How to make a septic tank from metal barrels. Making a septic tank from barrels with your own hands. Types of country sewerage

In a city apartment, plumbing and sewerage are the norm. At the dacha, I also want comfortable conditions stay. However, outside the city, not everywhere there are centralized treatment systems. You have to equip the septic tank yourself. There are many options for this, but a do-it-yourself sewerage system in a country house from a barrel is the simplest and cheapest of them.

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

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

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

Sewerage from barrels - best option for suburban area

septic tank autonomous sewerage in the country should be removed from:

  • reservoirs, a drinking well or a well of 30 meters;
  • garden beds at 10 meters;
  • the foundation of the house by 5 meters;
  • underground pipelines with gas at 5 meters;
  • green spaces (shrubs and trees) by 3 meters.

Attention! Compliance with minimum distances to sources drinking water– a pledge to prevent their pollution and the spread of infections.

If the septic tank is placed too close to the country house, then the water will certainly begin to destroy its foundation. And the relevant sanitary standards are prescribed for a reason. Failure to comply with them can entail not only health problems, but also liability under the law.

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

  1. The properties and composition of the soil - sand easily passes moisture, and on clay soil it will be necessary to equip a sand cushion.
  2. The relief of the site - sewer pipe should be laid at a slope from the house to the barrels, the water should move by gravity.
  3. Depth ground water.
  4. Climatic conditions- the maximum possible negative air temperatures in winter and the level of freezing of the earth.
  5. The inevitability of the arrival of a sewage truck - containers must be available for cleaning and pumping out sewage.

Scheme of the simplest sewage system from a pair of containers

The simplest sewer at the cottage is outdoor pipeline and a couple of iron barrels as a septic tank. Pipes for self-laying you can take plastic with a diameter of 110 mm. A smaller diameter will not cope with the peak volume of effluents, and you will have to overpay for a larger one.

Remember! It is recommended to install a septic tank from barrels as the basis of the sewer system in the country house only with groundwater not higher than 3-4 meters.

bias sewer pipeline for reliable gravity flow, it must be at least 0.03 (vertically 3 cm / running meter of pipe). When laying pipes above the freezing level, it will be necessary to perform insulation using moisture-resistant thermal insulation materials.

Barrel sewer device

Which containers are better to use: iron or plastic

When arranging sewerage in the country with their own hands, barrels made of plastic or metal are used. The first option is easier to install and more resistant to corrosion, but when the soil swells plastic container easily crushed.

Iron barrels of 200 liters are more popular with Russian summer residents. This metal container for coatings, after firing, becomes an ideal container for creating a sewer sump. It is durable, cheap and lightweight, which allows you to do all the work yourself.

Iron two-hundred-liter barrels are popular with domestic summer residents because of their availability.

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

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

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

According to SNiP, the volume of the septic tank must contain three daily measures of runoff from the house. This is at a water consumption of up to 5 cubic meters / day - just for the country sewerage. But at the same time, one must understand that these data are indicated for regularly cleaned sedimentation tanks. At least twice a year, they without fail must be cleaned, removing accumulated sludge and debris.

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

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

  1. Pressurized sump primary coarse cleaning.
  2. Tanks for soil cleaning.

A variant with one hermetic tank is possible. But then it must be much bigger size and needs to be constantly cleaned. And for this it will be necessary to call vacuum trucks with special equipment, paying for their work. This type of sewerage is more suitable for small cottage, and for giving it is better to use an alternative from a pair of iron barrels.

In this case, the effluents first enter the first tank, where they are clarified and coarse sediment (sand, vegetable peels and other debris) settles. As soon as this tank is filled to capacity, partially purified water begins to flow into the second barrel, which has no bottom. As a result, moisture, passing through the sand filter and being additionally cleaned, goes into the soil.

Conditional Schema two-chamber septic tank

The first barrel should be slightly higher than the second. So the water will drain naturally without any pumps. Also in the first container, it is imperative to make a lid and a vent. Sooner or later, solid sediment will have to be cleaned out of it. And ventilation is necessary for the flow of anaerobic processes.

Sewerage technology in the country

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

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

  1. In the first: on top - the inlet for the pipe from the house, and on the side - the outlet for overflow into the next tank.
  2. In the second: on the side - incoming overflow, and from below - into the whole bottom for drainage into the ground.

The inlet should be located 10–20 cm higher than the outlet, otherwise the water may go back when overflowing.

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

All pipes inserted into the barrel must be carefully sealed.

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

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

It remains to connect the sewer pipe from the country house. It is inserted into the first tank using a tee, the free end of which is designed to organize the ventilation of the septic tank. In the end, everything is sprinkled on top with soil.

Septic tank maintenance and cleaning

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

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

It is necessary to invite vacuum cleaners regularly

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

Video: general principles of sewerage in the country

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

which you will only use summer time, then it makes no sense to manufacture or buy expensive autonomous septic tank. You can use material that ultimately will not pull big financial costs. So, you can make a septic tank from plastic barrels with your own hands. But it is important to understand that such a design can only be used with small volumes of wastewater.

If a family of three lives in the country house and only in the summer, it will be enough to install 2 or 3 barrels. The volume of one barrel can be 250 liters. 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 than the previous one.

Tool and material

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

  • Electric jigsaw.
  • Rake.
  • Shovel.
  • Building level.
  • Water 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, 250 l.
  • Geotextile fabric.
  • Sand.
  • Crushed stone, fractions 1.8-3.5 cm.

It is necessary to start creating a septic tank with the preparation of plastic barrels. So, in a barrel with a jigsaw, cut holes for overflow, according to the diameter of the pipe. At the same time, you retreat 200 mm from the top of the container. On the other side of the barrel, drill a second hole, only 300 mm lower from the top of the container. Between the two holes you get a difference of 100 mm. To organize ventilation, a pipe is equipped in the first barrel. So that from time to time it was possible to clean the septic tank from solid particles of sewage, the lid must open. 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 required to connect drainage pipe going to the filtration field.

Each connection of the pipe to the barrel must be treated with epoxy sealant. This will prevent leakage of effluents into the ground.

The connection of all these barrels can be made on the surface, so you just have to immerse a homemade septic tank into the pit.

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

If there is a risk of the barrel floating out under the influence of groundwater, then the bottom will need to be equipped with a concrete screed. It is also necessary to set mortgages metal parts with loops that will hold a homemade septic tank in place.

Installation of barrels and production of a filtration field

At the next stage, the septic tank is installed in the pit. Gently lower the entire structure from the barrels to the bottom and fasten it with straps to the concreted hinges. If it is impossible to lower the entire structure, then after installing the barrels, all pipe joints are connected and sealed. After that, fill the resulting space between the barrel and the pit with a sand-cement mixture.

As the mixture of sand and cement is backfilled and compacted, 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. Insert perforated pipes into it. Pre-cover the walls and bottom of the trench with a geotextile sheet. The laid pipes from below and from above are covered with crushed stone, 100 mm thick. When joining geotextiles, make a small overlap of up to 200 mm. This is especially important when laying the canvas on top of the rubble. When the "pie" of perforated pipe, crushed stone and geotextile is ready, the remaining trench space is covered with earth. At the end, 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 a material for a septic tank, they should be mentioned.

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

Disadvantages of plastic barrels:

  • Arrangement of reliable fastening of barrels to the bottom of the pit is required.
  • There is a risk of barrels floating to the outside if installed incorrectly.
  • In the cold season, the plastic material of the tank can be compressed.

As you can see, everyone can make a septic tank out of plastic barrels. Once again, it is worth recalling that such a septic tank is relevant only for seasonal use. For permanent residence more robust design. 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 have any questions or certain ambiguities, ask them to 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:

In a small summer cottage, it makes no sense to install an expensive septic tank. Especially if the cottage comes to life only in the summer, and the number of people living in it is small. You can make a septic tank from barrels in the country with your own hands. Previously, 200 liter metal barrels were used to build septic tanks. Over time, plastic barrels appeared on sale. They are much lighter and more durable. As a result, demand quickly shifted from metal to plastic drums. Of course, a good host, not to bear extra costs, will use the barrels it has. In this article, we will look at how to make a septic tank from barrels, using both metal barrels and plastic barrels.

Choosing a place for a septic tank

When choosing a place for a future septic tank, pay attention to the location of the wells with drinking water and residential buildings. According to the norms, the septic tank should be located no closer than 5 m from the dwelling and 15 m from the source of drinking water.

Installation of plastic barrels

So, you have chosen a place for installation and decided to build a septic tank from plastic barrels. You can start working:

  1. For a small suburban area, two or three barrels with a capacity of 200-250 liters are enough. Taking a little more space than the diameter of the barrels, mark out the place for the pit. Keep in mind that the distance between the barrels should be 25 cm, and they should be in one line.
  2. Get down to the hardest work with the soil. The depth of the pit is dug in steps. First, a hole is dug along the height of the first barrel. Each next barrel will be installed 15 cm deeper than the previous one.
  3. The bottom of the first two pits is covered with a sand cushion 10 cm thick. After that, they are well leveled and rammed. If your finances allow, then the bottom can be concreted. Reinforcement is poured with concrete, bent in the form of a loop with a protrusion outward. Barrels will then be tied to these loops.
  4. The bottom of the pit under the third barrel is covered with a layer of sand of about 50 cm. A layer of crushed stone of 30 cm is poured on top of the sand. This layer will filter the effluents that go into the ground.
  5. At the bottom of the first two holes, install barrels with a bottom. They will serve as septic tanks. If the bottom is made of concrete and there are loops, then with the help of belts we fasten the barrels to the loops. This device will protect the barrels from floating in the spring.
  6. Install the first barrel with a removable top cover. Through it you will clean the container from precipitation. From the top of the barrel, remove the riser from the sewer pipe with a diameter of 50 mm for the release of gases.
  7. If the design of the septic tank provides for a filtration field, then cut holes in the second barrel located one above the other at an angle of 45 °. Pipes leading to the filtration field will be connected to these holes.
  8. In the third barrel, cut the bottom with a jigsaw or grinder, and place the pit on the filter bottom.
  9. The barrels will be connected to each other by overflow pipes. Therefore, in the sides of the barrels it is necessary to cut holes with a diameter of 110 mm for sewer pipes. The opening of the pipe coming out of the barrel should be 10 cm lower than the inlet.
  10. Using a sewer pipe, connect the barrels together. Seal the joints with sealant.
  11. After the entire installation procedure, backfill the pit. The pit is filled in layers. As the layer is added, water is poured into the barrel so that the pressure does not crush the barrel. And fill the space between the walls of the barrels with a dry mixture of sand and cement. Each layer is compacted as it falls asleep.

A photo

Filtration field

If the groundwater is deep, a filtration field can be added to the septic tank. In this case, the installation of a third filter barrel is impractical, and it is not installed. Let's take a quick look at how to make a filter field the right way:

  1. A trench is dug near the installed septic tank. Its width should accommodate 2 perforated pipes, and its depth should be about 70 cm.
  2. Geotextile fabric is laid in the trench.
  3. A perforated pipe is laid on top of the canvas and connected to the second barrel.
  4. The top of the pipe is covered with rubble, and covered with the remaining edges of the canvas. The edges of the canvas should overlap each other by 15 cm.
  5. Wrapped pipes are covered with soil. If desired, the filtration field can be sown with lawn grass.

Installation of metal barrels

If you have metal 200 liter barrels lying around, you can save on buying plastic ones. The fact is that a septic tank can also be made from metal barrels. The scheme and installation procedure are the same as when installing a septic tank from plastic barrels. Only for cutting holes in the sides of metal barrels you will need an electric jigsaw with a metal file. You will also need a welding machine, which can weld overflow pipes and a pipe for the exit of gases from the first barrel. To increase the capacity of the septic tank, barrels can be vertically welded to each other. Jumpers are welded at the welding points for strength. Metal tends to rust quickly, so it is advisable to treat the surface of the barrels before installation protective composition. It can be bitumen or any other means of similar action, sold in a hardware store.

Video

In this video you will find instructions for making a drain for a bath from a plastic barrel:

If there is no close to your summer cottage centralized networks sewerage and water supply, then for comfortable living house needs to be built autonomous water supply and a local treatment plant - a septic tank. Today we will talk about septic tanks. Thanks to them, wastewater will be disposed of in accordance with sanitary standards without harm environment. It is easier and cheaper to make a home-made treatment plant from improvised materials, for example, a septic tank from barrels. The design can be designed for any volume of drains, 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.

A septic tank from a barrel can be made with your own hands 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 design will turn out to be short-lived. It is better to make a septic tank for a small dacha from polymer containers with a volume of 200-250 liters. If many residents live in your dacha or the building can be used year-round, then the volume of containers should be even larger.

There can be many options for self-construction in the country of water supply and sewerage. So, water supply can be equipped from a well or a well, and the choice of a septic tank design depends on the characteristics of the effluents, the hydrogeological conditions at the site and the required quality of wastewater treatment. A septic tank from barrels can be:

  • Single chamber. This homemade septic tank, in fact, is the usual cesspool. It can be with or without a bottom, depending on the type of soil and the level of standing groundwater. Waste water from the sewerage system enters the tank, where it is either pumped out by sewers as it accumulates, or filtered into the ground through a special layer of gravel and crushed stone at the bottom. Such a 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 sewage does not get into it.

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

  • Two-chamber. A septic tank of two containers is more perfect. For a small cottage, two barrels of 200 liters are enough. Drains immediately from the sewer enter the first chamber, where they settle, as a result of which the heavy components settle to the bottom. In the second chamber, the clarified waters undergo a post-treatment 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 filtering layer is arranged at the bottom of the second chamber, and water is discharged into the ground.
  • Three-chamber. Most the best way- sewerage for a summer residence from three containers with a volume of 200-250 liters each. In this design, the necessary degree of wastewater treatment is achieved, which does not contradict sanitary standards. Such effluents can be discharged into the ground without the risk of environmental degradation. Drainage from the sewerage is settled in the first chamber. Then the pre-treated waters flow into the second compartment, where they are further purified biological method. There is also a small precipitate of small impurities. Only then the purified water enters the filtration chamber, where it is discharged through a layer at the bottom into the ground.

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 are contrary to sanitary standards. In a multi-chamber design, drains in the first compartment pass mechanical cleaning under the action of gravitational forces, organic compounds are broken down in the second chamber due to microorganisms. In the last filtration chamber, the final post-treatment of the liquid takes place, and the effluents are 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 place for a septic tank, you should adhere to standard distances. So, from the source where the water for the water supply is taken, it should be at least 15 m. It is worth retreating at least 5 m from the foundation of the house. You should not lay sewer pipes near the water supply. The septic tank should be located at a distance of 1-2 meters from roadways and parking lots.

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

  • It is necessary to correctly determine the dimensions of all tanks of the treatment plant. The volume of the first chamber of the sump must be equal to the volume of the daily discharge, which is determined from the fact that one tenant consumes 200 liters of water from the water supply per day. This number must be multiplied by the number of residents and by 3 (so many days the drains are in the septic tank). As a result, we get the working volume of the septic tank. The actual volume is usually a little more, but not less.

Necessary materials


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

For work you will need the following materials:

  • Two or three barrels of polymer material volume of 200 liters or more. In addition, you will need a plastic corrugated pipe or another barrel for the well.
  • To close the barrels from above, it is worth taking three sewer covers(also made of plastic).
  • Pipes for sewerage with a diameter of 110 mm. The length must be determined from the distance from the house to the septic tank plus a couple of meters of stock.
  • Ventilation pipe with a cap with a diameter of 110 mm. The length of the pipe is not 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 more than 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 wooden formwork or steel fine mesh. To insulate the treatment plant and sewer pipeline, you will need mineral wool for pipes, foam plastic or foam plastic for a sewage treatment plant.

Mounting


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

  1. From the place where the sewer is removed from the house, we dig a trench 1 m wide to the place where the septic tank is installed. At the same time, we make the slope of the bottom of the trench taking into account 2 cm of difference for each meter of length. Under the septic tank, we dig a pit. Its dimensions must 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 tank at different depths. The first camera will be at the top.
  2. Since the septic tank has impressive dimensions, but low weight, groundwater can easily raise the tank to the surface. To prevent this from happening, a concrete pad is made at the bottom of the pit. To do this, first knead cement-sand mortar, then at the bottom of the pit, sand cushion 10 cm high. It is leveled and rammed. After that, it is laid on the bottom reinforcing mesh with outlets for mounting a septic tank. The bottom is poured with a layer of concrete 150-200 mm high.
  3. After the concrete pad has hardened, you can proceed with the installation of the barrels. Each barrel is mounted on a separate step so that the next container is 10 cm lower. There should be a distance of 100-150 mm between the chambers. We attach the barrels to the outlets of the reinforcement in the bottom with a steel cable.
  4. In the first chamber desired height we cut a hole for the supply pipeline with a diameter of 110 mm. We put a rubber seal in the hole and additionally seal it with mastic. Now insert the tee into the resulting hole. Then we connect the supply sewer pipe and ventilation to it.
  5. At a height below 100 mm from the first hole on the other side of the first barrel, we make another hole for overflow. It is also sealed rubber seal and insert the corner fitting.
  6. We cover the first barrel with a lid and install a ventilation pipe.
  7. Now cut a hole on the side of the second chamber and insert the corner fitting into it. We seal the hole rubber gasket. We connect two daughters with fittings with an overflow pipe.
  8. On the reverse side of the second container, we make a hole at the level of the middle of the barrel to install an overflow into the third chamber. We install the cover.
  9. The third chamber is a sealed well with an overflow hole from the second chamber. We connect the second and third chambers with a pipe. We mount the cover. If instead of the third camera will be used drainage well, then for its arrangement it is necessary to take corrugated pipe with a diameter of 1 m. An overflow hole is cut in its wall, and a gravel-sand layer 300 mm high is arranged at the bottom. It is better to lay a layer of geotextile under the layer. Through it, water will be filtered into the ground.
  10. Backfilling of the septic tank is carried out with alternating layers of sand and concrete. After making a layer 200-300 mm thick, it is wetted with water and rammed.

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

At the dacha, which is rarely used, they usually do not arrange an expensive industrial septic tank. An alternative is wastewater treatment plants made from inexpensive plastic or metal barrels. The article talks about structural features similar structures.

Manufacturers offer cleaning devices with different performance and a wide price range. many owners summer cottages prefer to make them by hand. The option is in demand for good reasons:

  • cost savings - they purchase material at a low cost, including used ones, choosing where it is cheaper;
  • use of the capacities available on the farm;
  • the possibility of using a modular scheme - options for future changes and additions are calculated in advance.

Feedback from Golodov A.N. At the dacha, he first set up a septic tank from barrels for the toilet. Then he connected the bath, kitchen, washing machine. To do this, I prepared the connection points in advance: I cut the pipes into containers and drowned them out for a while.

How does a sewage plant work

A self-made design consists of several containers located nearby. They are connected by pipes. Sections are filled sequentially, which is achieved by installing an overflow at different heights. Wastewater treatment is carried out mechanically:

  • large particles settle in the first barrel;
  • the clarified liquid from the filled container flows into the second one;
  • it can be final and serve to filter the liquid into the soil;
  • with a three-chamber version of the septic tank, additional cleaning takes place similar to that in the first section.

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

It looks like a two-chamber septic tank with access to the filter field

Removal of clarified effluents into the ground provides optimal results, but with a close location of groundwater, the method is unacceptable. To ensure environmental safety, they arrange a filtration field. These are perforated pipes, insulated with geotextiles, which are buried in trenches. The exit is made from the last chamber.

The most common and efficient scheme from three sections. If the drains are kitchen or come from a bath, washing machine two containers are sufficient. Such waste can also be cleaned immediately in the last chamber by connecting pipes directly to it, bypassing the previous ones.

Important! Drains from the toilet must be filtered according to the full scheme.

Characteristics and cost of materials

Suitable for sewerage plastic or metal containers. To anticipate possible mistakes in installation, you should be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of materials. A comparison table will help you understand:

Plastic Metal
pros Minuses Advantages disadvantages
Light weight, easy to deliver and install It is required to securely fix it on the foundation so that the spring flood does not destroy the system Robust construction, no need for additional fastening
Frost can crush the container Rigid, not afraid of exposure to cold
Fully sealed Waterproof if walls and bottom are intact
Not afraid of corrosion and harmful effects chemical substances contained in stocks Over time, they are destroyed by rust, the service life depends on the reliability of the treatment with an anti-corrosion compound

Products from under other liquids which are on sale wholesale and by the piece are used mainly. Used prices are low. There are few manufacturers of new barrels for the construction of a small septic tank.

It is better to buy unwashed barrels of fuel, lubricants. They form a film on the inner surface that protects against corrosion.

Manager of the company "Second-package" V.N.Martynov

Cost table for barrels per 200 liters:

The right choice of volume and location of construction

Normalized water consumption - 200 liters per day per person. The capacity of the septic tank is calculated for 72 hours. During this time, the construction of three 200-liter drums processes such a volume. With regular use of water in large quantities this is enough for one person. In fact, consumption is less, it can be reduced by using, for example, a shower rather than a bath. Structures of this type are used mainly for cottages with temporary residence or for a bath. The volume is increased by the device of three chambers, not two.


The larger the capacity of the camera, the further its location from home

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

Preparation of everything necessary for construction

Acquire materials. The main ones include:

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

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

Acquired by others expendable materials. They take care of the insulation of the chambers in advance in order to protect them from freezing - they buy thermal insulation. Seam sealer needed . It is recommended to use automotive polyurethane, silicone short-lived. The foundation for the barrel requires cement, sand, gravel. The fittings can be from any iron bars, it is not necessary to weld, just twist with wire. Sand is required without clay and organic impurities.

After choosing a place and acquiring materials, they begin construction.

Construction of a septic tank from plastic barrels

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

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


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

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

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

Advice. Alternative option- threaded studs. Hooks are made of them, metal plates are fixed with nuts in a straight section, fixed in a cement mortar.

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

Proceed to the installation of barrels:

  1. Installed in the pits of the container. Fix on the foundation by one of the methods described above, insulate.
  2. Cover with removable lids. They serve to pump out wastewater when needed.
  3. Above the barrels, ventilation is constructed from a pipe with a diameter of 50 mm. The minimum quantity is above the first, but it is better to supply everything. Then bad smell will not be heard.
  4. The containers are connected by pipes, observing the slope. All joints are sealed with sealant. If it is automotive, the surface can be painted.

Hatches rise above the surface to a height of up to 20 cm

Backfill the pit with dry sand and cement. It is important to avoid mistakes. In order not to crush it, a little water is added to the barrel, the space is filled in layers with the mixture and rammed.

Features of the installation of metal barrels

It is easier to buy iron containers, especially if they have been used before, than plastic ones, and cheaper. Installation is almost no different, the procedure is the same. Larger chambers are built from metal barrels, installing one on top of the other. It will take welding machine and the ability to own it, so as not to attract third-party help. Stiffeners are installed at the joints. Their absence sometimes leads to squeezing of the container, especially with thin walls.


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

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

Answers on questions

Question number 1. Is it necessary to fix the filtration chamber, because there is no foundation at the bottom?

It is better to fix in order to avoid extrusion by frost or ground water. It is done in a slightly different way. 3-4 iron rods are hammered into the bottom. A barrel is tied to them on belts.