The idea of building a septic tank sooner or later arises in any owner of a summer cottage or country house. Local sewerage, along with water supply and heating, allows you to spend time outside the city without giving up your usual comfort.
Agree, not every summer resident is ready to spend a considerable amount of money to buy a septic tank. Many thrifty owners solve the problem by independently constructing a waste storage tank.
At the stage of designing an autonomous sewer system, you will have to select a container for the septic tank, calculate its volume, and study the requirements for the placement and installation of the tank. All these questions are described in detail in the article.
Types of containers for septic tanks
Choosing an autonomous sewer system for a country house is a strategic question. The range of containers for collecting and cleaning sewage is wide. When choosing the optimal design of a septic tank, you must, first of all, evaluate the conditions of its operation, the availability of free space, the groundwater level, as well as the desired degree of wastewater treatment.
The main materials for the manufacture of containers for septic tanks are concrete (concrete rings) and plastic (polyethylene and polypropylene). According to the degree of efficiency of wastewater treatment, they can be divided into:
Aeration units
Complex technical devices with compressors, aerators and airlifts. The degree of purification reaches 98%;
Biological treatment systems
Septic tanks with pumps and biofilter. Purification degree - 95%;
Overflow septic tanks
Non-volatile septic tanks are made of concrete rings or plastic. Degree of purification 60 - 70%;
Storage tanks for sewerage
There is no cleaning. The wastewater is pumped out using a sewer truck as it is filled.
What features does the design have?
The more sections the wastewater passes through, the cleaner it becomes at the final stage. The most common model is a three-section one, designed to filter viscous dark brown wastewater.
At the final stage, a hole is made in the last barrel that opens onto the filtration field. This post-treatment drainage mechanism consists of perforated pipes located underground. The pipeline is placed in trenches, where geotexile is preliminarily laid, and sand/gravel is backfilled on top.
Note! Such a complex structure is recommended to be installed to clean the dirtiest sewage.
To clean light dirt from a bathhouse or kitchen, one or two compartments are enough. The simplest two-chamber system consists of tanks and an outer plastic pipe with a diameter of 110 mm. If the diameter is smaller, the structure will not cope with a large amount of waste. Iron barrels are installed if groundwater is below 8 meters; if the level is slightly higher, there is no better option than plastic containers.
The slope of the sewer line is 0.03. The vertical value is 3 cm per meter. The post-treatment of light wastewater is carried out in an absorption well located in a second tank filled with gravel/sand.
Septic tank made of polypropylene
Containers made of durable sheet polypropylene with a thickness of 8-12 mm depending on the volume are highly resistant to abrasives, acids, alkalis, and have zero hygroscopicity. All seam connections are made by extrusion welding with seam quality control. The body of the septic tank made of polypropylene will serve properly for 50 years.
There are cylindrical (round) or square containers on the market. The cylindrical shape is optimal for resisting compression by the soil, and stiffening ribs and lugs on the base ensure the stability of the structure in the ground.
Video: Operation of a biofilter in a biological treatment plant
The high degree of wastewater purification achieved directly inside the housing allows such systems to be called “no pumping” septic tanks.
Septic tank made of polyethylene
They are made from low-density polyethylene using the rotational molding method, due to which they are immediately seamless. Polyethylene of the LLDPE modification is environmentally friendly and is resistant to aggressive environments and chemical pollution.
It should be noted that during rotational molding, the product may have unequal wall thickness, which can negatively affect the performance properties of the septic tank. In addition, polyethylene has low strength, i.e. In order to avoid damage to the walls of the housing, you must be extremely careful when backfilling the polyethylene septic tank with uncleaned sand.
Polyethylene containers or barrels for sewage
Polyethylene serves as a construction material for barrels (Eurocubes), which are used for the manufacture of homemade treatment plants.
Septic tank made of polyethylene containers
When living seasonally in a country house and with a small number of users, the owners sometimes simply dig several plastic barrels into the ground into which household waste flows. Sometimes drainage holes are made in barrels or the bottom is cut off altogether to allow wastewater to seep through the ground. Such sewer tanks do not have stiffeners. Therefore, in order to avoid compression by soil, it is necessary to strengthen the walls of the pit with bricks, car tires or concrete.
The storage tank is pumped out as it fills. The disadvantages of such a cleaning system include not only the high costs of frequent sewage disposal and the danger of environmental pollution due to overfilling of the container, but also design imperfections that result in unpleasant odors spreading throughout your area.
Installation stages
In order to properly make a toilet in a country house with a toilet and a modern sewer system, you need to properly prepare and dig a barrel according to the following instructions:
- Select a location for installing the drain tank in accordance with special requirements.
- Dig a hole corresponding to the dimensions of the barrel being installed, taking into account the filter pad.
- Fill the bottom of the pit with crushed stone and sand to form a filter.
- After compacting the materials, install a pre-prepared barrel without a bottom.
- Connect a drain pipe to the container that carries waste from the house's sewer system.
- Fill the side cavities between the barrel and the walls of the pit with soil.
- Install the cover.
- Test the system.
Advice! To get rid of the characteristic sewer odors near the tank and inside the house, it is necessary to install ventilation. To do this, a pipe up to 3 meters high, topped with a fungus to protect against precipitation, must be installed in the hole in the lid of the barrel or in the tee of the drain pipe.
Advantages of plastic septic tanks
The main advantages of plastic structures for a country house include:
Price
You can buy a septic tank at a relatively low price compared to other sewage tanks, which additionally require equipment for post-treatment systems.
Dimensions
Small dimensions and weight. The lightweight plastic septic tank is easy to transport and install. Three people can handle its installation without the use of a crane. The body of a factory-made plastic septic tank is divided into 3 compartments, in which wastewater is sequentially settled and clarified. Due to the fact that wastewater treatment occurs inside the station, there is no need to allocate space on the site for massive post-treatment facilities.
Completely sealed
If the groundwater in your area is located high, then an autonomous sewage system made of reinforced concrete rings will not be able to provide sufficient tightness;
Durability
Guaranteed service life - 50 years. Plastic septic tanks do not corrode like metal ones and, unlike concrete ones, have excellent resistance to aggressive environments.
Modern polymer compositions are environmentally friendly, do not absorb water, and retain their performance properties at temperature fluctuations from −50°C to +100°C.
Briefly about the main thing
If the volume of sewage from a private or country house does not exceed 1 cubic meter per day and is less than the capacity of the drain tank for a single discharge, then a 200 liter barrel can be used to install a toilet. In this case, a septic tank of this kind will be single-chamber, and most of the liquid fraction from the wastewater will be filtered and absorbed by the lower layers of the soil.
Barrels for the cesspool can be made of plastic and metal, specially designed for this purpose and equipped with appropriate devices, or ordinary household ones. The main advantages of plastic specimens are durability, inertness to corrosion and aggressive environments, the disadvantage is low mechanical strength and insufficient frost resistance. The advantage of metal barrels is their high strength; the disadvantages are associated with a short service life due to susceptibility to rust.
The location for the arrangement of the drain tank must meet the following requirements:
- At least 10 meters from the house.
- Minimum 7-8 m to utility structures.
- Location on the leeward side of the house.
- To the water source - from 20 m, to the water supply - at least 10 m.
- To the fence of the site - from 1 m.
When choosing a barrel, the volume of wastewater, the nature of operation, the type of soil and the budget of the event are taken into account. The installation of the sewerage system should be carried out according to the instructions in compliance with technical rules.
Ratings 0
Price for septic tanks
The cost of a turnkey septic tank consists of the price of the product, the cost of installation, the cost of wastewater treatment and subsequent maintenance. For example, let’s take buildings designed for 3 people (with a productivity of 0.6 m³ per day). We get 4 price categories:
30,000 rubles
Construction of a septic tank from three concrete rings will cost you an average of 30 thousand rubles. Their installation will require the use of a crane and free space on the site.
The prefabricated structure does not guarantee complete tightness of the containers - it is possible for untreated wastewater to seep into the ground and fill the septic tank with groundwater. Additional costs will be required for the purchase and installation of plastic sealed inserts.
Installation requires additional costs for the rental of special equipment and the purchase of waterproofing materials. Installation time is 2-3 days.
45,000 rubles
An overflow, non-volatile septic tank made of polyethylene with three compartments costs from 45 thousand rubles without taking into account the arrangement of drainage systems that require additional treatment of clarified wastewater.
Once a year it is necessary to remove sedimentary contaminants using a sewer truck. No special equipment is needed during installation; installation time is 1 day.
60,000 rubles
A local sewerage station made of polypropylene with three compartments, a pump and a biofilter will cost from 60 thousand rubles. Electricity is required to power the recirculation pump. A timer for pump operation is included.
Due to the high degree of biological decomposition of coarse contaminants, sludge removal can be carried out every 2 years. The pumped-out sludge can be stored in a compost pit and, after fermentation, used as fertilizer. No special equipment is required for installation; installation time is 1 day.
70,000 rubles
The aeration unit is made of corrosion-resistant monolithic sheet polypropylene and is the most effective treatment facility providing deep biological treatment of domestic wastewater.
It is equipped with an aeration compressor and airlifts for supplying wastewater to the aeration tank and removing sludge from the settling tank; there are modifications with an additional biofilter. Requires electricity supply. Cost - from 70 thousand rubles. Maintenance: once a year, clean the airlifts and compressor filters, once every 2 years, pump out solid sediment with a fecal pump or a sewer truck.
Article: 2230845-276
Eurolos PRO 5+
Aeration biological treatment plant
- Capacity 1 m³ per day
- Purifies up to 1000 liters of wastewater per day
105,800
rubles
Price of septic tank
Article: 2230845-274
Eurolos PRO 4+
Aeration biological treatment plant
- Capacity 0.8 m³ per day
- Cleans up to 800 liters of wastewater per day
99900
rubles
Price of septic tank
Article: 2230845-271
Eurolos PRO 3
Aeration biological treatment plant
- Capacity 0.6 m³ per day
- Cleans up to 600 liters of wastewater per day
86,500
rubles
Price of septic tank
Article: 2230843-182
Eurolos BIO 4+
Local wastewater treatment plant
- Capacity 0.8 m³ per day
- Cleans up to 800 liters of wastewater per day
91,500
rubles
Price of septic tank
Article: 2270390-1111
Eurolos GRUNT 3+
Autonomous sewerage system for high groundwater level
- Capacity 0.6 m³ per day
- Cleans up to 600 liters of wastewater per day
124,400
rubles
Price of septic tank
Article: 2270390-1113
Eurolos GRUNT 4+
Autonomous sewerage system for high groundwater level
- Capacity 0.8 m³ per day
- Cleans up to 800 liters of wastewater per day
131900
rubles
Price of septic tank
Article: 2270390-1114
Eurolos GRUN 5
Autonomous sewerage system for high groundwater level
- Capacity 1 m³ per day
- Purifies up to 1000 liters of wastewater per day
137,600
rubles
Price of septic tank
Article: 2230843-180
Eurolos BIO 3+
Local wastewater treatment plant
- Capacity 0.6 m³ per day
- Cleans up to 600 liters of wastewater per day
88,700
rubles
Price of septic tank
Warranty
The manufacturer is .
- The warranty period for the product is 5 years from the date of purchase.
- The warranty period for the installation work performed is established by the organization that carried out the installation.
- The warranty does not apply to a treatment facility that has received mechanical damage due to the fault of the user.
- The warranty does not apply to a wastewater treatment plant that has been damaged due to use contrary to the instructions in this manual.
- The warranty does not apply to materials used during installation work.
- The warranty does not apply to additional equipment used in the operation of the treatment plant.
Comparative characteristics
The range of septic tanks for sewage treatment is very wide, including price. When choosing, you must first evaluate the conditions of its operation: availability of free space, groundwater level on the site, desired productivity, quality of wastewater treatment.
| Septic tank made of concrete rings | Polyethylene septic tank / container | Polypropylene septic tank | Aeration unit | |
| Manufacturing method | Assembly from ready-made reinforced concrete rings and slabs. | Rotational molding. No seams. | From a monolithic sheet. Welds. | From a monolithic sheet. Welds. |
| Wall thickness | 80-100 mm | ~3-10 mm due to the peculiarities of the technical process | 8-12 mm depending on the volume of the septic tank. | 8-80 mm depending on the volume of the septic tank |
| Tightness | Not guaranteed | Guaranteed | Guaranteed | Guaranteed |
| Power supply | Not required | Not required | To power pumps | To power the pump and compressor |
| Preservation for the winter during long periods of inactivity | Not required | Not required | Required | Required |
| Installation time and complexity | The use of special equipment and waterproofing materials is required. 2-3 days | No special equipment needed. 1 day. | No special equipment needed. 1 day. | No special equipment needed. 1 day. |
| Degree of wastewater treatment | 60% | 70% | 95% | 98% |
| Additional treatment of wastewater with soil | Required | Required | Not required | Not required |
| Service | Regular pumping, washing and re-arrangement of soil tertiary treatment systems is required | Requires periodic pumping and flushing of post-treatment systems with soil | Requires initial loading of biological product and periodic pumping of harmless sludge | Requires periodic cleaning of airlifts and pumping out harmless sludge |
| Septic tank area occupied on the site, m2, taking into account post-treatment | 12.5 m2 (3 rings Ø180cm triangle) | 8 m2 with drainage field | 1 m2 with drainage into a ditch, 3 m2 with a drainage well | 1 m2 with drainage into a ditch, 3 m2 with a drainage well |
| Price | From 30,000 rubles | From 45,000 rubles | From 60,000 rubles | From 70,000 rubles |
