Wastewater treatment in a private house. What should be the performance of the sewer. Autonomous sewerage in a private house

Sewerage 04.07.2019
Sewerage

You won't save much on sewage. She knows how to pick up the last penny like. You can turn off, or almost turn off, heating, you can not heat the water, you can save money by turning off the electricity ... But what to do with the drains? They have to go somewhere from a private house and somehow be disposed of. At least there should be a cesspool ...

It turns out that a cesspool can be the most expensive type of sewer for a home. And the cheapest, but effective waste disposal can be done only by resorting to classical technologies ...

Why you can't save money with a cesspool

The usual cesspool is a well under 3 meters deep, without a bottom, the walls of which are decorated with large tires.

It turns out that its filtering ability, with modern wash-wash-shower (for modern image household life) is insufficient. The pit quickly overflows with drains, sediment, the water practically ceases to be filtered, due to the abundance of fats and poor performance of bacteria under the influence of detergents.

It is required to call an expensive sewage vehicle. But before the dust settles behind a loaded car leaving, the pit demands its arrival again.

The result is the most expensive sewage system - the accumulation and subsequent removal of wastewater in a car. A similar situation with a cesspool is not an isolated example.

With an increase in drains, with the arrival of automatic dishwashers, washing machines, shower stalls, or simply with an increase in the number of users, old cesspools everywhere ceased to cope with their duties.

But, technical inconsistency is half the problem. There is also the issue of legality - according to the standards, the effluents discharged into the ground must be 95% purified.

Make a cheap sewage system with a septic tank

The problem with the sewerage system for the home needs to be solved radically. The cheapest is to equip a classic septic tank. And the cesspool, cleaned and treated with bacteria, then can serve as a drainage well, i.e. in it, additional purification of water and its drainage into the ground will take place.

To create a more effective filter for tertiary treatment with aerobic bacteria, you can simply put a layer of sand 20 cm thick in the pumped out and cleaned pit first, and then rubble - 30 cm.

As a rule, for a small family, with a moderate amount of drains, the filtration capacity of an ordinary cesspool on "medium" soil for purified water from a septic tank is technically sufficient.


What should be the performance of the sewer

An example of arranging a sewerage system with the required performance in a private house.

A family of 3 or 4 people, with reasonable water savings, produces up to 300 liters of wastewater per day. Each family member accounts for 70 - 100 liters of wastewater per day in fact.

According to the standard, the sewage system must be created at the rate of 200 liters per day per person. But in fact, more modest technical capabilities are often required (up to 100 liters per person per day), so a filter well in the form of an old cesspool can replace a modern filtration field.

Thus, one capital sewer structure, a drainage well, is available in most households in finished form... But it needs to be supplemented with a septic tank - an even more expensive building in the classic version.

In the septic tank, a solid sediment falls out, the decomposition of "difficult fats" by anaerobic bacteria occurs, the effluent is purified up to 60 - 70% and poured into a drainage well, where an accelerated additional purification with aerobic bacteria takes place. As a rule, in order for a septic tank to perform its functions, it must be two-chambered, and of significant volume.

Is it possible to somehow reduce the cost of creating a sewage system as much as possible, because often this is what is required in practice….

How to make a cheap septic tank

The volume of the septic tank, both according to the norms and by technical necessity, should not be less than the volume of wastewater in three days. Then the required volume of a septic tank for a family of 3 people is 100x3x3 = 900 liters, 1 cubic meter is taken, taking into account the impossibility of full filling. But, according to the standards, and to get the "go-ahead" from the Sanitary Station, a volume of 2 cubic meters will be required.

The question is that sewage facilities should not freeze through, which means that the septic tank should be underground, and on top should be covered with expensive insulation.

A pit, a reinforced concrete or brick structure of a septic tank, trenches - all this is very costly.

A way out was found in the use of the so-called eurocube - polyethylene containers of 1 cubic meter. fenced with a metal grate installed on a pallet (possibly made of metal). Its cost is much less than a septic tank made of plastic or reinforced concrete, and its purpose is to store technical fluids.


Examples of arranging an inexpensive wastewater purifier

In a separate case, the issue with the septic tank was resolved very cheaply.
The Eurocube was placed in the basement, where a 110 mm sewer pipe ran. The entrance hole for this pipe in the plastic was cut with a drill and saw, the pipe in it was sealed with high-quality silicone. The overflow pipe was used 50 mm, it was laid in a trench up to a cesspool. Cleaning of the Eurocube was carried out manually with the removal of sediments to the garden as fertilizers.

The example suggests that a working sewage system for a house can be created for literally a few thousand rubles.


If we take a eurocube as a basis for creating a sewage system, then more often it has to be placed in a pit with strong walls, anchored there with cables so that the container does not float, insulate from above. But, nevertheless, such a septic tank made by hand is not expensive.

Two eurocubes with a bypass between each other form a two-chamber septic tank with a total useful volume of 1.8 cubic meters, which will technically provide high-quality wastewater treatment for an "average" house and prevent silting of the drainage well.


The procedure for making an inexpensive septic tank

Holes for pipelines are marked and cut out. Overflow pipelines can be made up to 50 mm.

The difference in the levels of the holes in each eurocube is usually 15 cm. The second container must be installed 20 -25 cm lower so that there is no unused volume.



In the first septic tank, a 110 mm vertical pipe is additionally cut in, closed from above with a plug with holes. It is necessary for cleaning the drain tee with a long tool, it is done strictly above this tee. Its second purpose is to protect the container from overflow and excessive pressure.



The ventilation of this septic tank is carried out classically - from the drainage well through the drain pipes to the riser and ventilation ducts above the roof of the house.

A reinforced concrete anchor is laid at the bottom of the pit, to which septic tanks are tied. Or for this purpose, reinforcement is hammered into the walls at an angle - locking anchors.



The normal design of the pit is with brick or cinder block, etc. But, as a rule, for euro cubes in a lattice on clay soil, it is sufficient to fence the walls with old slate, boards, backfilled with sand.

The pit is covered with a reliable insulated overlap. It is better to do it with the main of the corners, the rail. It is recommended to use extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of at least 50 mm (preferably 100 mm).



It is advisable to equip the overlap with hatches with locks (for children) over the lids of eurocubes, to ensure convenient cleaning.

Sewerage in any private house is one of the most important elements that can provide a fairly comfortable life. If, not long ago, our grandparents, who lived in villages and villages, got by with an ordinary cesspool where all the sewage was discharged, and which spread far from the most pleasant aroma throughout the district, now people are striving to install a full-fledged wastewater treatment system. Currently, many different systems are used for wastewater treatment, from ordinary storage tanks to complex biotechnical complexes for deep water purification.

Options for solving the issue of arranging sewage in a private house

Wastewater treatment systems for a private house can be confidently divided into several main groups:

  1. Storage tanks.
  2. Single-chamber septic tanks.
  3. Multi-chamber septic tanks.

Storage tanks

These are sealed tanks that are installed below ground level and equipped with an accessible outlet to the surface for pumping out the sewage accumulated in them. For the arrangement of such tanks, quite a few options are used, the simplest of which is ready-made containers, from metal tanks or plastic eurocubes in a protective metal mesh.

Installation of a storage tank for the sewerage of a private house

In addition, a reservoir for collecting wastewater can be made of concrete rings, placing them on a concrete pad and sealing all joints and technological holes, or pouring a concrete container directly into a dug pit. Despite the simplicity of the design, such tanks are not very popular due to the need for constant pumping of waste water with solid waste.

Only sewage trucks with powerful pumps and reservoirs for pumped out dirt can perform such work. Such a service in some regions is quite expensive, and given that you will have to use it regularly, the use of sewage becomes overhead. Another significant disadvantage of sewage storage tanks is the risk of destruction of the tank and seepage of sewage into the soil, and then into groundwater, which can be used for water intake. This is especially true of metal containers, which, although they are treated with special protective compounds, inside and out, are still subject to corrosion due to the constant negative impact of the environment and chemical elements contained in detergents and entering the tank together with waste water. It is almost impossible to check the condition and integrity of a cistern or a metal tank buried underground, since for this it must be removed from the ground.

Such concrete structures, although they are more resistant to corrosion, still deteriorate from time to time.

Exceptions are plastic tanks, which are not afraid of corrosion. If, during installation, all protective measures were observed to protect the tank from external mechanical and physical impact, the storage tank made of plastic can serve forever. The problem with plastic drives is limited. Although modern technologies make it possible to smelt sufficiently voluminous plastic containers in terms of strength, they are practically not inferior to their iron counterparts.

Single chamber septic tanks

This type of treatment plant is manufactured in two types. The cheapest option is a drainage well without a bottom. To filter wastewater, sand and gravel mixture are poured into such a well at the bottom. The volume of such a septic tank is limited by the volume of the tank, which is used as a drainage well. The most common method is the construction of a single-chamber septic tank from concrete rings, which are mounted one above the other in a specially dug hole. In order to prevent pollution from wastewater from going into the upper layers of the soil, where the root system of most plants is located, the joints between the rings are carefully sealed. This type of septic tank is recommended to be installed only in areas with the lowest possible groundwater level, otherwise, partially filtered wastewater and dirt can seep through a small layer of soil and contaminate underground water sources. In addition to concrete rings for single-chamber septic tanks, you can use metal tanks, in the bottom of which sufficiently large holes are made to drain the sewage drain.



installation of a septic tank for a private house

A more acceptable option for a single-chamber septic tank, which is able not only to provide a sufficiently high-quality sewage system, but also not to pollute environment, is a sealed tank with access to filtration fields or an infiltrator. Septic tanks of such a plan are sold in a ready-made factory version or are made independently. The design of treatment facilities with a single-chamber system is quite simple, and this makes it possible to build it yourself. A sealed tank into which the sewage system from the house is connected can be made from any suitable material. Often these are the same concrete rings, only installed on a concrete pad to prevent wastewater from escaping into the ground. This tank serves as a sump in which solid, insoluble dirt particles settle to the bottom, and lighter fatty and chemical particles, on the contrary, float to the surface.

Partially settled water from the middle layer is discharged through an overflow pipe to filtration fields or an infiltrator, which is finally cleaned and drained into the ground. The infiltrator, as well as the filtration field, is, in fact, the same mechanical natural filter made of sand and gravel mixture. To ensure better filtration, such a mixture is poured over a sufficiently large area, and wastewater is distributed over it evenly. Professional factory infiltrators can be equipped with a wastewater collection system to drain them not into the ground, but into a system of gutters, if available nearby. The main disadvantage of such septic tanks is the need for periodic pumping of solid waste and activated sludge from the sump, as well as replacement of sand and gravel as they become clogged and silted. Another drawback is the rather harsh conditions allowing the installation of a sewage system with a discharge into the soil.

Multi-chamber septic tanks

Devices with multiple connecting tanks are quite effective for wastewater treatment in a private home. To create septic tanks of this type, 2-3 sealed containers are used, made of metal, plastic or concrete, connected by overflow pipes. Often, additional mechanical filters and grease traps are installed in such pipes to improve the cleaning process.



installation of a multi-chamber septic tank with a fine cleaning system

Basically, the first two chambers of septic tanks are used to sediment water, but unlike single-chamber septic tanks, sedimentation is better. A so-called biological filter is installed in one of the tanks. To do this, a colony of aerobic bacteria is planted in it, which are actively involved in the decomposition of organic residues of human life. Unlike the anaerobic bacteria used in cesspools and single-chamber septic tanks, aerobic bacteria cannot thrive without a constant supply of oxygen. For this reason, it is necessary to arrange ventilation system... Depending on the size of the tank and, accordingly, on the volume of waste water, ventilation can be produced with a natural inflow or with a forced oxygen injection system. The advantage of forced ventilation in a constant flow of air for bacteria decomposing organic residues, but its energy dependence is also its disadvantage. In the event of a power outage, the oxygen supply is cut off and bacteria can die.

After passing through several sedimentation chambers and treatment with bacteria, the wastewater is discharged into an infiltrator or aeration fields, which are also buried in the ground. When installing a system with aeration - filtration fields, it should be remembered that planting of fruiting plants is not recommended above them and within a radius of several meters around. Otherwise, there is a risk that the plants will absorb dirt particles through the roots and transfer them as harmful substances to fruits that a person can eat. In an infiltrator with a plastic dome, this problem does not arise since the discharge of treated water occurs deep underground. The only limitation in this case is the planting of large trees with a developed root system, which can damage plastic.

Sewerage biological treatment stations in a private house allow you to get completely purified water, which can be reused for domestic needs, for example, for irrigation. These are complex devices resembling multi-chamber septic tanks in their design, but with a much more complex device that ensures their efficiency and a completely autonomous principle of operation.



installation of a biological treatment plant

In addition to settling water and separating fatty components, which occurs in the first tank, further discharged and partially purified water is saturated with a large volume of oxygen. This process is called fluid aeration. As a result, the clarified water enters the chamber with active biological sludge, which is saturated with aerobic bacteria that actively participate in the decomposition of organic matter. The final step in purification is to treat the water with chemicals that completely kill bacteria.

Considering that overflows, oxygenation and the forced ventilation system are automatically controlled, the cleaning station needs a constant supply of electricity. In addition, stations of this type are one of the most expensive, albeit effective methods waste water treatment. This explains their low popularity among ordinary consumers. Often, biological treatment plants are installed on several houses located nearby.

There are practically no restrictions for the installation of such structures, since deep cleaning and completely sealed tanks of the device exclude accidental contamination of soil and groundwater.

Sewer system selection

The selection of treatment facilities depends on a number of specific factors that are individual in each individual case:

  1. The financial capabilities of the consumer. More modern septic tanks that purify water up to 85-95% are quite expensive and not always affordable for an ordinary consumer.
  2. The volume of the septic tank is determined by the minimum daily level of wastewater discharged into the sewer. The calculation of the required volume is usually done by specialists, taking into account all the individual characteristics of the sewer system, but you can also independently carry out this calculation using a simple formula.

On average, one person per day has from 150 to 200 liters of liquid discharged into the sewer. These figures are averages and include not only direct draining of water, but also the use of washing machines, dishwashers and other household appliances. The minimum volume of a septic tank must cover at least 3 daily volumes, that is, for one permanently resident person using the sewage system, a septic tank volume of 600 liters is required. For two people it will be 1200 liters for three people - 1800 liters and so on.

  1. The type of soil, the depth of groundwater, the location of a natural reservoir nearby and the possibility of draining into common sewers, in some cases determines the possibility of installing one or another type of septic tank.
  2. Availability of a call for a sewage truck. Quite often, in remote regions, there is no service for calling the sewers or it turns out to be too unprofitable in financial terms. In such cases, it is worth thinking about arranging a septic tank with the ability to clean sedimentation tanks in which solid waste accumulates on its own.
  3. The possibility of a constant supply of electricity. Especially important for septic tanks and biological treatment plants that use aerobic bacteria, forced ventilation systems and circulation pumps.


installation of a septic tank in the ground

In general, the rules for installing a septic tank or other type of treatment plant are based on a number of individual characteristics, but there are also general recommendations in this matter.

The pit where the septic tank is installed must be insulated in order to eliminate the risk of freezing of liquid in the tanks in winter, when the temperature drops sufficiently low. In a number of regions, it is recommended to also insulate sewer pipes drainage from the house to the treatment plant. Considering that the sewage system works on the basis of gravity, the installation of the septic tank must be carried out so that the sewer pipes are at an angle of at least 2-3 degrees with an inclination from the house to the septic tank.

When installing large enough treatment facilities, the pit for them is dug no closer than 3-5 meters from the capital buildings. Otherwise, there is a risk of subsidence of the foundation of the house. Also, sufficient removal will ensure that there is no odor in the living area, even if the septic tank fails and starts to smell unpleasant.

And of course, you should make sure that wastewater from drainage wells or infiltrators does not pollute the environment. For this, it is not recommended to install treatment plants closer than 30-50 meters from wells for drinking water intake.

Have you just become the owner of a private home? This means that you will surely face the question of construction and arrangement of the sewage system. You can't do without it, especially if you plan to live in the house in winter. Of course, the easiest way is to entrust this matter to specialists. But thrifty owners will prefer to make the sewage system on their own, especially since everyone can do it.

First, let's decide on the type of sewage system. The sewage system is based on a cesspool, which can be:

Bottomless cesspool

Perhaps the simplest sewage option. A huge hole is being dug (by hands or equipment). The drain from the house is brought into this pit. Pipes are laid below the level of soil freezing. That's all - the sewage system is ready. This method is good in that it allows you to easily and quickly make a sewer without extra costs. However, bottomless cesspools have a lot of disadvantages:

  • constantly unpleasant smell;
  • if there is a well near the cesspool, then you cannot drink water from it - it can be dangerous;
  • the environment is polluted.

Thus, more and more often the cesspool becomes only the basis of the future sewage system, and reservoirs or septic tanks become its main part.

Storage tank (reservoir)

A cesspool is dug into which a deep sealed container is placed. The end of the sewer pipe from the house should fit snugly into the hole in the tank. Water accumulates in the tank, so it will need to be cleaned periodically.

Advantages of tanks:

  • there is practically no smell;
  • no harm to nature.

However, the reservoirs also have a significant drawback: quite often you will have to clean it from sewage water using a special machine.

Septic tanks

The most modern solution for arranging a sewer pit is. A septic tank is a kind of filter that purifies sewage water and makes it safe for nature. That is, the water from the sewage system will no longer be so dangerous if it gets into groundwater or natural reservoirs. Septic tanks are different. Let's take a look at the main types of septic tanks.

Single chamber septic tanks represent a container for receiving and settling wastewater. Additionally, you will have to equip a well that will filter the drains. The filtered water will flow into the soil without causing any harm.

System advantages:

  • you do not need to pump out water often;
  • safe for nature;
  • the possibility of self-assembly.

Disadvantages:

  • additional costs associated with the arrangement of the filter well;
  • they are not designed for high volume drains.

Two-chamber septic tanks combine in themselves two containers: for sedimentation of waste water and their filtration, followed by drainage into the ground.

Advantages:

  • all the advantages of single-chamber septic tanks, but a larger volume in comparison with them.

Disadvantages:

  • the complexity of installation - you will have to resort to the help of specialists.

Septic tanks with filtration field are a two-chamber septic tank with a mechanical wastewater treatment system through a special drainage system.

Advantages:

  • deeper cleaning compared to conventional septic tanks;
  • the ability to use purified water for irrigation.

Disadvantages:

  • complexity of installation;
  • the system takes up a lot of space on the site.

Septic tanks with biological treatment the most modern solution for sewerage. Water purification is carried out using, which guarantees almost complete wastewater treatment.

Biofilters are commonly used for deep cleaning. Such septic tanks have a high quality of purification and discharge of treated water.

  • very high level of water purification;
  • long service life.
  • high price;
  • in addition, you need to purchase bacteria that die if you do not use the sewer for a long time;
  • electricity costs increase (filters are powered by the network).

Preparation for work

First you need to choose the optimal place for the cesspool. Whichever way of arranging the sewage system you choose, the pit must meet some parameters:

  • remoteness from water bodies - the cesspool should not be located closer than 30 meters from the pond, well, etc.;
  • remoteness from home - place the hole no closer than 7 m from the house, moreover, you cannot make a hole under the house;
  • accessibility - do not forget that the pit will be cleaned by a sewer truck, so it must freely drive up to the pit.

Work plan and materials

We draw a scheme according to which we will work. Place all the objects of the future sewage system on the diagram. Work is best done in dry weather, preferably in summer.

We purchase all the necessary materials. For the installation of the sewage system, we need:

  • polypropylene sewer pipes with fittings;
  • septic tank or storage tank;
  • shovels, pickaxe, soil buckets.

The main stages of installation

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