Country house, small sauna, a summer camp site or temporary living quarters being equipped for the period of construction of a capital structure - will not be comfortable enough for living without a sewerage system. But purchasing an expensive local treatment plant is not always advisable.

As alternative solution You can consider a simple septic tank made of lightweight polymer barrels, which are very easy to bring to the site and install with your own hands in a short time. There are also barrels made of metal, but due to the susceptibility of this material to corrosion, their use is not recommended. Wooden containers are even less durable. Their service life is no more than two seasons.

Principle of operation

Since a septic tank is a system in which household wastewater and waste not only accumulate, but are treated. For construction, you will need two or three barrels, which will become loading and secondary cleaning chambers. To make the system as efficient as possible, it is worth thinking about installing a drainage or storage well into which purified water from the septic tank will flow.

Let's consider the principle of operation of a two-chamber septic tank made of barrels, equipped with a storage well.

1. Used water (from the shower, toilet, etc.) flows into the drain hole, from where through the pipes of the internal and external sewerage flows by gravity into the first loading barrel-chamber.
2. The first chamber is called a “settlement tank”, since here, with the participation of constantly acting gravitational forces, wastewater settles. Light fractions and fats float to the top, heavy particles precipitate. In the center of the container, a layer of primary purified technical liquid is formed, which is transported through the overflow pipe into the second chamber-barrel.
3. The second post-treatment chamber is designed for better treatment of wastewater. Here, in an airless environment, colonies of microorganisms “work” (they are formed 2-5 weeks after the system is put into operation). For greater efficiency, preparations can be loaded into the post-treatment chamber to quickly decompose all sewage into water, sediment that falls to the bottom, as well as gases escaping through the ventilation pipe.
4. The degree of purification in the first two chambers can reach 80-90%. To increase the quality of cleaning, you can install another septic tank chamber, which will work on the principle of a post-treatment chamber. If the result suits you, then this measure is not relevant, and technically purified water will be transferred to a storage well.
5. The storage well has a sealed bottom, preventing water from penetrating into the ground. Disposal of liquid from the well is carried out using a sewer truck or drain pump subject to installation of filters.

Instead of a storage well, you can install a filter (drainage) well. In this case, all the liquid enters the well container, where, passing through a crushed stone filter, it is absorbed into the soil. The method is not applicable when high level groundwater and clayey soil type with low filtration capacity.

Where to begin?

Any sewerage construction requires a minimum design. As prescribed by the standards, cleaning chambers must not only be located at a distance from green spaces (at least 3 meters), the foundation of the house (5-10 m), reservoirs and wells (30-50 m), but also at the same time be located within the reach of a sewer truck. place. Of course, if you plan to carry out preventive cleaning of the septic tank with a drainage pump or bucket, the last rule loses its relevance.

Note! The septic tank should not be too far from the building to avoid the need to lay an excessively long pipeline. It is also not recommended to plan the laying of pipes with turns, as this may cause clogging of the pipe and an additional need for installing a rotary (inspection) well. The best option– a septic tank located 7-10 meters from the house and connected to the system internal sewerage direct pipeline Ø110 mm. For a pipe section of 10 meters (the difference between the opposite ends of the pipe) will be 20 cm.

It is important to have information about soil type and groundwater levels. The nuances of installation and the method of disposal of the purified liquid will depend on this.

Septic tanks differ from conventional sewage systems in the volume of wastewater processed. If when connecting to central system no matter the volume of water consumption, a small installation of barrels implies economical use of water (maximum washbasin, shower and toilet). At the same time, about connection washing machine there is no longer any talk. A three-chamber septic tank with a volume of about 250 liters is quite suitable for temporary living arrangements for 2-3 people. For more users, it is recommended to choose larger capacity barrels.

It is also theoretically necessary to register the fact of installing a septic tank at the SES, but this design of barrels is unlikely to be approved, so obtaining official permission is left to the discretion of the owners.

Preparation of materials and tools

A do-it-yourself septic tank from barrels is usually built on suburban areas, where people live periodically - for example, in summer period, and also as temporary sewerage at construction sites.

Nowadays it’s quite easy to buy ready-made autonomous system collection and treatment of sewage, manufactured in the factory. It can be used as a permanent structure for country house. But for installing a septic tank in a country house, where you only relax periodically and do not live permanently, there is no point in purchasing such a system due to its high cost and complexity of installation.

It’s much easier and financially smarter to do it yourself the simplest sewer system, using metal or plastic barrels (both used and completely new) for these purposes.

Such a septic tank is constructed from containers with a volume of 200–250 liters. It is clear that such tanks are not capable of containing a large number of drains. This fact is considered the main disadvantage of septic tanks made from barrels. But the described structures also have many advantages. They are very easy to install. All work on sewerage installation is done by hand.

Containers with a volume of 200 liters

The most labor-intensive operation when installing barrels is considered to be digging a pit for them. You can do this yourself or order special equipment. In the first case, the costs will be minimal, but in the second, the work will take very little time. The choice is yours.

If you want to use tanks or barrels made of metal, you should immediately take care of treating them with special anti-corrosion compounds. Such containers have low resistance to aggressive influences Wastewater. Without additional protection There is no point in using them due to rusting - in just a couple of seasons they will fail.

And here is the septic tank from plastic barrels with your own hands will last you much longer and without anti-corrosion protection. True, the installation of such tanks will be more difficult. This is due to the low weight of plastic containers. They will have to be additionally secured to eliminate the risk of barrels being pushed to the surface during spring floods.

About the process of constructing a septic tank from plastic products we will talk in great detail. It is precisely these autonomous temporary sewers that are most often built in dachas. Now let’s briefly talk about the principles of constructing a septic tank from iron tanks.

When arranging a septic tank from iron containers, it is necessary to dig a pit of suitable dimensions and be sure to concrete its bottom. Then prepare two barrels and drill holes on their sides. You will insert the outlet of the drainage pipe and the inlet of the overflow pipe into them. Remember - the pipe product coming from the house is always inserted into the first barrel with a certain slope. Due to this, wastewater will flow by gravity into the septic tank without any problems.

Important pro tips to follow when arranging a sewer system from metal barrels:

• the second metal container should be installed in the pit slightly lower than the first;
• use barrels with a volume of at least 200 liters;
• high-quality insulation of the septic tank on all sides is mandatory (there is no need to lay heat-insulating material only at the bottom of the pit);
• The tanks are backfilled with soil; the top of the septic tank is covered with roofing felt and lids made of wood or iron (do not forget to make a hole in the coating through which wastewater will be periodically pumped out of the tanks).

Construction of a sewer system from metal barrels

If you want to increase the volume of the structure in question, it is possible to install several barrels on top of each other and weld them together. In addition, additional iron jumpers can be mounted. They will provide more reliable fastening barrel All joints between barrels should be thoroughly waterproofed. For this, hot bitumen is most often used.

Let's say it right away. No matter how you arrange the system from iron barrels, after 3-4 years, metal tanks will have to be replaced. They will begin to rot and rust under the influence of aggressive wastewater.

Despite the ease of installation of such sewers, you will have to clearly plan all the activities. First, decide where exactly you will install the septic tank. It must be removed from the garage, sauna and other outbuildings by 1–2 meters, and from residential building– 5 meters (at least). The wastewater collection facility is not built next to a well or well, from where clean water is supplied to the house.

Next, select your scheme autonomous sewerage. For several people using country septic tank in the warm season, a system of three barrels, which are connected in series with each other, is recommended. Note! The first two containers must have a bottom (they act as settling chambers), the third - without it. The last barrel is essentially a filter well.

Barrel sewer system

Principles for installing plastic containers:

• The second barrel is placed at the bottom of the pit 10 cm below the first, the third - lower by the same 10 cm in relation to the second.
• Under the first two tanks you need to arrange a pillow from (its height is about 10 cm).
• The barrels are connected to each other by sewer pipes (they are called overflow pipes). In this case, the outgoing tubular product is located 10 cm below the incoming one.
• Under a barrel that does not have a bottom, you should make a special cake - a layer (0.3 m) plus a layer of sand (0.5 m). Such a pillow is necessary for the final purification of wastewater absorbed into the ground.

If the groundwater at your dacha is located high enough, filtration fields are installed instead of the third barrel.

Now purchase the materials that will be required for the construction of a septic tank (barrels, geotextiles, small crushed stone, angles for connecting pipe products, 110 mm sewer pipes, sand) and proceed to the next stage of the planned event.

The pit for the septic tank is dug manually or using vehicles. According to its parameters, the pit is made larger than the geometric dimensions of the plastic containers used. Along the entire perimeter of the pit, the distance between its sides and the barrels is maintained at 0.25 m.

The bottom of the dug pit needs:

• compact well;
• cover with sand (arrange a 10-centimeter sand cushion);
• pour concrete solution;
• mount metal embedded elements in the resulting base (barrels will be fixed to them, so they must have hinges).

Experts advise additionally attaching plastic tanks to concrete base using special belts (they are called bandage belts). They provide a 100% guarantee that during a flood the barrels will not float to the surface.

Fastening plastic tanks

Now let's move on to plastic containers. In the one that will be installed first, we make a hole (it must be at a distance of 0.2 m from the tank lid) for the pipe coming from the residential building. Another hole is cut on the opposite side of the chamber (relative to the first one, it is shifted down by 0.1 m).

Also, another hole is made in the first container. It will be needed to connect the ventilation riser. Important tip! It is advisable to equip the first barrel with a removable lid. After settling the wastewater, a huge amount of solid waste always remains in this tank. This means that you will have to clean it more often.

Drill holes in the second plastic container in the same way. If you plan to build filtration fields, you need to cut two holes in the second barrel, placing them at a 45-degree angle to each other. These holes are needed for installation drainage pipes.

Installation of a septic tank, filtration well and filtration fields

The installation work flow diagram is as follows:

1. Place two plastic barrels in the pit.
2. Connect the pipes to the cameras.
3. Do you do backfill tanks using a composition consisting of cement (dry powder) and sand. This backfill perfectly protects the structure from destruction during soil movements. The mixture is supplied in layers of 0.25–0.3 m, and each layer must be compacted. At the same time as filling, pour water into the containers. This way you will protect the barrels from deformation.
4. Pour a cushion of sand and crushed stone onto the installation site of the third tank (a well for filtering wastewater), place the last barrel on the resulting pie and pour fine crushed stone into it (about a third).

Your septic tank for your dacha is ready!

If, instead of a filtration well, you planned to construct filtration fields, the arrangement of the latter is carried out as follows:

1. To install drainage pipes, dig trenches of the required size. They must have a slope (per meter of pipe products - 2 cm).
2. You lay geotextiles at the bottom of the trenches, and throw its cuts on the sides over the sides of the ditch.
3. Cover the geotextile material with crushed stone (height 0.3 m).
4. Place pipes for drainage on the crushed stone layer. As such it is allowed to use homemade products(make holes in regular steel pipes). But it is better to use factory perforated pipes.
5. Fill the trench with a layer of crushed stone and lay geotextiles on top (the overlap width is about 0.1 m).

All you have to do is fill the ditch with soil. Fields for filtering wastewater have been made.

Today you can easily buy ready septic tank industrial production or build capital treatment plants yourself. But if you need to organize temporary sewerage or wastewater volume in country house is small, you can use simpler and available solutions. For example, build DIY septic tank from plastic barrels . Such a treatment plant will help make life more comfortable and at the same time cope well with the wastewater treatment tasks assigned to it.

Building a house is quite a long process. In order not to give up your usual amenities during construction, you can build a temporary local sewer system - homemade septic tank. It can be assembled from two 200 liter plastic barrels.

To build such an installation, you can use old, but leak-free plastic barrels. The use of metal barrels is impractical, since the metal is quickly destroyed by sewage. An installation made from metal barrels will not last long.

A septic tank made from barrels is easy installation, but it’s still more convenient cesspool or storage. Such a septic tank purifies rather than heats the water, so the need for pumping occurs less frequently.

When can you build a septic tank from barrels?

Today there are many different models of septic tanks offered by manufacturers. But they are all quite expensive to build, so in some cases it is advisable not to spend money, but to assemble a septic tank using plastic barrels. The advantages of this option include:

• Cheapness. To construct the chambers, you can use used plastic containers with a capacity of 200-250 liters;
• Simplicity of the device. The construction work of such a septic tank is not complicated.

The main disadvantage of a septic tank assembled from barrels is the limited volume of chambers. The small volume that a septic tank has from barrels is the reason that there will be a need for frequent pumping of sediment.

Advice! It is clear that with a chamber volume equal to the volume of the barrel (200 or 250 liters), the amount of waste should be minimal.

A septic tank assembled from barrels is perfect in the following cases:

• Dachas that are used only as a place for periodic recreation. That is, dachas where permanent residence not planned;
• Traditional baths (without a swimming pool, jacuzzi and toilet), in this case, the septic tank will not require frequent pumping;
• For construction sheds as temporary installations.

Planning stage

Even the construction of such a simple installation as a septic tank assembled from two barrels must begin with planning. You should choose the location of the septic tank, and also draw up a diagram of the future treatment plant.

Choosing an installation location

Just like any other installation local sewer, the septic tank should be located at a distance from the well or well from which production is carried out drinking water. In addition, the septic tank must be located at least 5 meters from the foundation of a residential building and 1 meter from other structures on the site (bathhouse, garage, etc.).

The possibility of pumping out sediment should also be considered. If a sewage truck will be used for pumping, access to the septic tank must be provided.

Selecting an installation scheme

If the cottage will be used by 2-3 vacationers, then you can choose the following septic tank design:

• Two or three barrels connected in series, the last of which has no bottom and serves as a filter well;
• Each subsequent barrel is located 10 cm lower than the previous one;
• The barrels are connected by overflow pipes. The pipe entering the septic tank is located 10 cm above the exit pipe;

• Under the first two barrels, which are used as settling tanks, sand cushion made of sand 10 cm high;
• Under the last barrel, which has no bottom, a 30-centimeter cushion of crushed stone and a 50-centimeter cushion of sand are first made. This layer is used for final purification of water that is absorbed into the soil;
• If soil water is located high on the site and installing a filter well is not possible, it is necessary to construct filtration fields.

Materials for the construction of a septic tank

• Two barrels made of plastic, 250 liters in volume. If you plan to install a filtration well, then you will need another barrel without a bottom. The use of metal barrels is possible if a temporary sewer system is being built that will be used for several months.
• Fine crushed stone – the size of individual elements is 1.8-3.5 cm;
• Geotextiles;
• Sewer pipes having a diameter of 110 mm;
• Drainage pipes for the construction of filtration fields;
• Angles for connecting pipes.

Septic tank installation

Let's look at how a septic tank assembled from barrels should be installed.

Barrel preparation

• It is necessary to prepare a hole for connecting inlet and outlet pipes. In the first barrel you need to make a hole for the incoming pipe at a distance of 20 cm from top cover barrels. The inlet hole is made on the opposite side of the barrel, moving it 10 cm down relative to the first;

• In addition, you need to make a hole in the first barrel for the ventilation riser. It is better to make the lid of the first barrel removable, since it is in this chamber that solid waste will accumulate the most, so it will need to be cleaned regularly;
• In the second settling barrel, the hole for the incoming pipe is made at a distance of 20 cm from the top cover. The outlet pipe is located on the opposite side of the barrel, 10 cm above the opening of the inlet pipe. If drainage pipes leading to the filtration fields are connected to the barrel, then it is better to make two holes in it, located at an angle of 45 degrees to each other.

Pit preparation

• The pit should be larger in size than the barrels. The gap between the walls of the barrels and the sides of the pit should be about 25 cm around the entire perimeter;
• The bottom of the pit must be well compacted, after which a sand cushion 10 cm high should be made;

• If possible, fill the bottom of the pit concrete mortar. Embeds should be installed in concrete metal parts with loops for securing barrels;

Advice! If a septic tank from barrels is being built as a permanently operating installation, then it is recommended to secure the barrels to concrete slab using bandage straps. If this is not done, then in the spring during a flood the barrels may float and destroy the entire sewer system.

• When preparing the pit, you need to remember that each subsequent chamber was located lower than the previous one. That is, the outlet pipe of the previous chamber should be at the level of the inlet of the next one.

Installation of a septic tank

• The barrels are installed in prepared places, pipes are connected to them;
• Backfilling of containers is carried out using a mixture of sand and dry cement powder. This backfill will protect the septic tank from damage due to seasonal soil movements;
• Backfilling must be done very carefully so as not to damage the joints of the pipes with the chambers;

• Having poured about 30 cm of the mixture, you need to compact it well around the perimeter of the barrel. Then you can start filling the next layer;
• Simultaneously with filling, you need to fill the barrels with water. Filling the containers with water will prevent deformation of the plastic walls when backfilling.

Construction of soil treatment plants

In order for the water settled in settling chambers to be completely cleared of impurities and contaminants, it is necessary to build filtration fields or a filtration well.

Construction of a filtration well

• To construct a filtration well, you can use a barrel without a bottom. Additionally, it is recommended to make holes in the bottom of the barrel;
• Before installing the prepared container, sand is poured into the pit, the layer height is 50 cm. Then you need to pour crushed stone, the height of the layer is 30 cm. The diameter of the backfill layer should be 50 cm larger than the diameter of the barrel in all directions from the side of the barrel;
• After installing the container in place, it should be filled to a third of its height with crushed stone.

Constructing filter fields

• Trenches are dug for laying drainage pipes. The trenches must be prepared so that the pipe lies on a slope. The slope size is 2 cm per meter of length;
• When building a septic tank from barrels, as a rule, the aeration field is constructed from two drainage pipes diverted from the second settling chamber;
• Ditches prepared for laying pipes are covered with geotextile fabric so that the side sections of the material cover the sides;
• A thirty-centimeter layer of crushed stone is poured on top of the geotest, on which drainage pipes are laid;

Advice! You can purchase already perforated pipes or make holes in ordinary pipes, intended for the assembly of external sewerage systems. In the latter case, you will need to drill holes for water outlet yourself.

• The pipes are covered with crushed stone on top, and then the whole thing is wrapped in geotextiles. The fabric is wrapped so that an overlap of 10 cm wide is formed;
• The last stage of work is backfilling the trenches with soil.

So, a septic tank made from plastic barrels is an inexpensive and practical solution for a bathhouse, construction shed or cottage. This installation cleans wastewater and does not require frequent pumping.

To the owners country houses you don’t want to give up your usual city amenities and have to install a sewer system on your property yourself. Often it is a simple cesspool made from a barrel or something else, but if there is running water and household members actively use plumbing fixtures, its capabilities will clearly not be enough.

The dacha sewerage scheme includes a sewage collector, internal and external pipeline networks. Depending on the financial opportunities, the collector is built of brick, concrete rings, large in size car tires, eurocubes or 200 l barrels.

Sewage scheme with a barrel as a septic tank

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

It is quite possible to equip a septic tank for a dacha with your own hands. Before starting work, draw up detailed diagram sewerage installations. Drawings can be seen in the photo. The location must be marked on the diagram storage capacity, internal and external wiring pipeline network. Building codes and the rules determine the required angle of inclination of the pipes, features of the collector design and other parameters. Please note that simply pouring wastewater into a pit without pumping pollutes the soil and nearby aquifers.

Requirements for the placement of treatment facilities on a summer cottage

Treatment facilities at a summer cottage should be located no closer than thirty meters from reservoirs, wells and artesian wells. In order to bad smell did not penetrate into residential premises, the minimum distance of the septic tank from the house is five meters. This distance should not be extended much either, since this will significantly increase the cost of laying the external sewer network.

Minimum distances from septic tank to various objects

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

Types of country sewerage

The easiest way to do it yourself is to make a regular cesspool for a private home or cottage into which waste will simply be drained. At the same time, it will pollute environment. To prevent unpleasant consequences, a sealed container.

The simplest cesspool from a barrel

This is a more acceptable way of arranging a waste disposal system, but in this case, frequent “visits” of the sewer truck are necessary. More modern look The dacha sewage system is a septic tank in which the liquid fraction of waste settles and, after filtration, is removed from the collector. The use of bacteria that decompose organic matter helps to create a septic tank without pumping.

Sealed cesspool

To construct a cesspool, dig a pit at least two meters deep. If the terrain of the site is difficult, it is located at the lowest level.

Sealed drain hole convenient for small waste volumes

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

Filter well

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

Construction of a filter well made of a plastic barrel

This design of the treatment plant makes it possible to pump out waste from the tank much less frequently, since it is filled only with solid fragments. The quality of wastewater treatment is improved if you install not one, but several filter wells connected to each other by overflow pipes.

Applying a filter field

Using a filtration field helps to make a septic tank without pumping. Its design requires a large area of ​​free space on the site.

Device of a small filtration field

The filtration field is an underground area in which sedimentation and purification of wastewater passing through the sewer occurs. From there they are discharged through perforated pipes into the drainage system.

Using the gutter

It’s good if it’s close to a storage facility sewer tank runs through gutter. In this case, the wastewater passing through the collector can be directed directly into it. To do this, they dig a hole near the canal, filling it with crushed stone or gravel as a filter layer. Wastewater is sent there, which, after passing through the filter, enters the drainage ditch.

Options for materials for a septic tank in the country

Depending on financial capabilities, the septic tank at the dacha is made from the most various materials. With virtually no material costs, you can get discarded tires from your nearest tire repair shop or auto company. large diameter.

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

Tires from the Kirovets tractor are suitable. They are laid on top of each other in a dug pit. A septic tank made from ready-made concrete rings is even faster and more reliable. The wastewater receiver can be lined with brickwork. Large-volume barrels and so-called Eurocubes, which are sealed containers, are also used. plastic containers.

When installed, they are concreted on the sides, since they are light in weight and can move when the ground water level rises.

Installation depth of the septic tank and pipe laying

Installation depth of septic tank and backfill sewer pipe directly depends on the level of soil freezing in a particular region. If wastewater freezes in sewer system, they will burst the pipes, and in the spring everything will have to start again.

A sewer pipe used only in summer does not need to be buried

The optimal volume of a septic tank in the country

The required volume of a septic tank at a dacha depends on the number of people permanently residing there. It is believed that one person consumes up to two hundred liters of water per day. By multiplying this figure by the number of household members and increasing the resulting value by approximately twenty percent, we obtain the optimal volume of storage capacity.

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

Construction of a simple cesspool from a 200 liter barrel

A cesspool from a 200 liter barrel can be easily made with your own hands. For its arrangement, it is better to choose plastic containers. Compared with metal products they have the following advantages:

• excellent resistance to aggressive chemical environments;
• more for a long time services;
• simplified installation due to low weight;
• no need for anti-corrosion treatment;
• high levels of tightness.

A plastic barrel can serve as a cesspool for a long time

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

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

Assembling and connecting a septic tank from plastic barrels with your own hands is not particularly difficult. First, a pit is dug to bury the tanks in the ground. For better cleaning wastewater, two plastic containers with a volume of at least two hundred liters each should be installed. They are connected to each other using an overflow pipe.

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

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The following video has been carefully selected and will certainly help you understand what is presented.

In a country house that is rarely used, an expensive industrial septic tank is usually not installed. Alternative – wastewater treatment plants from inexpensive plastic or metal barrels. The article talks about design features similar structures.

Manufacturers offer cleaning devices with varying performance and a wide price range. Many owners summer cottages prefer to make them with their own hands. This option is in demand for good reasons:

• saving money - purchasing material at a low cost, including used ones, choosing where it is cheaper;
• use of existing containers on the farm;
• the possibility of using a modular scheme - options for future changes and additions are calculated in advance.

Review by Golodov A.N. At the dacha, I first built a septic tank from barrels for the toilet. Then I connected the bathhouse, kitchen, and washing machine. To do this, I prepared the connection points in advance: I cut the pipes into containers and plugged them for a while.

How does a wastewater treatment plant work?

The homemade design consists of several containers located nearby. They are connected by pipes. Sections are filled sequentially, which is achieved by installing the overflow at different heights. Wastewater treatment occurs mechanically:

• large particles settle in the first barrel;
• the clarified liquid from the filled container flows into the second;
• it can be final and serve to filter liquid into the soil;
• with a three-chamber version of the septic tank, additional treatment occurs in the same way as in the first section.

The bottom of the last barrel is cut out and a backfill of crushed stone, gravel or sand is made, which serves as a filter. Layer thickness up to one meter. The first containers remain sealed.

This is what a two-chamber septic tank with access to the filter field looks like

Removing clarified wastewater into the ground provides optimal results, but if groundwater is close, the method is unacceptable. To ensure environmental safety, a filtration field is installed. These are perforated pipes insulated with geotextiles that are buried in trenches. The exit is made from the last chamber.

The most common and efficient scheme of three sections. If the drainage is kitchen or comes from a bathhouse, two containers are enough for the washing machine. Such waste can also be cleaned immediately in the last chamber by connecting pipes directly to it, bypassing the previous ones.

Important! The drainage from the toilet must be filtered according to a complete scheme.

Characteristics and cost of materials

Plastic or metal containers are suitable for sewage. To anticipate possible mistakes in installation, you should know about the advantages and disadvantages of materials. The comparison table will help you figure it out:

Plastic		Metal
pros	Minuses	Advantages	Flaws
Light weight, easy to ship and install	It is required to be securely fixed to the foundation so that the spring flood does not destroy the system	Robust design, no additional fastening required
	Frost can compress the container	Tough, not afraid of exposure to cold
Completely sealed		Waterproof if the walls and bottom are intact
Are not afraid of corrosion and harmful effects chemical substances, which are contained in wastewater			Over time they are destroyed by rust, the service life depends on the reliability of treatment with an anti-corrosion compound

Mostly products made from other liquids are used, which are sold wholesale and individually. Prices for used ones are low. There are few manufacturers of new barrels for the construction of a small septic tank.

It is better to buy unwashed barrels of fuel and lubricants. They have on inner surface a film is formed that protects against corrosion.

Manager of the Second-Tara company V.N. Martynov

Cost table for 200 liter barrels:

Correct choice of volume and location of construction

Standardized water consumption is 200 liters per day per person. The capacity of the septic tank is calculated for 72 hours. During this time, a structure of three 200-liter barrels processes this volume. If you regularly use water in large quantities, this is enough for one person. In fact, consumption is lower and can be reduced by using, for example, a shower rather than a bath. Structures of this type are used mainly for summer cottages with temporary residence or for bathhouses. The volume is increased by installing three chambers rather than two.

How more capacity camera, the further its location from the house

The second requirement concerns sanitary rules. Distance from wells or boreholes is 30–50 meters, fruit-bearing trees, berry bushes, vegetable garden - 3 m. To the road - 5 meters.

Preparing everything necessary for construction

Purchase materials. The main ones include:

• sewer pipes 110 mm;
• fittings, turns for the main - the quantity is determined by the project;
• barrels.

It is advisable to buy thick-walled containers in order to achieve a rigid connection with the pipes. WITH thin material The seal may be compromised due to soil pressure.

Others are purchasing Consumables. They take care of the insulation of the chambers in advance to protect them from freezing - they buy thermal insulation. Need seam sealant . It is recommended to use automotive polyurethane, silicone is short-lived. The foundation for a barrel requires cement, sand, and crushed stone. The reinforcement can be made from any iron rods; there is no need to weld, just twist it with wire. Sand is required without clay and organic impurities.

After choosing a location and purchasing materials, construction begins.

Construction of a septic tank from plastic barrels

They start by preparing the containers. In one filtration chamber, cut out the bottom using a jigsaw or grinder. All chambers are connected by pipes, so holes with a diameter of 110 mm are cut out in the sidewalls. The entrance hole to the first container is located higher, all the others are 10–20 cm lower than the previous one.

If you plan to build a filtration field, then two holes are cut in the last barrel at an angle of 45° to one another. Drainage pipes are subsequently connected here.

The depth of each trench exceeds the previous one by 10 cm

Having outlined circles whose diameter is 25 cm larger than the size of the barrels, they begin to dig a pit. All containers are placed on the same line with a distance of 30 cm between them. First, dig a hole for the first barrel.

The bottom of the first sealed pits is covered with a 10 cm thick layer of sand and compacted. Next, the reinforcement is laid, slightly raised above the surface. The ends of the rods are bent and brought above the expected thickness of the concrete. Barrels are then tied to them, or the second option is used, when the hooks are filled with solution.

Advice. Alternative option– threaded rods. Hooks are made from them, metal plates are secured with nuts in a straight section, and fixed in cement mortar.

The last chamber is filtration. It is covered with a layer river sand 30 cm, on top - crushed stone or pebbles, expanded clay. The total thickness is adjusted to 0.8–1 m.

Start assembling the barrels:

1. Install containers in pits. They are fixed to the foundation using one of the methods described above and insulated.
2. Cover with removable lids. They serve to pump out wastewater when necessary.
3. Ventilation is constructed above the barrels from a pipe with a diameter of 50 mm. The minimum quantity is above the first one, but it is better to supply everything. Then the unpleasant smell will not be heard.
4. The containers are connected by pipes, observing the slope. All joints are coated with sealant. If it is automotive, the surface can be painted.

Hatches are raised above the surface to a height of 20 cm

Fill the pit with dry sand and cement. It is important to guard against mistakes. To prevent it from being crushed, add a little water into the barrel, fill the space layer by layer with the mixture and tamp it down.

Features of installation of metal barrels

It is easier and cheaper to purchase iron containers, especially if they have been used before, than plastic ones. Installation is almost no different, the procedure is the same. Larger volume chambers are constructed from metal barrels, stacked one on top of the other. Will need welding machine and the ability to own it so as not to attract outside help. Stiffening ribs are installed at the connection points. Their absence sometimes leads to squeezing of the container, especially with thin walls.

The volume of the septic tank is doubled by placing one barrel on top of another

You can use plastic pipes by sealing the seams with sealant. To cut holes, it is better to use a jigsaw and a metal file. Bulgarian is more difficult to achieve round shape. Before installation in pits, protect the surfaces on both sides with bitumen or anti-corrosion paint. It is advisable to remove rust earlier. Anchoring the containers is not necessary, but it is better to do it - it is not difficult and easier than with a plastic barrel.

Answers on questions

Question No. 1. Is it necessary to secure the filtration chamber, since there is no foundation at the bottom?

It is better to fix it to avoid being squeezed out by frost or soil waters. It is done in a slightly different way. 3-4 iron rods are driven into the bottom. A barrel is tied to them with belts.