Autonomous sewerage is the detail without which comfortable living in your own home is impossible. How to independently make its simplest version – a cesspool, is described in this article..
Before arranging an autonomous sewage system in a country house, you need to decide on its type. If the budget allows, then you can buy a ready-made septic tank, consisting of several containers with an overflow system and bioprocessing of waste. Alternatively, you can make a similar design yourself. This business is quite time consuming and also not cheap. The simplest and most inexpensive option is to independently equip a cesspool.
A cesspool is a well dug in the ground, into which waste flows down the sewer pipes. Over time, the pit fills up and therefore needs to be pumped out regularly. For this, a special sewer truck is called, which independently carries out all the necessary operations. It is quite obvious that for convenience it makes sense to make a cesspool of such a volume that you have to use the services of a sewer at least twice a month..
Let’s try to calculate the required volume of a cesspool for a family of three. Average daily water consumption per person is 150-200 liters. Thus, we multiply 150 liters by 3 people and by 15 days, we get 6750 liters or 6.75 m3. This is the minimum required volume of the cesspool..
Since there is a risk of soil contamination with waste, it is recommended to make the pit either sealed, or remove it from the house, a water intake well and similar structures at a distance of at least 40 m.If there is close groundwater on the site, then this distance must be further increased. If the site is not horizontal, then the cesspool must be made at the lowest point of the site, not forgetting to provide unhindered access to it for the sewer truck.
The following will tell you how to make a pit with a volume of 7 m on your own3 with brick walls.
This will require the following materials:
- Brick – about 1500 pcs.
- Cement-sand mixture – approximately 1 m3 for masonry and 1 m3 for arranging the bottom and cover. You can buy ready-made in bags, but it’s cheaper to knead yourself.
Instruments:
- Shovel.
- Mason’s trowel.
- Rammer (you can use a log with a flat base and a diameter of about 10 cm).
Work order
1. A hole is dug with a diameter of 2.5 m and a depth of 2.8 m.
2. A ditch is dug under the sewer pipe. The slope should be 1 cm per 1 m running ditch. It is not recommended to do more, otherwise the natural washing of the walls of the sewer pipe will be disrupted. Less is also undesirable, otherwise the water will stagnate, and there will be a risk of freezing in winter. The depth of the ditch should not be less than the freezing depth (1 m at the exit from the house, then in accordance with the required slope).
3. A sewer pipe with a diameter of 110 mm is laid. With the indicated dimensions of the pit, its useful volume (up to the lower edge of the pipe) is just about 7 m3. If everything is done correctly, then the pipe does not need additional insulation.
4. The bottom of the resulting pit is filled up. If you plan to make it airtight, then you need to use clay. Otherwise, you can cover it with sand. On the prepared base, a retaining annular wall of brick is erected. The space between the outer side of the brick and the inner side of the pit is filled with material with the required waterproofing properties (clay or sand) and compacted with a rammer.
5. Row by row, a brick wall is erected to the edge of the pit, bypassing the lead pipe.
6. To prevent melt and rainwater from getting inside, it makes sense to raise the wall above the ground to a height of about 50 cm.
7. Next, the bottom of the pit and its top are concreted. A solution is simply poured onto the bottom (fragments of bricks can be used to fill the volume). On the upper part – a wooden board is made, roofing material is laid, formwork is made around the perimeter (you can use bricks), fittings are laid and mortar is poured. Be sure to leave a hole for the hatch.
8. After the mortar has solidified, the formwork is removed and the entire structure is covered with earth. All that remains is to make a hatch, connect a plumbing fixture to the pipe and use it, not forgetting to clean the pit from the contents in due time.
I would like to know more about building a cesspool. Can anyone provide step-by-step instructions on how to create one using materials easily accessible and suitable for this purpose? Additionally, are there any specific regulations or precautions I should be aware of while building a cesspool on my own? Thank you.
Building a cesspool requires digging a large hole in the ground and lining it with sturdy materials like concrete blocks or bricks. The hole should be deep enough to hold wastewater and solid waste, with a perforated pipe at the bottom for drainage. Make sure to cover the cesspool with a secure lid to prevent any accidents.
It is important to check with local authorities for any regulations or permits needed before constructing a cesspool. It’s also crucial to keep the cesspool a safe distance away from wells, water sources, and property boundaries to prevent contamination.
Overall, building a cesspool should be done carefully and with appropriate materials to ensure its efficacy and safety. Consulting with a professional or an experienced individual for guidance can also be beneficial in this process.