of a land plot through a drainage system, you will need to familiarize yourself with the technology of work, calculate and purchase the necessary materials, prepare a tool and a place for performing work.

Surface drainage of the suburban area

Open surface drainage is a versatile solution for draining small suburban areas. For example, for typical plots with an area of ​​6 acres. You can take the diagram below as a basis. It depicts a herringbone-shaped drainage line. The distance between the drains, as discussed above, is selected based on the type of soil (see table).

An example of the location of the drainage system at a summer cottage

To carry out the work, you will need a shovel and bayonet shovel, a tape measure, a bubble level, a hammer and a sharp construction knife. As materials, you will need to prepare gravel of fraction 20-40, geotextile, edged bar or board 2-3 m long.

For the construction of surface drainage at the summer cottage, you will need to do the following:

Sometimes, the base of the trench is concreted along the entire length of the drainage line. This allows you not to worry that over time the earthen walls will begin to crumble, water flow will worsen, etc. But this approach is more time consuming and requires the ability to work with a concrete mixture.

Drainage of the site using deep drainage

Deep drainage is a standard solution for draining summer cottages and suburban areas. The deep drainage system can be installed even when there is a protective blind area, concrete or slab paths around the building. If necessary, they can be partially dismantled, but in general the structure will not suffer.

An example of a drainage system project in a suburban area

Deep drainage works include the following:

1. According to the project plan of the site, it is necessary to draw up a diagram of the location of drainage pipes and determine the point of water discharge, that is, the place from where the collected water will be discharged into the sewer pipes leading to the drainage well. The depth of the pipeline should be below the level of soil freezing. For the Northwest region, this value is about 60–80 cm.

   Preparation of trenches for the construction of deep drainage

2. Taking into account the plan, a trench is being dug along the perimeter and area of ​​the site up to 1 m deep. The trench width is at least 30 cm. All horizontal trench sections are combined into a single system, which is brought to the point of water discharge. After that, trenches are dug with a slope of 2–4 cm per 1 m of the surface. To check the quality of the runoff, trenches are spilled with a large volume of water. If necessary, the slope increases towards the drainage well.

   A pit for a drainage well must be dug at the lowest point on the site

3. At the lowest point of the site, a place is arranged for the installation of a water intake or filter drainage well. For large areas located on loamy and clayey soil types, it is better to install storage types of wells with a volume of up to 1000 liters. For small areas, both storage and filtering wells can be used. The type of tank is selected based on the type of soil.

   A wide sheet of geotextile is laid on top of the gravel layer

4. Fine gravel is poured into the bottom of the trench. Layer thickness - 10 cm. Geotextile is laid on the gravel with an overlap on the walls of the trench. To fix the canvas to the walls, wooden or plastic pegs are used, which are driven into the ground. After that, a 10 cm layer of crushed stone with a fraction of 50-60 is poured onto the laid geotextile and carefully leveled in compliance with the slope. A drainage pipe from Ø 110 mm is laid on the crushed stone.
5. Modular manholes are installed at the drain turn points. The diameter and height of the well depend on the expected volume of waste water. To connect the pipe to the mounting hole, a coupling is used, which is coated with a waterproof sealant before joining. Similar actions are carried out to connect the drainage pipe to the well branch pipe.

   An inspection drainage well is installed in places where the drainage pipe turns

6. Before backfilling, the drainage system is checked for operability. For this, a large volume of water is drained through the drains. If the water drains quickly and enters the well, then everything is done correctly and you can proceed to the final stage. In other cases, you need to look for and fix the problem.
7. On top of the drainage pipes, a 20–30 cm layer of gravel of fraction 20–40 is poured and carefully leveled. After that, drains with laid gravel are covered with geotextiles. A 10-15 cm layer of quarry sand is poured over the geotextile and carefully compacted. The remaining space in the trench can be covered with fertile soil or ordinary soil from the site.

Ways to drain the site without drainage

Excessive moisture in the soil and stagnation of water at the site are not always associated with a high level of groundwater. Sometimes this is due to abnormally low temperatures and heavy rainfall. The combination of these factors leads to the fact that moisture does not have time to evaporate, puddles and mold are formed on the soil surface.

Sanding clay soil is one way to drain a site without drainage

If, due to some circumstances, the device of a drainage system is impossible, then there are several effective ways to drain the land:

Of the above methods for draining the site, the most effective are the addition of a sufficient amount of fertile soil and the arrangement of trenches around the perimeter. On average, 1 m 3 of soil will cost 550-600 rubles. 10-12 m 3 of soil is enough for a plot of 6 acres.

The easiest way to drain the soil on the site

Arrangement of shallow trenches filled with rubble is the easiest way to drain a summer cottage. Despite its general simplicity, this method is very effective and is able to cope with the large amount of water formed during the melting of snow.

Trenching works around the perimeter and area of ​​the site include the following:

If desired, the second layer of rubble can be reduced, and the remaining space can be sprinkled with soil from the site. This will hide the drainage underneath the sod layer. It is not recommended to plant flowers and greenery over the drainage trench. This is fraught with their death due to the high humidity in this place.

How to clear a blockage in a drain pipe

Failure to comply with the technology of laying drainage pipes is the main reason for stagnation and poor drainage of water from distribution wells. In addition, very often water stagnation is not associated with blockage at all. An insufficient slope does not ensure a constant and even discharge of the accumulated water towards the drainage pit.

To clear small blockages, use a steel cable or hose with a strong pressure of water

The easiest way to clean drain pipes is to use a steel cable to clean the drain. At one end of the cable there is a spiral nozzle, at the other end there is a handle, with which you can rotate the cable, creating a mechanical load in the place of blockage.

For cleaning pipes Ø110 mm or more, it is recommended to use a wire rope with a steel brush of the appropriate size. During cleaning, it is necessary to lower the cable into the drainage pipe until its end reaches the blockage. Further, by rotating the cable clockwise, you need to try to break through the blockage or move it towards the water drain. Usually, small accumulations of silt and foliage are pushed through without much difficulty.

If it was not possible to eliminate the blockage, then you will need to call specialists who, using a pneumatic installation and other equipment, will not only clear the blockage, but also carry out preventive cleaning of the entire surface of the drainage pipes.

Video: do-it-yourself drainage of the site

Over-saturation of the soil with moisture and stagnation of water on the site are a big problem that affects not only the growth of fruit-bearing crops, but also reduces the service life of a residential building. But it is worth remembering that an excess of water can be dealt with with the help of a drainage system. It is much worse if there is enough fresh water and moisture, and the arrangement of the well is impossible due to some circumstances.

Autonomous sewage systems or local treatment facilities, the same VOCs and septic tanks from many manufacturers are an excellent alternative for a summer cottage. They can be installed for various reasons: the remoteness of the site from utilities, the impossibility of connection, a certain benefit for the summer resident when using an autonomous system, and others. In the case of acquiring and installing a septic tank in the country, a number of questions arise that we have already dealt with earlier. But most importantly, it is not only the choice of VOCs, but also its correct installation on site and the removal of treated water. If you neglect the recommendations and requirements, the meaning of wastewater treatment in some cases is completely lost. Therefore, in addition to the correct choice of a septic tank, you need to think about how to make the right drainage well or aeration fields for a septic tank.

At the moment, on the topic we need, some articles have been written on the site, but today we will try to expand the knowledge of summer residents, and tell you how to make a drainage for a septic tank with your own hands.

What is drainage for a septic tank for?

Most septic tanks work according to a fairly simple scheme, but it is optimal and effective only if all indoor units and system elements are correctly installed and connected. During the processing of wastewater, a certain amount of them accumulates in the septic tanks, which settles to the bottom in the form of solid particles, and is converted into sludge. Perhaps this is due to the factors we described in previous articles, where we talked about the work of septic tanks.

The settled part remains in the tank, and the treated water is discharged into the ground through the drainage system. It is worth noting that with high-quality water purification, it can reach a very high degree of purity, but a certain part of the pollution still remains in it. If the water is not purified, it will go into the ground in a rather undesirable form, as a result of which not only unpleasant odors in the vicinity of VOCs develop, but also increases the risk of disease through infection with various infections.

There are also risks if such water is discharged incorrectly and is not sucked into the ground at a certain depth. Of course, you can object to this, because there are many cases when water is diverted into ditches and rivers. But this is only until summer residents have paid huge fines for environmental pollution. Otherwise, this fact should be recorded and resolved, and the water from the septic tank should be as purified as possible.

Drainage systems for septic tanks

Drainage systems differ mainly in the ability to remove a certain volume of treated wastewater. Naturally, there could be one system, but the creation of several gave us the necessary choice. Therefore, we are confident that in the near future several more innovative ways of water drainage are expected, which will be severely criticized, as well as studied and tried by summer residents and craftsmen.

In fact, this is an alternative for each of us also in terms of finance. For example, if a drainage well can be made independently and from scrap materials, then for drainage tunnels it will be necessary to seriously invest in special assembly materials for this system. Naturally, all investments will bring certain results, but summer residents who visit the site only a couple of times a week clearly do not need this. So, let's look at all the drainage systems for a septic tank that we have indicated in more detail, and also focus on the features of the systems and the recommendations of specialists.

Filter drainage well

This structure is similar to a cesspool, but with certain differences. Purified wastewater from the septic tank comes here, which is filtered and goes into the ground.

The option can be called the best solution for a summer residence. It is simple, inexpensive, handles small volumes of water (for more serious volumes, it is better to use other structures), it can be installed even on soils with partial problems.

Which is good, and the drainage well practically does not take up space, and therefore, if you have a small area, then there is nothing to worry about.

How to make a drainage well with your own hands?

There are no problems in the construction of a drainage well, and for summer residents who have been with us for a long time, they were engaged in even more serious construction, and even more so.

You need to dig a hole and properly equip the pit. There are several options for arranging such a well, and all of them are available.

You can immediately stop at a second-hand brick, which fits in a circle of the pit, near the walls. Perforations are left between the bricks, gaps without mortar, so that water can leave not only through the bottom, but also through the walls.

You can make the drainage well easier - install a reinforced concrete ring in the pit, in which you also fill the holes for water drainage. A similar option is to install a large plastic barrel without a bottom in a pit.

• Do not spend money on waterproofing. Here it is not needed, and on the contrary, it will suit us when the water evenly goes into the ground.
• The drainage well is installed in the area of ​​the site, where there are no problems with a high level of groundwater. It is also recommended to set the depth of the structure below the clay layer.
• For better water absorption, elimination of problems with soil heaving, as well as for maximum additional treatment, a layer of coarse sand and gravel, 20 cm each, is laid on the bottom of the well.
• Perforation is made at a level of 50-80 cm from the bottom, water will also leave through it.
• To prevent the perforation from silting up, expanded clay or the same gravel is sprinkled around the circumference of the installed barrel or concrete ring.
• Be sure to think about the correct choice of location - away from residential buildings, a well, a well. Also, do not violate the law with your construction.
• It is necessary to accurately calculate all the parameters of the structure, which must correspond to the amount of discharged water.
• You will also need waterproofing and insulation of the upper part of the drainage well, high-quality ventilation.
• It is important to install a removable cover on the well, which will give access to the inside.

Drainage system from old tires (video)

DIY aeration fields

The principle of operation of filtration fields for a septic tank is the distribution of purified water over a certain area. Correctly made aeration fields further purify wastewater, and according to some information, by another 20-40%. This is a very good result, which means that you do not pollute the soil of your own summer cottage with a similar system.

Filtration fields are easy to build. To do this, you need to dig several trenches, for the number of branch pipes from the septic tank. Next, fill these trenches with sand and gravel, creating a 20 cm cushion above all of them. After that, install perforated pipes above the trenches, which will produce distributed water discharge.

There are many opinions of drainage system installers, but we have selected the most significant ones:

• For aeration fields, perforated plastic pipes are used, at the edge of each of which a ventilation outlet is necessarily installed.
• To prevent silting of perforations, pipes are wrapped with geotextiles, backfilled with gravel, and special bearing platforms are built.
• The system is laid in an unused place in the country, so that it does not interfere with the plants with an increased amount of water in the territory, and the plants do not spoil the system with roots.
• The whole system is assembled with the obligatory attention to the requirements of the septic tank and the discharge of water, as well as depending on the characteristics of the soil. By the way, the system is being built on sandy loam, loam and sandstone, always below the freezing level.
• For pipe laying, the same slope is selected and installed, for the correct distribution of water.

Drainage tunnels

Drainage tunnels or blocks are already a newer and more modern system, which is designed for summer cottages and recreation areas in a larger format. The thing is that for this replacement, filter fields no longer need a separate place with mandatory requirements.

Due to the characteristics of the prefabricated system, above the drainage tunnels, you can even install a gazebo, a parking lot in the country, deploy an original landscape structure, the same rockery.

But it should be noted right away that along with the advantages of the system in terms of quality of work, strength and durability, its cost should be considered immediately. It seems average and acceptable, but for many it can be a serious cut from the budget. Therefore, when studying the possibility of installing filtration tunnels at the dacha, immediately pay attention to the price.

Drainage Tunnel System Benefits

• We can say that this is a fairly durable system that is installed once and for many years.
• The overall structure is more robust so that the area on top of the system can be used to its advantage.
• Truly improved performance so you don't have to worry about the number of drops.

Few have worked with drainage tunnels, since this system is not suitable for everyone in terms of costs. More often, drainage wells or even just cesspools are installed instead of a septic tank. But if you want to install just such a system on the site, then we will give you some tips:

• It is highly desirable to install drainage tunnels at great depths. Often this happens as follows - a trench is dug with dimensions for the module, plus 40-50 cm on each side. The depth of the pit is about 2 m. 50 cm of sand is placed on its bottom, then 30 cm of crushed stone, and only then the module is installed, preferably on an already rammed surface.
• The modules are installed on a ready-made pillow and are connected, both among themselves and with outlets from the septic tank.
• To prevent perforation from silting up, the modules are covered with geotextiles.
• Further, the system is sprinkled with gravel, and ventilation outlets are installed in special holes.
• It remains only to fill up the layer to the soil level. This is done with a mixture of earth and sand. Also, in many cases, in order to make the surface exploitable, a geogrid is laid, which we talked about in several articles on the site.

We would like to note the fact that this information is general and can partially change when choosing a particular system, as well as in combination with a septic tank installed in the country. It is highly advisable to consult about the choice of drainage for a septic tank and with specialists at the place of purchase of VOCs, because each treatment plant has its own characteristics.

Source: DachaDecor.ru

What are drainage pits for?

Drainage ditches

Requirements

Sewage pit volume

Excavation

Brick walls

Concrete ring walls

How to make a drainage pit

How to make a drainage pit

What is a cesspool

Types of cesspools

A pit of concrete rings without a bottom

Cesspool device

Sump location

Sump construction

Sealed cesspool

Installation of floors

Source: septikman.ru

Drainage pit: how to do it right

In every private household with a personal plot, there is an urgent need to process, purify and dispose of a large amount of various liquids. Wastewater comes from treatment facilities such as septic tanks, is collected by storm sewers, and is formed after the snow melts. A drainage pit is used to distribute water directed into the ground.

What are drainage pits for?

A drainage pit is intended for partial cleaning and distribution of liquid in the soil layer. High ground water and excess liquid from seasonal rains or melting snow can sometimes create serious problems on the land. In addition, in a country or country house, it is required to resolve the issue with the disposal of treated effluents coming from a sewerage system of local importance, for example, a septic tank. See also: "How to make drainage on a site with your own hands - we do it right".

The option with a simple discharge of liquid into a nearby local reservoir is not always possible to implement, and it cannot be called acceptable from the point of view of ecology. A smart solution would be to direct the effluent into a drain for a well-shaped cesspool. In this facility, waste water and water are subjected to additional treatment and distributed into the ground.

To bring the drains into the drainage of the drainage pit, special ditches are equipped or they are fed through a pipeline from a purification device.

Drainage ditches

Drainage ditches are intended not only to redirect excess water into a drainage pit, but also to partially drain them into the ground. When designing the location of the drainage system, the relief of the land plot is taken into account. If there is a difference in height, it is placed perpendicular to the slope. This configuration of the ditches can significantly lower the level of soil water on the site (read: “Construction of a drainage ditch on the site“).

On an extended slope, at least two drainage ditches are organized, they are connected to each other by overflow pipes. The last of the ditches, located at the bottom of the site, should have an exit into a drainage pit (read also: “How to make drainage around the house correctly”). Since rainwater and melt water can cause leaves and debris to enter the drainage system, it must be cleaned regularly. The design of the drainage ditch (see photo) has been constantly improved and now it is an effective structure, distinguished by its simplicity of the device.

How to make drainage ditches on the site

First, they draw up a project, and then they make the markings on the personal plot. At the next stage, trenches are dug, their depth can reach one meter.
Sifted sand is poured into the bottom of the ditch. You can build a drainage ditch either in a closed or open way. In the closed version, a pipe is laid on the sand cushion, which has a perforation in its lower part. With the open method, the ditch is covered with a lattice on top, and the walls are strengthened. In this work, plastic or reinforced concrete products are used.

In order to increase the degree of filtration of effluents passing through the drainage ditches, a combined filter is arranged, which has a layer of sand in its lower part, on which geotextiles are laid. Then the structure is covered with gravel. The presence of geotextiles and crushed stone prevents the erosion of the sand cushion.
If the drainage drainage ditch is laid in dense soil, it is allowed not to strengthen its walls, leaving it vertical. When the soil crumbles, it is recommended to make the walls of the ditch shallow and be sure to strengthen or use ready-made elements.

As for the open drainage ditches, they are laid in small areas. In addition, they can only be used during the warm season.

A closed drainage system has a more complex design, it allows water to be collected from large areas and can function all year round. It is often made in the shape of a herringbone, but it must be borne in mind that the cross-section of the pipes adjacent to the drainage pit should be larger than at their far ends.

Construction of drainage wells with your own hands

A drainage pit is intended for the drainage of water at the summer cottage, its partial cleaning and distribution in the ground. An important point in the arrangement of the well is the calculation of its required volume (for more details: “Arrangement of drainage wells on the site”). It must meet the capacity of the local treatment system and have a reserve for the disposal of melt and rainfall.

If necessary, not one do-it-yourself drainage pit can be equipped on the site, but several.

Now they can be built using different ready-made structures:

• use old steel barrels. They remove the bottom and the lower end part;
• for a long time, drainage wells have been in operation, for the construction of which reinforced concrete rings are used;
• plastic products are also used for the base of the wells. This option is the most acceptable, since their cost is low, they weigh a little, and besides that, plastic is not subject to the corrosion process.

Arrangement of a well from old barrels

The current method is the device of a drainage pit from a previously used barrel. To supply liquid to it, you can use polypropylene pipes with a cross section of 5 centimeters. See also: "Drainage wells with your own hands - how to do it right."

They will be enough to drain water, for example, from a small bath:

1. First, before making a drainage pit, they dig trenches for polypropylene pipes. To use the drainage system in winter, they must be laid below the freezing depth of the soil. The pipes should be additionally insulated with a layer of insulation or a heating cable should be laid with them.
2. Next, they dig a hole under the drainage well. It should be located below the level of soil freezing, so its depth depends on the region where the site is located.
3. To form the required slope angle of the pipes, a layer of gravel is poured onto the bottom of the trenches. Check the correctness of such work using the building level.
4. An old barrel is placed in a well-pit, which has no upper and lower covers. Crushed stone is poured at the bottom. Also, using crushed stone, they equip the backfilling of the pit, where the barrel is placed.

We create a cesspool with our own hands without pumping out

When building a private house away from the sewer, the question arises: how to organize the storage and disposal of wastewater. A cesspool is designed to solve this problem. There are two main types of sewage pits: a sealed (or waterproof) pit and a pit without a bottom (drainage). A sealed pit does not let wastewater into its environment and is designed for areas with sandy soil, it is also designed with a large (more than 1 cubic meter per day) volume of flow.

To clean the waterproofed pit, a special sewer pumping machine is called twice a month. The cost of use is expensive. With a small volume of wastewater, the construction of a cesspool without a bottom would be an advantageous solution; such a drainage pit does not require pumping. It is quite simple to design it with your own hands, which will save a lot of money.

Requirements

Sanitary standards for the placement of a cesspool drainage pit on the site

It is necessary to carefully consider the choice of the location of the cesspool, since in case of violation of sanitary standards, administrative responsibility is threatened. The pit should not be located outside the developer's land plot.

For its construction, a flat surface is chosen; with a hilly relief, the lowlands of the site are chosen. It is desirable that a sewer truck has access to the pit for pumping out in case of overflow with waste. More precise placement guidelines:

1. 4-5 meters from a residential building.
2. 3 meters from the fence, road, trees.
3. At least 25 meters from a well, a well, a spring.
4. 30 meters from the nearest body of water.

Depending on the type of soil on which the cesspool is located, the regulated distance to sources of drinking water varies. When placed on sandy soils, it is allowed to build a cesspool no closer than 50 meters to the wells. With clayey - from 20 meters.

Sewage pit volume

To calculate the volume of the waste pit, it is necessary to take into account the number of people living in the house. The capacity is calculated based on the fact that one person consumes 170 liters of water per day. Thus, a sewage pit with a volume of 10 cubic meters is required for three people.

Experience shows that if the pit is equipped with a good drainage system or is located on sandy soil, a smaller volume of 6-7 cubic meters is quite enough. If the pit is dug out with your own hands, it is better to think over the spare volume in advance so that excess drains do not go beyond the drainage pit, and pumping is not needed.

Excavation

It is best to start excavation work in the middle of summer, when the weather is stable and dry. A pit is being prepared for the future drainage pit. Most often, it measures 2 meters high, wide and long (8 cubic meters). You can dig it up with your own hands or with the help of an excavator.

First, the top layer of fertile soil is removed, it is better to distribute it over the garden. Subsequently, the soil is removed. If the soil around the pit is sandy, you should beware of the pit walls collapsing. To avoid this, you can prepare wooden shields and temporarily place them with an emphasis along the walls of the excavation.

After the required depth has been reached, it is recommended to leave the pit for two days. The bottom of the cesspool should be at least one meter higher than the autumn / spring groundwater level. The permissible depth of this type of hole is from 1 to 3 meters.

In order for the wastewater to quickly leave the pit into the soil and do not need to cause pumping, you need to prepare high-quality drainage. First, sand is poured onto the bottom of the pit. The thickness of such a layer should be 30 cm. After that, the bottom of the pit is lined with a special synthetic fabric (geotextile), the edges of the fabric should overlap the walls of the pit.

Areas adjacent to each other are sewn together. A layer of gravel 10 - 20 cm thick is poured onto the fabric. The gravel is covered with a second layer of synthetic fabric. The edges of the first and second layers are sewn together or covered with bitumen. In this form, the drainage layer remains until the pit is used.

If a cesspool is created with your own hands for a country toilet (without pumping out), drainage can be simplified. A layer of sand (30 cm) is poured onto the bottom of the pit, on top of it is a layer of rubble (20 cm).

Sewer pipe connection

When installing a sewer pipe, you should pay attention to the height difference between the level of the end of the pipe in the pit and the level of the pipe in the house. It should not be less than a meter. With a small height difference, the drains will stagnate in the pipe, and blockages are possible.

It is best if the pipe extends outside the house underground. The depth of the pipe must be deeper than the layer of winter freezing of the soil, so that during frosts the drains do not freeze, clogging the pipe. If the pipe comes to the surface, it should be properly insulated.

There are various options for the walls of the cesspool. They are lined with bricks, logs, concrete rings and slate. The choice of wall material depends on the personal desire of the builder.

Brick walls

Most often, the walls of the cesspool are lined with bricks. This material has a number of advantages: easy accessibility, ease of masonry, strength. It should be noted that not all bricks are equally well suited for arranging a cesspool. Silicate brick is characterized by low moisture resistance, therefore, in no case should it be used for this purpose. What can not be said about ceramic bricks, its varieties are completely suitable.

Masonry can be done with your own hands, with ordinary mortar, but the bricklayer must leave small gaps between the sides of the bricks and not fill them with cement. This is necessary to filter the effluent and pass it into the soil surrounding the pit. Outside the masonry, leave 30 cm of space and fill it with broken brick, gravel and sand to improve the filtration of runoff water.

Log walls / plank walls

In suburban areas, the walls of cesspools for a street toilet (without pumping out) or others are most often lined with shields of boards, bars, or a small log frame is made. This material is less durable, but much cheaper than other analogues. You can cope with the design with your own hands.

If it is decided to cover the pit with boards, first, 4 large bars are harvested. It is better to choose the size 10x10. They are covered with a special solution - protection from bark beetles and rot (if the larch bars, protective equipment is not needed, this tree does not rot for decades). Sharpen one end of each bar a little, this is necessary when attaching the bar to the ground of the pit day. The bars must correspond to the depth and have a margin of length to deepen them into the bottom of the pit.

After the bars are placed in the corners of the pit and secured, you can begin to mount the boards. The strongest and thickest boards (if different sizes are used) are placed closer to the bottom of the pit, later it is at the very bottom that the strongest earth pressure will be exerted on the walls. The boards covered with a special protective solution are nailed in such a way that the bars are inside the wooden box.

It is recommended to maintain a distance of 1-2 cm between the boards to allow runoff water to enter the soil. It is much more convenient to put together a wooden box outside the pit, and then lower it. But this will require the help of a crane or a large number of people, because the weight of the structure will exceed 400 kg.

IMPORTANT! A log cabin is constructed in a similar way. It should only be noted that the thickness of the logs will significantly reduce the volume of the drain pit. To avoid this, it is necessary to revise the volume of the pit.

Concrete ring walls

For long-term use of the drain pit, it is best to construct it from concrete rings. Concrete is the most stable and unpretentious material.

It will not work to create a structure from concrete rings with your own hands; you need to take care of their purchase in advance. And also you need to calculate in advance in which ring and where there will be a hole for the pipe, it is drilled before immersion. When there are rings, the question arises: how to lower them into the hole (It is worth remembering that the hole should not be completely dug out at the time the first ring is lowered). There is a wide range of possibilities here, from the use of a crane (the weight of one ring reaches 600 kg) and winches, to self-dipping of the rings. A more economical option would be to deal with this problem yourself.

First, a pit is dug with a height equal to the height of one concrete ring. One of its edges is made partially shallow (beveled) for a convenient descent of the structure. The ring is rolled up to the beveled edge so that the axis of the ring is directed towards the center of the pit.

With the help of a lever made of a bar (a length of 3 m is recommended), the ring is turned over, dragged to the shallow edge and gently slides down in an upright position. For the convenience of descent, boards can be laid out on a gentle edge. After the first ring has taken its position, the builder goes down and begins deepening the hole from the inside of the ring.

Gradually, as the depth of the pit increases, the ring will settle smoothly. After that, the same operation is done with the next ring. It is very important to monitor the strictly horizontal level of the structure when deepening the pit. After lowering all the rings, holes are drilled in their walls (5 cm is recommended) every 30 cm in the vertical direction, they are intended for the discharge of runoff water.

Slate wall construction

A simple and original way is to lay out the walls of the drain pit with slate sheets. This material is not afraid of moisture, but fragile enough that you need to consider when choosing. The design will not be complicated, you can handle it yourself. They make a blank of four iron corners (a longitudinally bent metal strip), holes are drilled into them for future fastening.

Four sheets of slate (it is better to choose a special flat, and not wavy for roofs, wavy less durable) are lowered into the pit. Then the assembly is carried out: corners are screwed to the slate leaves with self-tapping screws (to two leaves on the opposite side), all the slate leaves are screwed together and the frame is ready. Holes are drilled to release runoff water.

This information will be useful not only for the improvement of the suburban area, but also help to design a cesspool for a private house with your own hands. Such a pit will not require pumping out, which will significantly save the cost of its construction.

How to make a drainage pit

How to make a drainage pit

Nowadays, a cesspool is a worthy alternative to local sewerage and, if properly arranged, can effectively and for a long time rid you of wastewater.

Such a pit is very simple, it is easy to make it yourself, without involving specialists and technicians.

At the same time, you can make a drain pit in different ways, each of which does not require special costs from you.

What is a cesspool

The cesspool is the simplest structure in its essence, but it is strengthened and built in different ways.

It is represented by a dug hole, to which a sewer pipe is supplied. Waste water flows directly there and is absorbed into the soil through the drainage pad.

If the type of soil is not able to absorb a large amount of water, then it is pumped out of the pit forcibly, using different types of pumps.

You see an example of arranging a drain pit in a private house below.

The advantages of this design are low costs and the ability to make it quickly and independently.

The disadvantage is that the waste pit pollutes the environment and, if insufficiently sealed, can spread an unpleasant odor on the site.

If there is a source of drinking water nearby, then it is imperative to make a completely sealed pit.

Types of cesspools

All cesspools differ in strength and the degree of their strengthening. Of course, it will take more time to equip a more durable pit, but it can serve for many years.

The wastewater pit can be open or closed. If you make a reliable hatch for the drain pit, then unpleasant odors will be felt less or will not be heard at all.

With an open pit, water simply flows into a hand-dug hole, without closing or strengthening. If necessary, this pit is simply thrown with earth.

In addition, pits can be built using different materials.

Depending on this criterion, cesspools are classified as permanent and temporary.

Permanent options include:

• drain pit made of brick, cinder block. The walls of the dug hole are lined with bricks or cheaper blocks;
• pit made of concrete rings. It is made in the form of a sealed well, the walls of which consist of ready-made concrete rings. During installation, it requires the participation of a crane or other equipment, since the parts are too heavy;
• A monolithic concrete pit is an expensive but more reliable option. The device goes by the type of foundation. May require external waterproofing;
• various plastic containers. Such a pit will be safe and completely sealed, guarantees the absence of unpleasant odors and is durable. The downside is that such containers have a fairly small volume and require frequent cleaning and pumping;

An example of a permanent pit using a plastic tank you see below.

Cesspool from a plastic container

Permanent drainage pit options can also be with or without a bottom.

A pit without a bottom can be built if the daily discharge into the sewer does not exceed one cubic meter of water.

The ability of the soil to absorb drainage water also plays an important role. A pit without a bottom is suitable for sandy soil types and with low groundwater.

You can see a diagram of a cesspool without a bottom below.

A pit of concrete rings without a bottom

A crushed stone cushion is poured at the bottom, through which water passes into the soil.

Bottom pits are more difficult and expensive, but effective. In this case, a concrete screed is made at the bottom of the pit, and it turns out to be completely isolated.

With such a device, constant pumping of water is required, but such a pit does not pollute the soil and prevents unpleasant odors due to the hatch, which is covered at the top.

Temporary cesspools include:

• pit of tires. In this case, a pit is dug into which tires of different diameters are installed, and the outer walls are covered with sand. A pipe is drawn through the tires, and water enters there directly. This pit is not completely insulated and short-lived, suitable for infrequent drainage;
• cesspool made of wood. Its walls are sheathed with thick boards or other wooden materials. The pit will not sprinkle for some time, but it will not be able to perform its functions for a long time, since the tree quickly deteriorates from water. You can see the device of such a pit in the figure below;

• pits from scrap materials. It can be slate, stone and other materials to strengthen the walls of the pit. This will help you not worry about draining for a while, but it is also a short-lived option.

The type of pit depends on how much time, money and effort you can spend on its arrangement, but the best option is to create a permanent insulated pit with a bottom that will last for many years.

Cesspool device

How to make a drainage pit? Before you directly engage in the construction of a drain pit, you need to accurately calculate the place and volume for it.

First of all, it must be said that following sanitary standards, the cesspool should be located like this:

• at a distance of 5-20 meters from the dwelling;
• retreat at least a meter from the fence, that is, from the edge of the site;
• location 20-50 meters farther from drinking water sources or wells.

The layout of the drainage pit is shown in the figure below, where 1 is the sump itself.

Sump location

The volume of the pit is calculated depending on how many people live in the house and how often the drain into the sewer is used.

For example, a family of three uses about 12 cubic meters of water per month.

You also need to consider the type of soil if you are making a pit without a bottom. Not every type has the ability to absorb the amount of water you use. For example, clay soil allows a very small volume to pass through, and in this case it is more advisable to make a hole with a bottom or to constantly pump out water.

When calculating the volume, it is necessary to take into account the fact that initially the pit must be filled without reaching the surface per meter. Thus, the sewer pipe is supplied.

After laying it, the pipe is filled up, and the volume of the pit increases by this meter.

Sump construction

If you are building a cesspool for a summer cottage or at home, where you rarely visit, then it is cheaper and easier to build a cesspool without a bottom, that is, an absorbing pit.

The construction process will take place like this:

• at the first stage, a foundation pit is dug. To the desired depth, it is imperative to add space for a pillow - filter, which will help drain water to be absorbed into the soil;
• at the same time, the device of walls and sewer pipes is made, which are laid at an angle;
• laying the pipe inside the pit. This pipe should also enter the pit at an angle so that the liquid flows freely there;
• if the walls are made of bricks, then an overlap is made at the top and a hatch is installed.

Such a pit can be arranged in the simplest way, and with rare use it will serve for a long time and reliably.

If you live on the site permanently, then you should make the same hole, but cover its bottom with connected fittings and fill it with concrete. Then it will be airtight and safe. On the outside of the walls, you can also make waterproofing from roofing material or other materials. This will give strength to the cesspool.

It can also be installed in a pit and a sealed container of the required volume, as shown in the image below.

Sealed cesspool

The most inexpensive options in this case will be construction from a eurocube or using a plastic container.

The construction of a sealed pit goes through the following stages:

• digging a pit according to the size of the container;
• laying sewer pipes below the level of winter soil freezing;
• a ventilation outlet device, which is made so that harmful gases do not accumulate in an airtight container. Ventilation should be at a distance of 70 cm from the surface;
• the pit is covered with sand or earth.

This pit will require constant maintenance and pumping out, but you don't have to worry about its durability. It is ideal if the groundwater level in the area is high, but with this factor, the container needs to be anchored or strengthened by equipping the bottom, otherwise it may simply float up when the water rises higher in the spring.

Installation of floors

At the very end of construction, an overlap is made on the surface of the pit, which protects the walls from destruction and completes the structure of a permanent drain pit, making it safe.

The slabs are made of different materials, but in any case, they must be able to support the weight of two adults. Most often it is a concrete slab, which is laid ready-made or poured by hand.

Installation of floors in the form of a self-cast concrete slab goes through the following stages:

• the earth is dug in by 20 centimeters from different sides;
• formwork is made around the entire perimeter of the hatch;
• strengthening the slab with reinforcement. The section is 100-150 mm;
• the structure is poured with concrete and well bayonet to avoid air pockets;
• the concrete is leveled and hardened. This process can be considered completed in a month.

You can see an example of floor installation in the figure below.

After this work, the formwork is removed and the hatch can be installed. The overlap remains in the same form or is covered with soil for thermal insulation.