Do-it-yourself sewerage from 200 liter barrels. DIY septic tank from plastic barrels

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 metal barrels, but due to exposure of this material 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 two-chamber septic tank from barrels equipped with a storage well.

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.
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.
The second post-treatment chamber is designed for more high-quality processing drains. 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.
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.
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 drainage pump, subject to the 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 at high groundwater levels and clay soil types with low filtration capacity.

Where to begin?

Any sewerage construction requires drawing up minimum project. 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 internal sewerage system by a 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 a central system, the volume of water consumption does not matter, then small installation from 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 in the SES, but this design from casks is unlikely to be approved, so obtaining official approval is left to the discretion of the owners.

Preparation of materials and tools

If near your summer cottage No centralized networks sewerage and water supply, then for comfortable living in the house it is necessary to build autonomous water supply and local treatment plant- septic tank. Today we will talk about septic tanks. Thanks to them, wastewater will be disposed of according to 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 nuances of making a 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 the latter option is not the best, since the metal quickly corrodes in conditions of constant humidity, so the structure 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.

Options self-construction There may be a lot of water supply and sewerage systems in a 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, wastewater is pumped into a filtration well using a drainage pump after settling.

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, the drains in the first compartment pass mechanical cleaning under the influence of gravitational forces, organic compounds are broken down in the second chamber thanks to microorganisms. 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 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 tanks of the 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 execution preliminary calculations– determining the volume of the septic tank, length sewer pipeline, hydrogeological condition of the soil, freezing depth, pit dimensions and 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. To do this you will need a cement-sand mixture, an electric mixer, a mixing container, fittings and steel cables for fixing 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 a treatment plant and sewer pipeline, you will need mineral wool for pipes, penoplex or polystyrene foam for a treatment facility.

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.
WITH reverse side make a hole in the second container 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 a drainage well is used instead of the third chamber, 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.

Today you can easily purchase a ready-made industrial septic tank or build capital treatment plants yourself. But if you need to organize temporary sewerage or wastewater volume in country house is small, simpler and more affordable solutions can be used. 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 - a 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. Usage metal barrels 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 is still more convenient than a cesspool or storage tank. 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 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 - size individual elements 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 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. Embedded metal parts with loops to secure the barrels should be installed in the concrete;

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 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 assembling external sewage 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 bath, construction shed or dachas. This installation cleans wastewater and does not require frequent pumping.

Do-it-yourself septic tank from barrels for a country house

One of the simplest treatment facilities that you can build with your own hands is a septic tank made from (plastic) barrels. This type of septic tank is affordable.

Plastic barrels: building a budget septic tank

In the conditions of country life, the arrangement of an autonomous sewage system is as urgent a need as providing a clean home drinking water from a well or well.

One of the most important nodes for local sewerage is a storage tank or septic tank designed to collect human waste and wastewater. There are several types of septic tanks. This could be a well from concrete rings with additional sealing, old barrels dug into the ground, or modern system biological treatment. Each owner selects the type of septic tank that suits his needs.

An important factor is the cost of such a structure and the entire sewer system as a whole.

Description and principle of operation

Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to purchase an expensive treatment facility. And in In some cases there is no need for it at all. For example, if you plan to seasonally collect wastewater at your dacha, entering the sewer system from a bathhouse or any temporary building. The owners quite reasonably believe that in the above cases there is no point in spending a lot of money on construction works or purchasing a biological treatment station. You can get by with an old container - a tank or a barrel.

With the spread and growing popularity of plastic products, the choice has become much easier.

On the farm or, as a last resort, on the market there is always a suitable plastic barrel that can be used as country septic tank. You can dig either one barrel or several into the ground, connecting them to each other according to the principle of communicating vessels. In a design of several barrels, sewage water will be purified more efficiently. And the capacity of the septic tank will increase significantly.

From the three-chamber structure, filtered and settled water can be discharged through drains onto the lawn or garden, thereby moistening the soil near the root system of plants. Of course, the water in such septic tanks will not be completely purified. Therefore, three-chamber structures are used only when working with relatively clean sewage water draining by gravity from bathhouses, showers and temporary buildings.

If fecal matter is discharged into the sewer system, the water from kitchen sinks or dishwashers and washing machines, it will not be possible to purify water in a filtering septic tank from several barrels. In these cases, it is advisable to use a large-volume sealed container.

The operating principle of a septic tank made from barrels is quite simple. The containers are dug into the ground below the level of the sewer pipes. Waste enters the septic tank by gravity. Depending on the degree of contamination of wastewater, a sealed barrel or a system of barrels is used, followed by filtration of purified water into the ground.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any engineering structure, a septic tank made of plastic barrels has its pros and cons.

The advantages include:

relative low cost of construction;
ease of installation and operation;
resistance to aggressive environments and low temperatures.

relatively small capacity of the septic tank (especially if you use the first one that comes to hand old container small sizes);
the likelihood of the container being squeezed out when the ground freezes.

Design Features

The selected barrel or several containers are buried in the ground below the level of the sewer pipes. This is done to ensure gravity flow. The pipes are laid with a slight slope towards the storage or filter tank.

To serve the family from three people V summer period you will need a container with a capacity of not less than 200-250 liters. If several barrels are used, they are installed in one line and connected in series to each other via overflow pipes. Moreover, each of the containers is buried 15-20 centimeters below the previous one (the so-called stepped arrangement), which ensures a slope between the incoming and outgoing pipes.

Typically, the first two containers are used for settling, and the third is used to filter clarified water into the soil. Accordingly, the first containers are always sealed, and the last one has a perforated bottom and is filled halfway broken brick or other filter material. A special cushion of crushed stone and sand is installed under the filter tank. 50 cm of sand and 30 cm of crushed stone are poured into the pit.

This bottom filling provides additional filtration of sewage water. And in areas with high groundwater levels, it is recommended to build a drainage field instead of a filter well, to which water is discharged using a drain system.

If the sewage system is not actively used, as mentioned above, it is enough to install one sealed barrel, from which the water will be regularly pumped out by a drainage or fecal pump.

DIY installation

This is done in case of depressurization sewer drain. Spilled dirty water poses a risk to human health and can pollute the environment.

A distance of 50 meters should separate the septic tank from any source of drinking water. From rivers and streams - 10, and from public reservoirs 30 meters. There are also requirements for placement relative to roads and even fruit trees. The septic tank is installed 5 meters from the road and buildings, and 3 meters from garden plants.

digging a pit and trenches for pipes;
backfilling the sand cushion and sloping the trenches;
pouring a concrete base in the pit;
installation of barrels;
connecting pipes (sewer products with a diameter of 10-11 cm are used, which are connected by pipes using sealant);
backfill (a sand-cement mixture is used for the pit around the barrel).

Important points and mistakes

Common installation mistakes include:

Failure to comply with the slope of the pipes. As a result, sewage water cannot move by gravity.
There are several sharp turns. The more bends in the pipeline, the higher the likelihood of sewer clogging.
Failure to comply with the stepwise burial of two- and three-chamber septic tanks. This engineering error leads to poor drainage of water between the chambers of the structure.

We use a 250-liter barrel as a septic tank to collect water from a bathhouse in the country. We bought a new one because we didn’t have a plastic container that was the right size at home.

When connecting the barrels to each other, keep the slope! We made a mistake at first, and the water in the first barrel began to stagnate. An unpleasant odor appeared. It is necessary that the inlet for connection be made 20 centimeters from the edge of the barrel, and the outlet at thirty centimeters - 10 centimeters lower.

Very convenient and cheap septic tank. I used several old barrels. In the latter I installed a filter. There are no problems with operation - the liquid goes into the soil itself.

Selection and installation diagram

Barrels can be of any size. However, when choosing, it is important to consider the number of family members.
A 250 liter capacity is enough for a family of two or three people.
The product should not have too thin walls.
Installation is carried out in compliance with all sanitary standards (the distance to residential buildings, sources of drinking water, roads is maintained).
It is not advisable to use containers with a capacity of less than 200 liters.

Installation work includes:

Preliminary preparation of barrels - sawing holes for pipes. A ventilation window is cut into the lid of the first container for a riser through which air will flow.
Preparation of the pit - backfilling with a sand cushion, pouring a concrete base with metal brackets for fastening containers.
Installation of barrels and connection of pipes. Silicone cannot be used as a sealant!
Backfilling of the pit and compaction of the cement-sand mixture.

Exploitation

To ensure uninterrupted operation of the sewerage system, it is necessary:

avoid clogging of pipes;
regularly clean the first chamber (tank) of the septic tank from accumulated solid waste;
carefully insulate the cover of the first chamber, equipped with a ventilation hole.

Subject to these simple rules The septic tank will serve its owners for several decades, because plastic barrels have increased strength and reliability in operation.

Septic tank made of plastic barrels - an economical solution

Septic tank technical specifications for plastic barrels: its operating principle, what are the advantages of designs made from plastic barrels. How to choose a barrel, typical mistakes during installation

DIY septic tank from barrels

A country house, a small bathhouse, a summer camp site or temporary living quarters being built during the construction of a permanent structure will not be comfortable enough for living without a sewerage system. But purchasing an expensive local treatment plant is not always advisable.

Plastic barrels for the construction of a septic tank

As an 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

Approximate diagram of a septic tank made of barrels

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

Used water (from the shower, toilet, etc.) enters the plumbing drain hole, from where it flows by gravity through the internal and external sewerage pipes into the first loading barrel-chamber.
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.
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, bioseptic preparations can be loaded into the post-treatment chamber, allowing you to quickly decompose all sewage into water, sediment that falls to the bottom, as well as gases escaping through the ventilation pipe.
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.
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 drainage pump, subject to the installation of filters.

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 is a septic tank located 7-10 meters from the house and connected to the internal sewerage system by a direct pipeline Ø110 mm. For a pipe section of 10 meters slope (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 connected to a central system, the volume of water consumption does not matter, then a small installation of barrels implies economical use of water (maximum washbasin, shower and toilet). At the same time, there is no question of connecting a washing machine. 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

After creating a project for a future mini-sewage system and the associated calculations (distance from the house, length of pipes, dimensions of the pit for barrels, slope), you should start purchasing all the necessary elements of the septic tank, Supplies and tools.

Polymer barrels (2 or 3), plus a plastic corrugated pipe or an additional barrel for the well.
Sewer covers for septic tanks.

Sewer covers for septic tanks

Sewer pipes 110 mm

For installation you will also need: sand, fine crushed stone (no more than 4 cm), glue for PVC assembly structures, sealant ( epoxy base), rubber seals for connecting pipes to septic tanks, pegs and cord, building level and a tape measure, a shovel, a turbine (grinder).

If the groundwater level is high, you will need to pour a concrete base, for which you need to prepare: cement, a mixing container, an electric mixer, fittings (loop-shaped fastenings), cables for attaching barrels.

Container for mixing cement mortar

If the soil is very crumbling, formwork will be needed; it is organized from unnecessary boards or metal mesh with a fine mesh.

Additional thermal insulation materials: insulation for sewer pipe, foam plastic or penoplex for a septic tank.

How to make a septic tank from barrels with your own hands?

Find out how easy it is to arrange life in your dacha and save money on it. Do-it-yourself septic tank from barrels: step-by-step instruction, selection of materials, installation tips.

An example of a homemade septic tank made from plastic barrels

Purchase an expensive factory-made septic tank for installing an autonomous sewer system on a summer cottage, used only in summer time, inappropriate. There is a simple way to solve this problem that does not require large financial costs. You can build a septic tank with your own hands from barrels by combining several plastic containers of various sizes into one system. Previously, such structures were made from metal barrels. However, with the advent of lightweight plastic products on the market, metal constructions are used less and less. Operation of such sewerage facility possible only with a small amount liquid waste. In practice, a homemade septic tank made from barrels is installed to collect wastewater from bathhouses and temporary buildings.

Requirements for the installation site of the septic tank

When choosing a location for installing plastic containers for collecting sewage waste, they are guided by the sanitary standards and rules in force in Russia. It is necessary to maintain the required distances from the septic tank to the wells and wells used to collect drinking water, as well as to the foundations of nearby buildings. It is recommended to retreat at least 5 meters from the house, and you can retreat at least one meter from the garage and bathhouse.

Requirements for choosing a location homemade septic tank in relation to other life support facilities for people living or vacationing outside the city

Approximate installation diagram for plastic containers

If no more than three people live in a country house in the summer, then two or three plastic barrels will be needed to build a septic tank. The volume of these containers must be at least 250 liters. Barrels connected in series to each other using overflow pipes are installed in one line. Holes are cut in the plastic walls of the containers for installing overflow pipes. At the same time, it is taken into account that the pipe leaving the chamber should be located 10 centimeters lower than the incoming one. The depth of placement of each subsequent container should be 10-15 cm greater than the previous chamber (stepped arrangement).

Two sealed barrels are designed to settle wastewater, and the third with a cut out bottom is adapted for a drainage well for natural filtration of clarified water. The first two chambers are installed on 10-centimeter sand pads, well compacted and level. The third chamber (drainage well) is placed on a layer of crushed stone, 30 cm thick, which is poured onto a 50 cm layer of sand. This sand and gravel filter allows for additional treatment of wastewater that goes into the ground. In areas with high groundwater levels, instead of drainage well install filtration fields.

The simplest diagram of a homemade septic tank, which can be built from plastic barrels, concrete rings, galvanized containers, etc.

List of required materials for installation

If a septic tank is being built from plastic barrels with an aeration field, then the following will be required: Construction Materials and equipment:

fine-grained crushed stone (fraction size 1.8-3.5 cm);
geotextile fabric;
a pair of plastic barrels with a volume of 250 l;
sewer pipes orange color diameter 110 mm;
tees and angles for connecting pipes at different angles;
perforated pipes intended for drainage;
couplings, flanges;
glue for PVC pipes;
two-component epoxy sealant;
Plumbing tape.

The tools you will need are a level, a shovel, a rake, and a jigsaw. In addition to the listed devices and manual labor tools, wooden pegs are also useful when marking the area for a septic tank and filtration field.

Features of installation work

First, using a jigsaw, holes are cut in the barrels for installing overflow pipes and a ventilation riser. The hole intended for connecting the incoming pipe into the chamber is made at a distance of 20 cm from the top edge of the container. The outlet hole is made on the opposite side of the chamber 10 cm lower than the inlet hole, that is, at a distance of 30 cm from the top edge of the barrel.

Installing the overflow pipe into the hole cut in the first plastic settling barrel and filling the gap with two-part epoxy sealant

The ventilation riser for removing gases is installed only in the first settling barrel. It is also advisable to provide this chamber with a removable lid, which allows periodic cleaning of the bottom from settled solid particles. In the second settling barrel, two holes are made at the bottom, located at an angle of 45 degrees relative to each other, to connect drainage pipes laid along the filtration field.

Important! Gaps in the holes formed due to loose contact between the pipes and the walls of the barrel are filled with two-component epoxy sealant.

Stage #1 - calculation of dimensions and construction of the pit

When calculating the dimensions of the pit, it is assumed that there should be a gap of 25 cm around the entire perimeter between the barrels and its walls. This gap will be filled in dry in the future. sand-cement mixture, which serves to protect the walls of the septic tank from damage during seasonal soil movement.

If you have the funds, the bottom under the settling chambers can be filled with concrete mortar, providing the “cushion” with embedded metal parts with loops that will serve to secure plastic containers. Such fastening will not allow the barrels to “float” through the veins, and thereby disrupt the established autonomous sewage system.

The stepped bottom of the pit must be leveled and covered with a layer of compacted sand, the thickness of which must be at least 10 cm

Stage #2 - installation of plastic containers

Barrels are placed on the prepared bottom of the pit and secured with straps to metal loops embedded in concrete. All pipes are connected and gaps in the holes are sealed. Fill the remaining space between the walls of the pit and the containers with a mixture of cement and sand, not forgetting to compact them layer by layer. As the pit is filled with backfill, water is poured into the containers to prevent deformation of the walls of the barrels under the pressure of the sand-cement mixture.

Preparing the hole in the second settling barrel to connect the overflow pipe. In this version, the flange is connected not from the side, but from the top

Stage #3 - setting up a filtration field

In the immediate vicinity of the septic tank, a trench 60-70 cm deep is dug, the dimensions of which should allow the placement of two perforated pipes. The bottom and walls of the trench are lined with geotextile fabric with a reserve that is necessary to cover pipes covered with crushed stone on top.

A 30-centimeter layer of crushed stone is poured onto the geotextile and leveled bulk material and compact

Drainage pipes are laid with perforations in the walls, which are connected to the second settling barrel. Then another 10 cm of crushed stone is poured on top of the pipes, leveled and the backfill is covered with geotextile fabric so that the edges overlap each other by 15-20 cm. Next, all that remains is to fill the filtration field with soil and decorate this place with lawn grass.

As you can see, any summer resident can make a septic tank from barrels. Just remember that this structure is designed for the collection and disposal of small amounts of liquid household waste.

Homemade septic tank from plastic barrels: do it yourself

Selecting plastic containers for making a homemade septic tank: video. Diagram of a simple septic tank made from plastic barrels for a summer house or bathhouse.

Building a house is a labor-intensive and complex task. If you want to have a complete autonomous sewerage, you need to equip a septic tank for drains and waste, and it can be made from plastic barrels with a volume of 200 liters each. Metal containers are not suitable; they rust and deteriorate quickly.

It should be recalled that such a septic tank purifies contaminated water; it cannot be done without pumping.

Advantages of a do-it-yourself septic tank

Stores sell already assembled septic tanks from different manufacturers. But their functions are identical homemade devices. Having decided to equip a septic tank with your own hands for a private home, you get the opportunity to appreciate the important advantages:

cheap material;
simplicity and ease of installation - no special skills or knowledge required.

Among the disadvantages, experts call the limited volume of the chambers, so the owner of the dacha will have to pump out water quite often. But this is better than drawing it from a well, even with a pump. Most often, a septic tank is installed where wastewater is minimal.

For which premises is a septic tank made from plastic barrels suitable?

Country houses used for temporary holidays during the summer season.

Baths that do not have a jacuzzi, swimming pool or toilet.

Buildings and utility structures to improve the comfort of use.

Where to install a septic tank

Aim for a long distance from a well or other source clean water– according to the standards, sewerage should not pass nearby, otherwise the quality of the water will suffer. Also, retreat 5 m or more from the foundation of the house and provide 1 m as a distance from other buildings on the summer cottage. Consider the option of pumping out waste - if it is a special machine, provide convenient access to the septic tank under construction.

What is the simplest and at the same time effective scheme for arranging a septic tank?

The product consists of 2 or 3 barrels, one of which does not have a bottom, due to which the component functions as a filter part.

Each subsequent barrel is placed 10 cm lower than the previous one.

The barrels are connected to each other by a pipeline. The pipe that enters the septic tank is located 10 cm above the outgoing channel.

The barrels, which act as a settling tank, are placed on a sand bed, the layer thickness is 10 cm.

To better purify the water, provide a bottomless barrel with a cushion of 30 cm of crushed stone and 50 cm of sand.

The high groundwater level requires the installation of a filtration field instead of a filter well.

What materials are needed to create a septic tank with your own hands?

Based on the received drawings of the septic tank, we determine the materials that will be needed to build the product for a country house:

Two barrels with a capacity of 200-250 liters. If a filter well is provided, prepare another barrel by cutting out the bottom. You shouldn’t give up iron ones only if the septic tank is temporary - metal containers They won't last longer than a couple of months.

Crushed stone with small particles measuring 1.8-3.5 cm each.

Geotextiles.

Pipeline for laying sewerage, the diameter of one pipe is 110 mm.

Drainage pipes used in the construction of filtration fields.

Angles that combine parts of the pipeline.

Preparing barrels for installation

First, prepare plastic barrels for work. Make recesses for incoming and outgoing pipes. In one barrel, the hole is made at a step of 20 cm from the upper base of the barrel. The entrance recess runs on the opposite side, with a 10 cm downward displacement.

In the first barrel, provide a hole for ventilation. It is advisable that the lid be removed, because this chamber will accept a larger amount of solid waste and therefore needs constant cleaning.

Now process the second barrel. Step back 20 cm from the top cover and make a hole for the incoming channel. The outlet is placed on the other side, focusing 10 cm above the recess of the inlet pipe. If the barrels are connected to drainage, experts recommend making two holes at an angle of 45 degrees to each other.

How to install a septic tank with your own hands

To install a septic tank, you need to prepare a pit. Focus on a value that exceeds the volume of the barrels; the drawings will help you determine the size. The gap between the plane of the barrels and the sides of the pit is left 25 cm around the entire perimeter.

What other nuances need to be taken into account when creating a pit for a septic tank?

To make the bottom dense, lay out a sand cushion; the layer thickness should be 10 cm.

Secure the result with concrete mortar. Barrels require reliable fixation using mortgages metal hinges. If the septic tank is planned to be used on an ongoing basis, builders recommend powerful fastening using bandage belts located on concrete base. The master's short-sightedness can lead to the barrels floating to the surface as soon as the spring flood arrives. Then you will have to say goodbye to the sewer system.

Now install the barrels by connecting the pipeline. To protect the product from damage, add a mixture of sand and dry cement, the layer thickness is 30 cm. Compact it and fill it again. At this time, fill the container with water - this simple technique will avoid deformation of the walls. Use waterproofing agents to seal joints.

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.

As for green spaces such as 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 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 if the groundwater level is 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 for each 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 in Lately consumers build 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. According to sanitary standards and rules, the volume of the septic tank must accommodate wastewater in the amount of 3 daily norms. This is true for water consumption in the amount 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

On 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, they are introduced plastic pipes, 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 the country house is connected. 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 pit for installing containers, you should be guided by parameters that will be larger than the geometric dimensions of the compartments used. 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.

Mortgages can be installed into the resulting base metal elements, which will help fix 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 add a removable lid to the first compartment, because a huge amount of solid waste will accumulate in it, which 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.