How to make a septic tank from a barrel with your own hands: step-by-step instructions. Septic tank from barrels Construction of a small septic tank from plastic barrels

In a city apartment, running water and sewerage are the norm. At your summer cottage, you also want comfortable living conditions. However, outside the city there are not centralized treatment systems everywhere. You have to install the septic tank yourself. There are many options for this, but a do-it-yourself sewer system in a country house made from a barrel is the simplest and cheapest of them.

For a private home, it is better to buy a factory-assembled septic tank with a large capacity and using bioenzymes. And for use in the country, a small barrel sewer with mechanical cleaning and soil treatment is quite enough.

How to choose the right place for a septic tank in your country house

For country house characterized by a small volume Wastewater. They do not live there all the time, but only on short visits, on weekends. However, sanitary and building codes one for everyone.

Sewerage from barrels - best option For summer cottage

The septic tank of an autonomous sewage system at the dacha should be located away from:

reservoirs, drinking well or borehole 30 meters;
garden beds 10 meters;
house foundation 5 meters;
underground gas pipelines 5 meters;
green spaces (shrubs and trees) by 3 meters.

Attention! Compliance minimum distances to sources of drinking water - the key to preventing their contamination and the spread of infections.

If the septic tank is placed too close to the country house, then the water will certainly begin to destroy its foundation. And the corresponding sanitary standards are prescribed for a reason. Failure to comply may result not only in health problems, but also in legal liability.

Also, when choosing the location of the septic tank, you need to consider:

Properties and composition of the soil - sand easily allows moisture to pass through, and on clay soil you will have to build a sand cushion.
Relief of the site – sewer pipe should be laid at a slope from the house to the barrels, the water should move by gravity.
Depth of groundwater.
Climatic conditions – maximum possible negative temperatures air in winter and the level of ground freezing.
The inevitability of the arrival of a sewage truck - containers must be accessible for cleaning and pumping out sewage.

Scheme of the simplest sewer system from a pair of containers

The simplest sewage system in a country house is external pipeline and a couple iron barrels as a septic tank. Pipes for self-installation you can take plastic ones with a diameter of 110 mm. A smaller diameter will not cope with the peak volume of wastewater, and for a larger one you will have to overpay.

Remember! Septic tank made from barrels as a base sewer system At the dacha, it is recommended to install only when groundwater is no higher than 3–4 meters.

The slope of the sewer pipeline for reliable gravity flow must be at least 0.03 (vertical 3 cm/ linear meter pipes). When laying pipes above the freezing level, it will be necessary to perform insulation using moisture-resistant heat-insulating materials.

Barrel sewage system

Which containers are better to use: iron or plastic?

When arranging a sewer system in a dacha with your own hands, you use barrels made of plastic or metal. The first option is easier to install and more resistant to corrosion, but when the soil swells, the plastic container will be easily crushed.

Iron barrels of 200 liters are more popular among Russian summer residents. After firing, this metal container for paints and varnishes becomes an ideal container for creating a sewer sump. It is durable, cheap and light weight, which allows you to do all the work yourself.

Iron two-hundred-liter barrels are popular among domestic summer residents due to their availability

The only drawback of any iron is its susceptibility to corrosion. However, you can always process an iron barrel for sewage bitumen mastic or other anti-corrosion compound.

Advice! In order for a metal sump tank to last longer, it must be coated with anti-corrosion protection (bitumen, paintwork).

Another nuance of choosing between an iron and a plastic barrel is their weight and the need to pour a foundation underneath them. Plastic is light, it will have to be fixed on a pre-prepared concrete pad, otherwise the plastic sump may simply float during floods. There are no such problems with heavier iron.

According to SNiP, the volume of a septic tank must accommodate three daily measures of wastewater from the house. This is with a water consumption of up to 5 cubic meters/day - just for country sewerage. But it must be understood that these data are indicated for regularly cleaned sedimentation tanks. They must be cleaned at least twice a year, removing accumulated silt and debris.

The principle of operation of a country septic tank made of two barrels

A standard two-chamber septic tank for a summer residence consists of a pair metal barrels:

Sealed settling tank for primary coarse cleaning.
Tanks for soil purification.

An option with one sealed tank is possible. But then it would have to be much larger and would have to be constantly cleaned. And for this it will be necessary to call vacuum cleaners with special equipment, paying for their work. This type of sewage system is more suitable for a small cottage, but for a summer house it is better to use an alternative of a pair of iron barrels.

In this case, the wastewater first enters the first tank, where it is clarified and coarse sediment (sand, vegetable peelings and other debris) settles out. As soon as this tank is filled to capacity, the partially purified water begins to flow into the second barrel, which has no bottom. As a result, the moisture, passing through the sand filter and further purified, goes into the ground.

Conditional diagram two-chamber septic tank

The first barrel should be located slightly higher than the second. This way the water will drain naturally without any pumps. Also, in the first container you need to make a lid and a ventilation outlet. Sooner or later, solid sediment will have to be cleaned out of it. And ventilation is needed for anaerobic processes to occur.

Technology for arranging sewerage systems in the country

First - earthworks. It is necessary to dig a trench for a sewer pipe from the house and a pit for iron barrels. The top of the container will be sprinkled with soil 20–30 cm thick. The hole will have to be dug quite deep. There should be a gap of 25 cm on the sides.

If you plan to use a sewer system made by yourself from barrels in your dacha in the winter, it should be insulated. But in this case, at least a third of the tank must be below the freezing zone, otherwise the water in the tank will freeze. And this is an additional deepening of the pit. You may even need to call an excavator to dig.

In the first: on top there is an inlet for the pipe from the house, and on the side there is an outlet for overflowing into the next tank.
In the second: on the side - an incoming overflow, and from below - into the entire bottom for drainage into the ground.

The inlet should be located 10–20 cm above the outlet, otherwise the water may flow back if it overflows.

Advice! In order not to have to weld metal, it is enough to cut even holes and insert rubber seals of the appropriate size into them. And already enter into them plastic pipes and coat everything with sealant.

All pipes inserted into the barrel must be thoroughly sealed

A cushion of sand and gravel 10 to 30 cm thick is poured onto the bottom of the pit and compacted thoroughly. Then the barrels are installed and connected with a jumper. If necessary, they are covered with insulation (foam or expanded clay).

Before connecting the sewer pipe, the containers must be filled with soil on the sides. The earth should be thrown in layers of 20 cm and each of them compacted.

All that remains is to connect the sewer pipe from the country house. It is inserted into the first tank using a tee, the free end of which is intended for organizing the ventilation of the septic tank. Finally, everything is sprinkled with soil on top.

Septic tank maintenance and cleaning

Gradually the first settling barrel will be filled solid waste and silt from their decomposition. To clean it, you will have to call a sewer truck.

On average, the volume of sludge increases by 60–80 liters over the summer. But with constant visits to the dacha, the septic tank can overflow long before the end of the season.

Vacuum cleaners should be invited regularly

To prevent this, special biological additives are used that significantly accelerate the decomposition processes and reduce the volume of waste. However, at least once a year, barrels must be cleaned by professional vacuum cleaners.

Video: general principles of sewerage installation in a country house

You can install a sewer system in your dacha using metal barrels with your own hands. There is nothing complicated here, everything necessary materials found on the construction market. Such a septic tank will cost inexpensively. However, it is not always worth saving unnecessarily on safety and health. Pollution of soil and water bodies with untreated wastewater is punishable by law. Consultations and advice from professionals on the issue of installing a sewer system will never hurt.

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

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 local sewerage installation, the septic tank should be located at a distance from the well or borehole from which drinking water is extracted. 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, there is a 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 the top lid of the barrel. The entrance hole is made on opposite side barrels, displacing it relative to the first one by 10 cm;

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 they connect to the barrel drainage pipes leading to the filtration fields, 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 with concrete mortar. Embeds should be installed in concrete metal parts with loops for securing barrels;

Advice! If a septic tank from barrels is 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 layer height is 30 cm. The diameter of the backfill layer should be larger diameter barrels 50 cm 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 regular pipes intended for assembling systems external sewerage. 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.

Owners of private households, trying to save money, install an economical version of sewage containers - a septic tank made of barrels, designed to create home comfort in a country house. Local sewerage, with an autonomous cleaning system, allows you to launch a convenient infrastructure in populated areas, where there are no centralized systems. In suburban areas at dachas, there is no point in installing expensive septic tank options, because suburban dacha plots come to life only in the summer.

Manufacturers offer a wide range of cleaning systems, however, many prefer to design and manufacture a homemade septic tank at their dacha, the price of which will be minimal. Such an independent cleaning system with a septic tank as the main working element is easily built from scrap materials at hand.

Let's analyze how to make a septic tank from barrels with your own hands if the purchase of a finished structure is postponed. The article describes technological nuances manufacturing and installation homemade containers, provided step-by-step instruction with photo illustrations. The video will help you understand the process better.

If there is no centralized water supply and sewerage network near the site, there is a need to build an autonomous system. A self-made septic tank from barrels disposes of wastewater in accordance with hygienic standards.

The design is designed to withstand a certain volume of sewage, taking into account the people living in the house. Installation homemade device recommended for the following reasons:

Reduced costs.
Independent purchase of components + use of existing materials.
Use of available tools.
The equipment is installed according to a modular scheme, that is, the possibility of additional equipment is calculated in advance - connecting additional drain pipes to reserved entry points.

Only a person who has built his own drainage system understands weaknesses design and knows its maximum capabilities. Having calculated the approximate norms of water consumption of the family, the frequency of residence and, having studied the features land plot, unnecessary financial costs, physical losses can be avoided, and “ emergency situations"caused by low capacity.

On a note! The principle of operation of a cesspool made from barrels is the construction of multi-level settling tanks, as a result of which overflowing, waste settles and the separation of wastewater into water and sludge is ensured.

After the process is completed, about 65% of the water is discharged into the ground, and sediment accumulates at the bottom until it is pumped out of the treatment plant.

What are the pros and cons of plastic and metal barrels

The basis for the construction of an autonomous sewer system is a tank-barrel. For arrangement, two types are used - metal or plastic. Since making a septic tank from barrels with your own hands is not so easy, the choice of container is up to the owner. Metal containers usually have a capacity of 200 liters. Plastic - available in large sizes. Based on economic considerations, it is better to install existing containers. But when you plan to buy containers, you should explore different options.

Plastic version

Pros of use:

Little weight;
Ease of installation;
Ease of making holes;
Completely waterproof;
Corrosion resistance.

Disadvantages of products:

The low weight of the product requires stable attachment to the foundation to avoid “floating” when flooded due to excessive rainfall;
The elasticity of the material leads to compression of the containers by soil.

Iron version

Advantages of iron barrels for the construction of a cesspool:

High rigidity and strength of products;
Sufficient water resistance;
Stability of the structure.

Flaws:

Susceptibility to corrosion, which requires the application of a waterproofing coating;
The labor-intensive process of making holes using power tools.

The main disadvantage of a barrel sump is the small volume of the chambers. This is the reason for the frequent pumping of sludge.

Please note! If the volume of the chambers corresponds to barrels with a capacity of 200/250 liters, the discharge of wastewater must be regulated.

How a homemade sewer sump works

All waste flows into the sewer lines, and from there into the reservoir, the so-called pit. In this barrel, the wastewater is “filtered” and most of the pollutants are deposited. Through a connecting pipe, wastewater from the first tank enters the second tank. The process of filling sections occurs in a strictly regulated order, which is achieved by placing containers on a ladder at different levels.

The outlet and inlet are positioned so that water enters the next tank before its level rises to the inlet pipe. Gradually, the heaviest dirt particles fall to the bottom, while small and light ones continue to move through the structure. To ensure that waste flows freely through the sewer lines, a homemade septic tank made from barrels is made with a slope.

In addition to mechanical cleaning, the process also involves colonies of microorganisms that form in containers after 2-5 weeks and process organic contaminants.

After processing in the second chamber, wastewater is sent to storage or drainage system. In the first case, the accumulated water is drained after some time. If a drainage well is used, the liquid is discharged into the ground. In the settling tank, discharges are purified by 65-80%. If you need more high level cleaning, use a third barrel. The more departments the discharges pass through, the higher the degree of purification becomes. For a summer cottage, a double level is sufficient.

Methane generated during wastewater treatment is removed using ventilation. It is placed vertically at the sewer exit from the house or near the last section of autonomous equipment. In order to get rid of unpleasant odors a siphon is installed, possibly in the shape of a “knee”.

How to choose a place to install a septic tank

If you decide to install a septic tank from barrels in your country house with your own hands, choose the right place. The structure must be removed from:

Wells, wells and other sources at 30-50 m;
Building foundation - 5-10 m;
Green spaces: shrubs/trees - 3-5 m;
Underground pipelines - 10-15 m;
Basement and garden beds - 10-20 m.

Wastewater enters the system in small portions, since owners of country real estate do not visit their dacha every weekend. Construction and health restrictions must be adhered to at all times. Any sanitary standard has its reasons; violating it will lead to health and legal problems.

Important! Strictly maintain a distance between the source of drinking water and the septic tank. This will avoid contamination and reduce the likelihood of water contamination and the spread of infections.

When setting up a homemade septic tank from plastic barrels, do not place the object near the foundation; the treated wastewater will begin to destroy its foundation. When choosing a location, the following factors are taken into account:

Soil composition and properties – sandy soil easily allows water to pass through; clay, loam and other dense soils are unsuitable for absorbing large amounts of moisture, so they build storage tanks or expand the drainage system with the addition large quantity sand and crushed stone.
The terrain of the site - the house should be located above the sump, and not vice versa, since the process occurs by gravity and a slope in the opposite direction will not allow wastewater to move in the right direction.
Groundwater depth – close-lying groundwater may become polluted by runoff or the soil near the tanks will become waterlogged due to excess moisture. In this case, the drainage pit is concreted.
Climatic conditions – it is necessary to ensure that the chambers do not freeze at low temperatures. If the pipe is installed above the freezing level, it is insulated with waterproof insulation.
Free access for sewage trucks - you need to create access roads for the machine to extract sewage.

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.

What materials and tools are needed

After preliminary calculations of the chamber septic tank: volume, sewage range, hydrogeological status of the soil, freezing depth, dimensions and required slope - you can begin to build a septic tank from plastic barrels with your own hands.

To work you will need:

Two or three barrels made of polymer material with a volume of 200/400 l.
Corrugated plastic + sewer pipes for installation. The length is determined by the distance from the house to the containers with sewage + a margin of several meters.
Ventilation pipes with a neck diameter of 110 mm. Pipe length no more than 1.5 m.
Angles and tees.
Couplings, flanges.
Cement.
Fine crushed stone with 49 mm granular elements.
Glue for PVC connections components.
Epoxy sealant.
Rubber seal to seal the pipe inlet.
Sand.
Sewer covers.

If there is a possibility of waterlogging, concreting of the lower layer of the pit will be required. For this you need:

Concrete mixer;
Electric mixer;
Mixing tank;
Adapter fitting and steel cables for fastening barrels at the bottom.

If the soil is soft, strengthen the walls of the pit with wooden or steel mesh it's simply absolutely necessary. Mineral wool for pipelines, foam or polystyrene are needed to construct an insulating layer for sewerage equipment.

What is the sequence of work

To properly make a septic tank from a barrel, you need to before starting earthworks remove sewer pipes from the house. From the outlet site, start digging a trench forward to the wastewater sump. The sewage system depends on the following procedure:

Important! After installation, fill the barrels with water 20-30 cm below the neck. This will help protect the septic structure from deformation under soil pressure.

After testing for water permeability, we proceed to the final backfill. We gradually lay it layer by layer. You can throw stones, bricks, etc. into the connectors construction garbage to obtain a rigid structure.

The upper part is insulated and optionally covered with foam. Only sewer covers tanks and ventilation ducts must remain above the ground.

General principle of organizing individual sewerage

When the septic tank is ready for use, they install general rules its use for each family member. Small tank volumes require more careful attention to the number of liters used. It takes three days for partial filtration of water to occur. Therefore, make sure that the containers are not overfilled within 72 hours.

Do not dispose of poorly or completely non-degradable items in the sink. Only organic matter is suitable for this method of getting rid of waste. If you plan to clean the chambers yourself, then the sludge from the barrels should be placed in a fertilizer pit and mixed with weeds and soil. In a couple of years they will turn into excellent fertilizer.

Don’t put off the problem of waste disposal until tomorrow; start planning your model today. How to make a septic tank from barrels with your own hands - The best decision, allowing you to create autonomous sewerage at the dacha with minimal investment.

In a city apartment, sewerage and running water are the norm. As for the dacha plot, there are no such conditions there, but people still want comfort. Outside the city, it is not always possible to use centralized treatment systems, which is why many property owners outside the city install a septic tank on their own.

The solution of the problem

To do this, you can use one of many technologies, but most often the sewer system is installed using barrels, which are convenient to install and easy to get. It is better to purchase a septic tank for a private home pre-assembled. But if we are talking about a dacha, then barrel sewage will be sufficient, which involves soil or mechanical purification.

Choosing a location for a septic tank

If you decide to install a septic tank from a barrel with your own hands, then it is important to choose the right place. The system should be removed from the wells, drinking wells and reservoirs at least 30 m. The distance from the beds should be 10 m, from underground pipelines - 5 m. Work on arranging such a sewer system should begin at a distance of 5 m from the foundation.

Concerning green spaces according to the type of trees and shrubs, the distance to them should be 3 m. It is important to maintain a minimum step to sources of drinking water, this will prevent their contamination and reduce the likelihood of the spread of infection.

Before starting work, it is important to remember that wastewater will enter the system in a small volume, because usually the owners of suburban real estate do not live in such houses permanently, they may visit the site on weekends or be present during visits. However, it is important to comply with construction and sanitary standards.

When building a septic tank from a barrel with your own hands, you should not place it close to the foundation, because in this case the water will begin to destroy the foundation. Sanitary standards are prescribed for a reason; if they are neglected, this can lead to health problems and liability under the law. When choosing a location for a septic tank, you should consider:

soil composition and properties;
relief of the site;
climatic conditions;
the need to arrange an access road for a sewer truck.

What is important to consider?

Before starting work, it is important to study the composition of the soil. As for sand, it allows moisture to pass through quite easily, whereas clay soil should be supplemented with a sand cushion. It is important to pay attention to the terrain features of the site. The pipe must be laid at a certain slope from the house to the receiving barrels, then the wastewater will move by gravity.

If you are building a septic tank from a barrel with your own hands, then it is also important to take into account the climatic conditions. Experts recommend studying how much the air temperature drops in winter period, because this allows you to find out what the level of soil freezing is. If the septic tank is planned to be pumpable, then it is important to ensure that there are access paths for the sewer truck.

The most simple system for a summer cottage consists of two iron barrels and an external pipeline. Pipes can be made of plastic, and their diameter can be 110 mm. If the diameter is smaller, the system will not be able to cope with the peak volume of sewage. A septic tank made from barrels can only be installed when it is lying groundwater at a level of 4 m.

The slope of the sewer pipeline should be 0.03, this will ensure gravity flow. The vertical value should be 3 cm per linear meter. If pipes are supposed to be laid above the soil freezing level, then they should be insulated using moisture-resistant thermal insulation.

Sewage device

Quite often lately, consumers have been building a septic tank from barrels with their own hands. You too can follow their experience. At the first stage, it is important to choose the material of the containers; it can be plastic or iron. The first option will be easier to install; in addition, it is resistant to corrosion, but swelling of the soil can lead to deformation of the structure.

Among Russian summer residents, iron barrels with a capacity of 200 liters are more common. After firing, this container becomes ideal for a sewer sump. The container is inexpensive and durable, and is also lightweight, which allows you to carry out the work yourself. One of the main disadvantages of iron is its susceptibility to corrosion. But the walls of the product can always be treated with an anti-corrosion compound similar to bitumen mastic.

How to avoid mistakes?

In order for the container to last longer, it should be covered with bitumen and paint material. If you decide to install a septic tank with your own hands from a barrel for country toilet, then it is important to consider the choice of material from the point of view of the need to fill the foundation. The plastic is quite light, so it must be fixed on a concrete pad, otherwise the product may float during floods.

With iron such problems will not arise. By sanitary standards and according to the rules, the volume of the septic tank must accommodate wastewater in the amount of 3 daily norms. This is true for a water consumption of 5 m3 per day, which is relevant for country sewerage. However, it is important to remember that these data are for cleanable sumps.

Arrangement technology

If you are thinking about the question of how to make a septic tank from barrels with your own hands, then at the first stage you need to carry out excavation work. They involve preparing a trench for laying pipes that will run from the house. For reinforced concrete barrels it is also necessary to dig a pit. The top of the container is sprinkled with soil. The pit should be deep enough; a gap should be left on the sides, the width of which is 0.25 m.

When setting up a septic tank from barrels in your country house with your own hands, you must decide whether you will use the system in the winter. If this is the case, then thermal insulation work should be carried out. In this case, the containers must be located below the soil freezing line, otherwise the water will freeze. This approach requires additional deepening of the pit; an excavator may be needed.

Work methodology

At the next stage, holes should be made in the barrels. In the first container, one of them should be located on top; it is intended for the pipe coming from the house. The second hole should be on the side; it is the outlet and is used to overflow into the next tank.

In the second container, a hole is made on the side, and the second - from the bottom. To be precise, the second barrel must be deprived of the bottom to allow drainage into the ground. This will allow you to make a septic tank from a barrel with your own hands without pumping. The inlet hole should be located 20 cm higher than the outlet hole, otherwise the water may flow back. In order to eliminate welding work, it is necessary to cut a hole and install rubber seals, plastic pipes are inserted into them, and the connections are treated with sealant.

A cushion of sand and gravel must be poured onto the bottom of the prepared pit; its thickness can vary from 10 to 30 cm. The preparation is well compacted, barrels are placed on it and connected by a jumper. They can be lined with insulation, which is sometimes expanded clay or polystyrene foam.

Before connecting the barrels, fill the sides with soil. The soil is poured in layers of 20 cm and compacted. At the next stage, the pipe that comes from country house. It is inserted into the first container using a tee; its free end will be used for ventilation. On final stage everything should be covered with soil.

Features of a septic tank made from metal barrels

If you are building a septic tank from iron barrels with your own hands, then it is important to concrete the bottom. The second container should be located slightly lower than the first. For work, it is better to use barrels of 200 liters or more. It is recommended to insulate the septic tank on all sides; this process should not be neglected, laying the material only at the bottom of the pit. After backfilling is completed, the system should be covered with roofing felt, iron or wood covers, the latter of which are needed to provide access to the containers if it is necessary to pump out wastewater.

Volume increase

If you want to increase the volume of the structure, you can stack several barrels on top of each other and weld them together. Additional iron jumpers can be mounted to securely fasten the products to each other. The formed joints must be well waterproofed; hot bitumen is usually used for this. No matter how well a septic tank is built with your own hands from a barrel of fuel and lubricants, after 4 years the tanks will have to be replaced, because they will begin to rust and rot under the influence of aggressive wastewater.

Features of preparing a pit for installing plastic barrels

Quite often, country property owners build a septic tank from plastic barrels with their own hands. You can see photos of such systems in the article. When preparing a hole for installing containers, you should be guided by parameters that will be greater geometric dimensions used compartments. Along the perimeter of the pit, the step between the sides and the barrels should be 0.25 m. The bottom must be well compacted, covered with sand and filled with concrete solution; if necessary, formwork should be used.

You can install embedded metal elements into the resulting base, which will help secure the barrels. They must be made with loops. When making a septic tank from plastic barrels with your own hands, you must additionally secure the tanks to the base using special belts, also called bandage belts. They make it possible to achieve a 100% guarantee that the barrels will not float during a flood.

Making holes in plastic containers, you should step back 0.2 m from the cover of the first tank. The pipe from the residential building will be installed here. On the opposite side of the chamber, another hole should be made, which is shifted downward by 0.1 m. In the first container, you will need another hole for the ventilation riser.

If you decide to make a septic tank from plastic barrels with your own hands, then it is recommended to supplement the first compartment with a removable lid, because it will accumulate great amount solid waste that will have to be cleaned out from time to time. If you do not plan to construct it, then holes are made in the second barrel, which are located at an angle of 45 ° relative to each other. These holes will be needed for drainage pipes.

Conclusion

A septic tank made with your own hands from plastic barrels (200 liters) may require the presence of filtration fields instead of a filtration well. For pipes, it is necessary to prepare trenches that have a slope of 2 cm per meter. Geotextiles are laid at the bottom of the trench, and its sections are thrown over the sides of the ditch. Next, it is backfilled with crushed stone, on the layer of which drainage pipes are placed. The trench is filled with crushed stone, and geotextiles are laid on top again. At the final stage, the ditch is covered with earth, at which point we can assume that the filtration fields are ready.

During operation, the first compartment will be filled with sludge and solid waste. For cleaning, you should use the services of a vacuum cleaner. The volume of sludge will increase by 80 liters over the summer, however, with constant visits to the dacha, the system may overflow long before the end of the season. These operating features, of course, must be taken into account before the system is designed.

If there are no centralized sewerage and water supply networks near your summer cottage, then for comfortable stay it is necessary to build in the house autonomous water supply and a local treatment facility - a septic tank. Today we will talk about septic tanks. Thanks to them, wastewater will be disposed of in accordance with sanitary standards without causing harm environment. It’s easier and cheaper to make a homemade treatment facility from scrap materials, for example, a septic tank from barrels. The design can be designed for any volume of wastewater, depending on the number of people living in the house. In our article you will find a description of the manufacturing nuances cleaning device from this material, and the video at the end of the article will help you understand the process more clearly.

You can make a septic tank from a barrel yourself from different materials. The barrel can be plastic or metal. But last option not the best, since the metal quickly corrodes in conditions of constant humidity, so the design will be short-lived. It is better to make a septic tank for small dacha from polymer containers with a volume of 200-250 liters. If many residents will live at your dacha or the structure can be used year-round, then the volume of containers should be even larger.

There can be many options for independently constructing water supply and sewerage systems at your dacha. Thus, a water supply can be installed from a well or a borehole, and the choice of septic tank design depends on the characteristics of the wastewater, hydrogeological conditions on the site and the required quality of wastewater treatment. A septic tank from barrels can be:

Single-chamber. This homemade septic tank is, in fact, an ordinary cesspool. It can be with or without a bottom, depending on the type of soil and the groundwater level. Wastewater from the sewerage system enters a tank, where it is either pumped out by sewer trucks as it accumulates, or filtered into the ground through a special layer of gravel and crushed stone at the bottom. This septic tank is suitable for a shower or bath without a toilet. The thing is that this septic tank will not harm the environment only if fecal waste does not get into it.

Important: structures without a bottom can only be used on sandy soils with good absorption capacity. On clay soils After settling, the wastewater is pumped into a filtration well using a drainage pump.

Two-chamber. A septic tank of two containers is more advanced. For a small dacha, two barrels with a volume of 200 liters are enough. The wastewater immediately from the sewer enters the first chamber, where it settles, as a result of which heavy components settle to the bottom. In the second chamber, clarified waters undergo a post-purification process. A septic tank of two containers can be made with a bottom in both chambers or only in the first of them. Then a filter layer is installed at the bottom of the second chamber, and the water is discharged into the ground.
Three-chamber. Most the best option– sewerage system for a dacha consisting of three containers with a volume of 200-250 liters each. This design achieves the required degree of wastewater treatment, which does not contradict sanitary standards. Such wastewater can be discharged into the ground without the risk of deteriorating the environmental situation. Effluent from the sewer settles in the first chamber. Then the pre-purified water flows into the second compartment, where its further purification is carried out using a biological method. A small precipitate of small impurities also falls here. Only then does the purified water enter the filtration chamber, where it is discharged into the ground through a layer at the bottom.

Requirements for a septic tank

To build efficient septic tank with your own hands from barrels, you must adhere to the following rules:

For high-quality wastewater treatment, the septic tank must be multi-chamber. As you understand, single-chamber septic tanks contradict sanitary standards. In a multi-chamber design, wastewater in the first compartment undergoes mechanical treatment under the influence of gravity, and in the second chamber it is broken down by microorganisms organic compounds. In the last filtration chamber, final purification of the liquid occurs, and the wastewater is discharged into the ground.
The septic tank from the barrel must be completely sealed, with the exception of the bottom of the last chamber. This is the only way to guarantee the safety of the entire structure.
When choosing a location for a septic tank, you should adhere to standard distances. So, from the source where the water for the water supply is taken, there must be at least 15 m. You should retreat at least 5 m from the foundation of the house. You should not lay sewer pipes close to the water supply. The septic tank should be located at a distance of 1-2 meters from highways and parking lots.

Advice: do not locate the treatment plant too far from the house, as there will be problems with maintaining the slope of the sewer pipes. As a result, it may turn out that they enter the treatment plant at a very great depth, so the septic tank will have to be deeply buried in the ground.

It is necessary to correctly determine the dimensions of all containers treatment plant. The volume of the first chamber of the settling tank must be equal to the volume of daily discharge, which is determined by taking into account that one resident consumes 200 liters of water from the water supply per day. This number must be multiplied by the number of residents and by 3 (the number of days the wastewater is in the septic tank). As a result, we will get the working volume of the septic tank. The actual volume is usually a little more, but not less.

Necessary materials

After performing preliminary calculations - determining the volume of the septic tank, the length of the sewer pipeline, the hydrogeological state of the soil, the freezing depth, the dimensions of the pit and the required slope - you can begin to build a septic tank from plastic barrels.

For work you will need the following materials:

Two or three barrels of polymer material volume of 200 liters or more. In addition, you will need a corrugated plastic pipe or another barrel for the well.
To close the barrels from above, you should take three sewer covers (also made of plastic).
Pipes for laying sewerage with a diameter of 110 mm. The length must be determined by taking into account the distance from the house to the septic tank plus a couple of meters of reserve.
Ventilation pipe with a head with a diameter of 110 mm. Pipe length no more than 1.5 m.
Angle fittings and tees for the diameter of the pipes used.
Flanges and couplings.
Small crushed stone with a fraction of elements not exceeding 40 mm.
Sand.
Adhesive for joining PVC elements.
Epoxy based sealant.
Rubber seals for sealing the entry of pipes into the septic tank.
Cord and pegs.
Shovel.
Roulette.
Bulgarian.
Level.

If the groundwater in your area is very high, then the bottom of the pit will have to be concreted. For this you will need cement-sand mixture, electric mixer, mixing container, fittings and steel cables for fixing the barrels at the bottom.

If the soil is loose, then the walls of the pit will need to be strengthened with wooden formwork or fine-mesh steel mesh. To insulate the treatment plant and sewer pipeline you will need mineral wool for pipes, penoplex or polystyrene foam for treatment facilities.

Installation

Before starting excavation work, the sewer pipe must be removed from the house. It is from this place that you will dig a trench with a slope towards the septic tank. Next, we make a septic tank from a barrel in the following sequence:

From the place where the sewage system exits the house, we dig a trench 1 m wide to the place where the septic tank is installed. At the same time, we make a slope of the bottom of the trench taking into account a 2 cm drop for each meter of length. We are digging a pit under the septic tank. Its dimensions should be 20 cm larger than the size of the barrels. At the bottom of the pit we make ledges 10 cm high to install each communicating container at different depths. The first camera will be located above everything.
Since the septic tank has impressive dimensions but is light in weight, groundwater can easily lift the container to the surface. To prevent this from happening, a concrete pad is made at the bottom of the pit. To do this, first mix cement-sand mortar, then a sand cushion 10 cm high is made at the bottom of the pit. It is leveled and compacted. After this, it is placed on the bottom reinforcement mesh with outlets for mounting a septic tank. The bottom is filled with a layer of concrete 150-200 mm high.
After the concrete pad has hardened, you can begin installing the barrels. Each barrel is mounted on a separate step so that the next container stands 10 cm lower. There should be a distance of 100-150 mm between the cameras. We attach the barrels to the reinforcement outlets in the bottom using a steel cable.
In the first chamber, at the required height, we cut a hole for a supply pipeline with a diameter of 110 mm. We put a rubber seal into the hole and additionally seal it with mastic. Now insert a tee into the resulting hole. Then we will connect the supply sewer pipe and ventilation to it.
At a height below 100 mm from the first hole, on the other side of the first barrel, we make another hole for overflow. We also seal it with a rubber seal and insert the corner fitting.
Cover the first barrel with a lid and install a ventilation pipe.
Now we cut a hole on the side of the second chamber and insert the corner fitting into it. We seal the hole with a rubber gasket. We connect two daughters with fittings with an overflow pipe.
On the back side of the second container we make a hole at the level of the middle of the barrel to install an overflow into the third chamber. Install the cover.
The third chamber is a sealed well with a hole for overflow from the second chamber. We connect the second and third chambers with a pipe. We install the cover. If instead of the third camera is used drainage well, then to equip it you need to take a corrugated pipe with a diameter of 1 m. A hole for overflow is cut in its wall, and a gravel-sand layer 300 mm high is installed at the bottom. It is better to lay a layer of geotextile under the layer. Through it, water will filter into the ground.
Backfilling of a septic tank is carried out with alternating layers of sand and concrete. After making a layer 200-300 mm thick, it is moistened with water and compacted.

Important: as backfilling progresses, the barrels must be filled with water 20-30 cm above the backfill level. This will protect the septic tank structure from deformation under soil pressure.