Do-it-yourself sewerage in the country from a barrel. How to make a sewer system from barrels for a summer residence: a simple solution to a complex problem. Preparing building materials for work

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Since, due to this, the size of the cesspool is limited, it is permissible to use metal barrels only in summer cottages, where it is not planned to live permanently, and the amount of wastewater will be small. A small sewage tank would be inappropriate in a house where several people live permanently.

The main advantage of metal containers is their high strength, due to which they can withstand severe mechanical loads.

However, they have many more disadvantages, which is why their use is limited:

Advantages of barrels made of polymer materials:

• corrosion resistance, so the containers can last 30-50 years;
• high mechanical strength, which is almost similar to metal products;
• most types of plastic are resistant to aggressive chemical compounds that are part of sewage;
• The plastic sewer barrel is completely sealed and does not require additional waterproofing.

However, such containers also have a significant drawback - despite their large volume, their weight is insignificant. For this reason, the tank can be pushed to the surface under the influence of groundwater or frost heaving of the soil. Therefore, the construction of a septic tank requires that the sewer tank be well secured.

How to bury a tank with your own hands

Before burying a sewer container, you need to decide on its location. You also need to know in advance how to properly bury a septic tank so that you don’t have to redo everything later. There are certain sanitary standards regarding the distance to residential buildings, water sources, and site boundaries. It would be a good idea to entrust the choice of location for installing a septic tank to a specialist who will take into account the location of buildings on the site, communications, groundwater level and other nuances.

A plastic barrel for sewerage is installed in a pre-prepared pit; its dimensions must be larger than the tank. Thanks to this, if necessary, it will be possible to insulate the structure and securely fasten the barrel. The depth of the pit should be such that the intake hole and the supply sewer pipe are at the same level.

How to bury a barrel under a sewer, procedure:

1. At the bottom of the pit, a crushed stone or sand cushion more than 20 centimeters thick is created.
2. After this, the base is concreted, and a frame with anchors or hinges is installed for further attachment of the container.
3. After 5-7 days, the concrete foundation becomes strong enough and the barrel can be installed.
4. The container is attached to the foundation using steel strips or a bandage of cables.
5. If necessary, the septic tank is insulated with polyurethane foam or extruded polystyrene foam (read: "").
6. Before backfilling the soil, the container must be filled to a certain level. During this work, it is important to take into account the manufacturer’s recommendations - depending on what polymer material the barrel is made of, the features of backfilling may differ.
7. The barrel is connected to all inlet and outlet communications, the ventilation pipe, after which it is finally covered with soil.

Currently, containers made of polymer materials are the most common - this is due to their advantages over metal products. An important role in this is played by their durability and ease of installation.

Sewerage from barrels is created quite simply with your own hands, which makes it possible to save on the services of specialists. If the barrel was securely fastened, and all installation requirements were followed, including the manufacturer’s recommendations, then the container can last for several decades.

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 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 the arrangement of 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, while 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, 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 simplest 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 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 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 a 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 m 3 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 the country house is connected. It is inserted into the first container using a tee; its free end will be used for ventilation. At the 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.

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 allow you to achieve a 100% guarantee that the barrels will not float during a flood.

When making holes in plastic containers, you should step back 0.2 m from the lid 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 moves 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.

Making a septic tank with your own hands from barrels is one of the simplest and cheapest ways to ensure wastewater treatment. Its production does not require much time, and the materials are available. At the same time, a treatment facility of this type is quite effective and provides high quality removal of impurities.

In septic tanks of this type, wastewater is treated primarily mechanically:

• Partial clarification during the deposition of the largest particles of impurities occurs mainly in the first of three series-connected containers.
• Smaller inclusions settle in the second tank, into which water flows from the top of the first barrel.
• The “native” bottom of the third barrel is usually removed, and when installing a septic tank, the lower part is backfilled with sand, gravel or expanded clay. This material acts as a filter.

Passing through the ground achieves optimal results, but this method is not suitable for areas with groundwater located close to the surface. To ensure sanitary safety in such cases, drainage of treated wastewater through filtration fields is organized. Such structures are perforated pipes insulated with geotextile, which come out of the third barrel at an angle of 45° to each other and are located in trenches parallel to the surface.

The use of septic tanks from barrels

It is advisable to build a septic tank at the dacha with your own hands from barrels in the following cases:

• as a temporary structure during the construction phase of a house before the sewer system is installed,
• with a minimum amount of waste, typical for periodic visits to a suburban area without permanent residence.

Such requirements are due to the small volume of tanks. The capacity of large barrels is usually 250 liters Therefore, the volume of a septic tank from three tanks will be 750 liters. At the same time, according to the terms of sanitary standards, the septic tank must accommodate three daily “portions”.

It is advisable to build a septic tank from plastic barrels with your own hands as a separate treatment facility, for example, for shower or bath.

The advantages of such designs are:

• low cost (used containers are often used),
• simplicity of design and installation,
• less excavation work due to the small volume of tanks.

Pros and cons of the materials used

Do-it-yourself sewerage in a country house from a barrel can be made using plastic or metal containers. Usually the most affordable option is used, however, if a choice is possible, the pros and cons of each option should be taken into account before making a decision.

Advantages:

• light weight, ease of transportation and installation,
• ease of making holes for pipes,
• absolute waterproofness, eliminating the possibility of soil contamination,
• resistance to corrosion from water or aggressive substances that may be contained in detergents.

Flaws:

• due to their small weight, plastic barrels require reliable fastening to the foundation in order to prevent them from floating during a flood, which can lead to destruction of the sewer system,
• Due to the plasticity of the material, there is a danger of squeezing soil reservoirs during the cold season.

Iron barrels

Advantages of a septic tank made of metal barrels:

• high strength,
• structural rigidity,
• waterproof provided the walls and bottom are intact.

Flaws:

• instability to corrosion, requiring a waterproofing coating and periodic inspection of its condition,
• a slightly more complex process of making holes that requires the use of power tools.

It should be noted that more often a homemade septic tank from barrels is made using plastic containers.

Materials and tools

Before making a septic tank from a barrel, in order to avoid unplanned interruptions during the work process, it is better to prepare everything you need in advance.

Main components:

• metal or plastic barrels,
• sewer pipes (most often used with a diameter of 110 mm), the total length of which is 1-2 meters greater than the length of the main line,
• tees corresponding to the diameter of the pipes,
• sewer covers for barrels,
• pipes for ventilation (in some cases sewer pipes can be used),
• covers for ventilation (purchased or home-made protective canopies),
• corner fittings,
• flanges, couplings.

Installation materials:

• PVC glue (if plastic containers are used),
• sealant,
• cement,
• sand,
• crushed stone,
• fastening cables or clamps.

Tools:

• Bulgarian,
• shovel,
• electric mixer

Septic tank installation

Do-it-yourself sewerage from barrels requires certain preparatory work to be completed before installation. We will consider the option of making a septic tank from three barrels, but the same remains for a septic tank from two tanks.

Technological holes are made in each barrel.

In each of their barrels, in addition, there are holes at the upper end (or lids, which are often provided with tanks for ease of cleaning) for ventilation pipes.

In each tank, the inlet is located 10 cm above the outlet.

Important: When making a septic tank from iron barrels with your own hands, the metal barrels for sewerage are coated with an anti-corrosion compound inside and out.

The pit for the septic tank is dug out of the barrels in such a way that when installed, there is a gap of 25 cm on each side of any tank. The bottom of the pit is covered with crushed stone or a sand cushion is arranged.

• To fill the foundation, step formwork is installed. When placing barrels with a sequential decrease in level (each is 10 cm lower than the previous one), the volume of the tanks will be fully used, which is very important with the small capacity of septic tanks of this type. If the removal of purified liquid is provided through the bottom filter of the third barrel, the last tank is installed directly on crushed stone, without a foundation.
• After pouring the foundation at the stage of hardening of the solution, rings or hooks are installed into it, to which clamps will cling to secure the containers. Just in case, it is better to “anchor” not only plastic, but also iron tanks.

If wastewater removal will be carried out through a filtration field, then trenches for laying corrugated pipes can be dug at this stage.

Once the foundation has gained strength, you can begin installing and securing tanks, installing pipes and sealing joints at their entry points. Experts recommend not using silicone for these purposes, preferring other types of sealants, for example, epoxy.

The trenches of the filtration field are covered with geotextile, and after laying the perforated pipes, the material is wrapped with the edges overlapping each other.

A fully assembled septic tank made from barrels is filled with soil. It is better to fill plastic containers with water at this time to avoid deformation. During the backfilling process, the soil is periodically carefully compacted.

In a separate article on the site, it will be easier to create a treatment facility with it, but it will still not be possible to completely do without loading equipment.

Installation of a sewer system for a private house. Selecting a location, conducting internal and external communications.

Types of plastic drainage wells are presented. Scope of application and installation.

Nuances of construction

When installing septic tanks from barrels in the country with your own hands, you should take into account some nuances and rules:

Rules for choosing the volume and location of septic tanks

The daily water consumption rate is 200 liters per person, and the septic tank must be able to accommodate wastewater. Collected within 72 hours or 3 days. Thus, subject to permanent residence, a three-chamber septic tank made of 250-liter barrels is suitable only for one person. Therefore, septic tanks of this type are used only for temporary residence or for treating wastewater from one point (for example, from a bathhouse). In most cases, they try to somehow increase the capacity of septic tanks, which is why among treatment facilities made from barrels there are practically no two-chamber options (they have too small a volume).

It is important to comply with sanitary requirements regarding permissible distances from the septic tank to certain objects. For example, the distance from the source of drinking water should be at least 50 meters. Garden plants and fruit trees must be located at least 3 meters from the treatment plant. The distance to the road is at least 5 meters.

It is impractical to purchase an expensive factory-made septic tank for installing an autonomous sewer system on a summer cottage, which is used only in the summer. 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 structures are used less and less. The operation of such a sewerage facility is possible only with a small amount of 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 the location of a 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, filtration fields are installed instead of a drainage well.

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 building materials and equipment will be required:

• fine-grained crushed stone (fraction size 1.8-3.5 cm);
• geotextile fabric;
• a pair of plastic barrels with a volume of 250 l;
• orange sewer pipes with a diameter of 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 subsequently be filled with a dry sand-cement mixture, which will serve 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, the bulk material is leveled and compacted

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.

If you will use it only in the summer, there is no point in making or buying an expensive autonomous septic tank. You can use material that ultimately will not incur large financial costs. So, you can make a septic tank from plastic barrels with your own hands. But it is important to understand that this design can only be used for small volumes of wastewater.

If a family of three lives at the dacha and only in the summer, it will be enough to install 2 or 3 barrels. The volume of one barrel can be 250 liters. The barrels are mounted one after another with overflow. As a result, a bundle is formed in one line. The overflow is mounted at a slight angle. The difference between them must be at least 100 mm. As for the installation depth of the barrels, each subsequent one is buried 150 mm deeper in relation to the previous one.

Tool and material

To make a homemade septic tank from plastic barrels, you will need to prepare the following building material and tools:

• Jigsaw.
• Rake.
• Shovel.
• Building level.
• Plumbing tape.
• Epoxy two-component sealant.
• Glue for PVC pipes.
• Flanges.
• Couplings.
• Perforated pipe (for arranging drainage).
• Elbows and tees.
• Sewer pipes Ø 110 mm.
• 2-3 plastic barrels, volume 250 l.
• Geotextile fabric.
• Sand.
• Crushed stone, fractions 1.8-3.5 cm.

It is necessary to start creating a septic tank by preparing plastic barrels. So, in the barrel, use a jigsaw to cut holes for the overflow, according to the diameter of the pipe. In this case, retreat 200 mm from the top of the container. On the other side of the barrel, drill a second hole, only 300 mm lower in height from the top of the container. Between the two holes you will have a difference of 100 mm. To organize ventilation, a pipe is installed in the first barrel. In order to be able to clean the septic tank from solid waste particles from time to time, the lid must be opened. As for the second barrel, which will serve as a sump, make two holes at the bottom. In relation to each other they should be at 45°. This is necessary to connect the drainage pipe going to the filtration field.

Each pipe-to-barrel connection must be treated with epoxy sealant. This will prevent wastewater from leaking into the ground.

The connection of all these barrels can be done on the surface, so all you have to do is immerse the homemade septic tank in the pit.

As for digging a pit, this is one of the most labor-intensive processes. The barrels should be installed easily, so make the pit width 250 mm larger. You will then fill the resulting gap between the barrel and the pit with a cement-sand mixture, which will prevent destruction or damage to the walls during soil movement.

If there is a risk of the barrel floating outward under the influence of groundwater, then the bottom will need to be covered with a concrete screed. It is also necessary to install embedded metal parts with hinges that will hold the homemade septic tank in place.

Installation of barrels and production of filtration field

At the next stage, the septic tank is installed in the pit. Carefully lower the entire barrel structure to the bottom and secure it with straps to the concrete hinges. If it is not possible to lower the entire structure, then after installing the barrels, all pipe joints are connected and sealed. After this, fill the resulting space between the barrel and the foundation pit with a sand-cement mixture.

As you fill and compact the mixture of sand and cement, fill the barrel with water. This will reduce the risk of deformation.

Now it's time to make the filter fields. At a depth of 700 mm, near the buried septic tank, dig a trench. Place perforated pipes in it. First cover the walls and bottom of the trench with geotextile fabric. The laid pipes from below and above are covered with crushed stone, 100 mm thick. When joining geotextiles, make a slight overlap of up to 200 mm. This is especially important when laying the canvas on top of crushed stone. When the “pie” of perforated pipe, crushed stone and geotextile is ready, the remaining space of the trench is filled with earth. Finally, the field with filtration channels is decorated and sown with lawn grass.

Advantages and disadvantages

The technology of using plastic barrels has its pros and cons. For objectivity, when choosing material for a septic tank, they should be mentioned.

• Easy installation and transportation.
• Light weight.
• It's very easy to make overflow holes.
• There is no risk of soil contamination.
• The entire structure is waterproof.
• Resistance to corrosion under the influence of aggressive substances and water.

Disadvantages of plastic barrels:

• Reliable fastening of the barrels to the bottom of the pit is required.
• There is a risk of the barrels floating outwards if installed incorrectly.
• During the cold season, the plastic material of the tank may be compressed.

As you can see, anyone can make a septic tank from plastic barrels. Once again, it is worth remembering that such a septic tank is only relevant for seasonal use. For permanent residence, a more reliable design will be required. We will be interested in your experience in making a septic tank from plastic barrels with your own hands. Leave comments and feedback at the end of this article. And if you still have questions or certain uncertainties, ask our expert.

Video

From the provided video material, you can see the principle of creating a septic tank from plastic barrels using the example of Eurocubes: