Clay septic tank: design features. How and which septic tank is better to install on clay? Drainage of a septic tank in clay soil

With your own hands for giving today, you can put any septic tank for which you have enough time and money. Before buying, it is better to calculate the approximate volume of drains, determine the type of soil on which such a container will be installed. One of the obstacles can be such a complex soil as clay, on which it is difficult to carry out installation. Therefore, a septic tank should be chosen carefully. Today, several types of containers are used for the accumulation of waste. These are aboveground and underground. Above-ground tanks are already used extremely rarely, which is not only due to their unhygienic nature, but also because of the rather bad smell that they spread around. The most optimal is an underground septic tank installed in the soil.

To equip the bottom of the pit, which is dug in the ground, two options are used:

  • gravel bedding in the form of a drainage layer;
  • concrete pad, which is considered the preferred option, especially for polymer tanks.

Find out what types of septic tanks for suburban area you can establish with your own hands how realistic it is to do it in clay.

Features of installing a septic tank in clay

To install a sewer septic tank in the country, it is necessary to take into account the following points:

The degree of sewage treatment in the septic tank is at least 60%.

  • soil type;
  • ground water level;
  • the location of buildings, a fence, a residential building, a garden, and other things next to the planned septic tank;
  • the depth of the sewer pipe that will go from the apartment building to the septic tank.

It is possible to carry out such a pipe at a depth of 75 cm, while taking into account the level of freezing in winter time. For clay soil where the water table can be quite high. With your own hands, you can only install such a septic tank, the ground filtration of which will pass above the level of water flow. Otherwise, the suction will be poor, that is, the installation of the septic tank will be incorrect.

The pipe is laid shallow, on top it is simply sprinkled with a small amount of earth in such a way that a low hill is obtained.

To install a septic tank with your own hands in the clay, you will first have to provide excellent drainage so that the container does not go into the soil. For this, not only a pit is built under the tank, but also a drainage outlet for dispersion, it is recommended to install a drainage pump.


Septic tank device sanitary standards allowed at a distance of at least 5 meters from the house.

The pit for the barrel must be made deep, but take into account the level of freezing so that the barrel simply does not crush. Septic tanks in clay are best additionally fixed with steel channels. It is required to install two-stage filter trenches. The right one should have a pillow of sand and gravel 30 cm thick. It is in this trench that the perforated filter pipe is laid, the depth of which should be from half a meter to one. In another trench of the system, a pipe should be placed to a depth greater than in the first - from one and a half meters to two.

Not every septic tank can be used for clay. Consider the most preferred options.

Types of septic tanks for country houses

With your own hands in the country you can arrange different kinds septic tanks. All types of containers for sewer system can be classified according to different criteria. According to the principle of operation, do-it-yourself septic tanks can be classified into:

If a well is located on the site with drinking water, then the septic tank must be located at least 30 meters from it.

  • storage tanks;
  • septic tanks for deep biological treatment;
  • septic tanks with a system for soil filtration.

It is customary to divide sewer tanks according to the materials of manufacture:

  • brick;
  • monolithic and prefabricated reinforced concrete septic tanks;
  • metal in the form of barrels;
  • plastic modern PVC containers.

According to their shape and installation, septic tanks can be divided into vertical and horizontal. There is a division according to the types of chambers (surface and underground). According to the principle of operation, septic tanks can be divided into:

  • two-chamber septic tanks that process wastewater daily;
  • storage septic tanks;
  • septic tanks with soil post-treatment;
  • with biological deep cleaning.

Accumulative septic tanks and with soil aftertreatment

Sold specifically for sewerage concrete blocks with bottom. This greatly facilitates the installation of a septic tank.

Storage septic tanks are cesspools and storage tanks, which are pits or special barrels. Such containers are installed in special dug pits, for the bottom of such pits a special drainage or concrete pad is arranged. In prepared pits, wastewater is divided into two parts: light substances, fat residues float to the top, solid and heavy sink to the bottom. Among the advantages, it is necessary to note the ease of execution, but such a septic tank is inconvenient for operation, since it must be cleaned frequently, and the smell it is a source of is rather unpleasant;


Septic tanks with soil after-treatment differ in that it is necessary to call a sewage truck for cleaning less often than for a conventional one. The volume of such barrels is larger, but their strength is much higher. For the device, it is necessary to exert more force than for a conventional accumulative one, and when installing in the ground, provide for the presence of some means of protection.

For the bottom, a concrete pad is used, on which the barrel is laid, chains are attached to it to hold the barrel in place, since in winter such a septic tank is simply pushed out. And when digging into the ground, it is necessary to provide that the walls of the septic tank are not crushed by the soil. For such options, batteries for septic tanks can be used, which can greatly reduce the frequency of waste treatment. The principle of operation of such a septic tank, which can be easily installed with your own hands, is quite simple: wastewater first enters one chamber through a pipe, where it is located, as in a sump. Here they are divided into separate factions. After that, the already initially purified water enters another chamber, where it is further purified under the action of anaerobic bacteria. 60% cleansing takes place here.


The advantage of such septic tanks is their ability to process wastewater. They are distinguished by simple maintenance, sewage equipment for cleaning is not used. The disadvantage is this: it is this type of septic tank that cannot be placed on clay soil, there is no way to provide a pit for the bottom the necessary conditions, and cleaning on last step in this case is simply not possible.

Biological deep cleaning

From the house to the septic tank, the pipe should be laid at an angle.

Such septic tanks are considered the most modern and reliable, they allow you to completely clean the wastewater, after which the water can be drained even into fish ponds. Here the deep cleaning method is used, that is, the combined method is used. This is not only mechanical settling of wastewater, but also chemical, biological methods of purifying water supplied to septic tanks. The principle of operation of a biological septic tank is as follows: the first chamber accumulates effluents, in which they are separated into heavy and light fractions. This is followed by cleansing with aerobic, anaerobic bacteria. Before the water is discharged, it is cleaned with special chemical substances.

Biological septic tanks, which are easy to arrange with your own hands, are distinguished by high,

almost 100% cleanliness. You can put such devices even on very heavy soils, including clay. Installation is simple, the station is ready for operation in about two days. The downside is the high price. If you are going to install a septic tank in a country house where you plan to live only in the summer, then there is simply no point in such an expensive installation.


Other options for septic tanks

Now consider the type of storage tanks, depending on what material is used for this. Plastic and fiberglass septic tanks are industrially produced from very durable materials. The advantages of such barrels are that they are hermetic, that is, they do not allow leakage, they are resistant to corrosion. Of the shortcomings, it should be noted that plastic barrels have a small mass. When installing such a septic tank for the bottom, it is necessary to use a special concrete pad, to which the barrel will be attached with chains or steel ropes. There is a high probability that the walls of the barrel will simply be crushed under the weight of the soil. For such tanks, there is often not enough concrete bottom, it is also necessary to protect the walls in the same way.

There are septic tanks that are built from ordinary bricks, for which one brick masonry is used. But such septic tanks are used only for small areas where significant volumes of effluents are not planned. Although septic tanks are easy to build using only your own hands, it is simply impossible to arrange complete tightness here. It is necessary to ensure ventilation of the pit, its frequent cleaning.


Reinforced concrete septic tanks can be monolithic and prefabricated. In the first case, a pit is made into which formwork is poured with concrete. In the second case, reinforced concrete rings for wells are used. There is an option in which the septic tank is constructed from a metal tank, which must be pre-treated with anti-corrosion compounds.

www.liveexpert.ru

When installing a homemade or purchased septic tank great importance given to the quality parameters of the soil. The nature of the soil, the depth of freezing (GP), the level of groundwater (GWL) play a role. Considering that in middle lane the most common type of soil is clay, many owners suburban area faced with the problem of arrangement autonomous sewerage. The catch is that clay and loam differ in poor throughput- the liquid passes very slowly through the layers of such soil. In turn, this entails additional expenses when arranging a drainage site - filtration fields.


If it is not particularly difficult to install a settling tank in clay, then special attention should be paid to the drainage of a septic tank. In situations where the thickness of clay and loam exceeds 3 meters, it is worth being ready for full-scale excavation. In particular, it will be necessary to replace part of the soil with crushed stone and sand - materials that have good throughput. It is also necessary to provide for a slight slope of the pit under the aeration field (2-3 degrees), which would be sufficient for the descent of treated effluents into roadside trenches or to a site free from buildings (orphaned).

In the situation we are considering, it is worth considering how to increase the absorbent area filtration field. And this means that you should branch out the network as much as possible drainage pipes(do not forget about the insulation of the septic tank), while using large area. It is good if the use of treatment plants is seasonal, but in the case of constant use of the installation, the septic tank device should undergo some changes. In particular, it is necessary to take into account the terrain and rely on the construction of a treatment plant as far from home as possible. Perfect option when there is a natural reservoir on the outskirts of the site. In this case, the slope of the drainage site can be made in its direction, and then the reservoir will play the role of a collector without harming the environment.

Considering the heaving of clay and loamy soil, it is necessary to competently approach the installation of a septic tank, i.e. strive to most of settling tanks was below the freezing depth of the soil. It is not necessary to follow the path of deepening the pit for tanks - it is enough to make an artificial embankment above the treatment plant.

oseptike.ru

Features of clay soils

To make it easier for you to understand which septic tank is needed for clay soils, you need to study the features of this soil. To equip effective system sewers, drains after cleaning in a septic tank are discharged into the ground. The main feature of clay soils is poor absorbency. The earth does not absorb liquid well. This results in wastewater remaining in the treatment plant longer.

Important to know: sandy soil absorbs 90 liters of water per day, the absorption capacity of clay soils is 25 liters per day. And pure clay absorbs more less water- 20 l.

That is why, equipping a septic tank from concrete rings, plastic or metal containers, it is necessary to organize effective drainage. It could be drainage well from concrete rings without a bottom with a filtering layer or a filtration field.

What septic tanks can be used in clay?

If your dacha or country house is located on a site with clay soil, then you can use the following types treatment facilities:

  • Storage tanks. For these purposes, you can use sealed containers made of plastic or eurocubes. However, stainless steel tanks are also suitable for clay soils. It is also possible to make a sealed well from concrete rings if the groundwater level in the area is high. For a small private house, a brick drainage well can be made, provided that the correct technology is used.
  • Wastewater treatment plant with soil post-treatment. This is a fairly effective, budget and simple option for a small country house built on clay soil. The well of such a treatment plant can be made of concrete rings, brick or metal, that is, any material can be used for such soil.
  • Units with biological treatment are the most reliable and effective option for clay soils, suitable for a private house of any size. However, such a septic tank on clay will have the most complex structure, therefore, its choice should be made if there is money and time for its implementation.

Important: sewerage from a country house on clay soil can be diverted to a septic tank of any design. It is important to properly design and install a treatment plant on such soil. In this case, the choice should be made taking into account the performance of the structure, the required degree of wastewater treatment and GWL.

Storage tanks

If you decide to equip the sewerage of a private house using a storage tank, then you need to make a sealed structure. For these purposes, you can use plastic containers, eurocubes, steel barrels or welded cubes, structures made of concrete rings or bricks.

It is quite easy to carry out such a cleaning installation. It is enough to dig a pit, concrete the bottom and install containers or concrete rings. However, if there is a high GWL in your area or there is a well near the storage tank, then it is not recommended to use such a design.

Structures with soil aftertreatment

These simple treatment facilities very reminiscent storage tanks, but only without a bottom. The very design of the well can be made of concrete rings, bricks or a bottomless daughter. A drainage layer is arranged at the bottom of the structure.

To make a drainage filter, it is necessary to use geotextiles, sand and gravel. The thickness of the filtering layer is 30-40 cm. When passing through this filter, the wastewater is cleared of large fractions and enters the soil.

If there is a well nearby on your site, then this design of the treatment plant is also not suitable. When arranging this septic tank, you need to know the GWL, because the bottom of the filtering layer cannot approach the aquifer closer than 1 m.

Units with biological aftertreatment

These are the most reliable and efficient treatment facilities that can be installed independently of the GWT on the site. These self-contained biological treatment plants treat wastewater so effectively that the water can then be used to irrigate the garden, drain into open water bodies or take it for technical needs.

Usually these are multi-chamber products, where effluents immediately from the sewer are divided into heavy and light fractions. Then the clarified waters go through the process of biological post-treatment with the help of bacteria (anaerobic or aerobic).

Design features

Since any septic tank design can be used on clay soil for the sewerage of a country house, the construction scheme will be standard. However main feature clay soil is that it is a mobile soil. Therefore, it is worth considering some design features of the septic tank.

The point is that when winter cold the soil begins to thaw, the characteristics of such soils change somewhat and they can push the septic tank to the surface. This is especially true for soils with high GWL and septic tanks made of light materials. That is why, when installing a septic tank in clay, it is necessary to provide additional clamps in the ground. If the well of the treatment plant will be made of concrete rings, then it is enough just to fill it in the pit without fixing.

The choice of method for fixing the septic tank in the pit depends on the design of the body. If there are no protrusions on the surface of the tank, then steel cables are more suitable. If there are loops or protrusions on the body, then reinforcement outlets can be tied to them, which will be laid in a concrete cushion at the bottom of the pit.

Also, the filtration system for a septic tank on clay soil has some features. When mounting a septic tank in clay, it is better to equip double drainage, that is, two filtration fields. In this case, the drainage should look like a two-stage trench, in the upper part of which pipes will be laid, and in the lower part a drainage layer 300 mm high made of gravel is made.

Mounting Features

To fulfill more efficient design septic tank it is recommended to use two chambers and a filtration field. So you can avoid overfilling the tank and get the most purified water at the outlet of the treatment plant. After you decide on the material of the chambers, you can start digging a pit and further work, which is performed in this order:

  1. When choosing a place for a septic tank, you can observe the minimum recommended gaps from a residential building and sources drinking water(7 m), because the clay does not pass water well. The size of the pit for the treatment plant should be 20 cm larger than the septic tank itself.
  2. When digging a pit, you need to know at what depth the clay layer ends. If it is more than three meters, then the work will be complicated by the fact that the drainage layer will have to be performed at a considerable depth. It is also worth considering that the septic tanks are interconnected by overflow, so they should be located at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other.
  3. Together with the pit, they dig a trench for laying a sewer pipe from the house to the treatment plant. At the same time, the slope of the bottom of the trench from the house to the septic tank is observed, taking into account that for each meter of length, the decrease is 2 cm.
  4. Depending on the containers used, the bottom of the pit can be concreted before or after installation. If you use plastic sealed tanks, then the bottom is concreted and reinforced before they are installed. And after installation, these tanks are attached with hummocks to the outlets of the reinforcement. When using concrete rings, the bottom can be concreted after they are installed in the pit.
  5. To make a filter layer at the bottom of the second chamber, sand and crushed stone are used. First, sand is poured and rammed with a layer of 10-15 cm, then they are backfilled with crushed stone 25-30 cm high. If you use a filtration field, then the bottom of the second chamber is also concreted, and drains are diverted to filtration fields.
  6. Next, an overflow pipe is installed connecting the two containers. It should exit the first chamber 40-50 cm below the entry point of the sewer pipe. Due to this, heavy components of wastewater will settle at the bottom of the first chamber, and pre-treated and clarified water will enter the second tank.
  7. Mounted ventilation pipes from the cameras.
  8. After that, plastic containers are insulated with foam. For concrete rings, insulation is not required.
  9. The containers are covered with lids with hatches for cleaning.
  10. Now backfill the pit manually. Every 15-20 cm, the soil must be rammed. The manhole cover must remain above the ground.

The filtration field is made depending on the GWL on the site:

  • at low GWL, semi-submerged filter cassettes or filters are used;
  • at high GWL, surface filtration on sand and gravel pads is used.

Important: the size of the filtration field is directly related to the daily volume of runoff from the house.

One square meter filtration field is able to serve 0.5 cubic meters of wastewater. You can purchase ready-made filter wells based on geotextiles or do the field yourself:

  1. After digging the soil from the field, a pipeline is laid from the last chamber of the septic tank to the filtration field. Laying depth - 70-120 cm from the ground, but not less than 1 m to the groundwater level.
  2. A drainage grid is laid at the bottom of the field. Then a layer of sand and gravel is made. The height of the layer should be such that it rises above the inlet pipe by no more than 50 mm. All pipes with holes are laid with a slope of 1 cm per meter of length.
  3. The drainage pipeline is insulated with foam or wooden box.

vodakanazer.ru

Types for installation in clay

Storage tanks

Most often, they are used as plastic containers, in particular eurocubes of various sizes. But barrels and home-made welded cubes from of stainless steel. The storage tank can be made of brick or concrete. Such septic tanks are often found in villages and towns. They are easy to arrange: just dig a pit right size, after which lay out its bottom and walls with bricks. Or they install concrete rings with a diameter of 1 m and concrete the bottom of the pit.

For biological treatment

They are the most reliable and modern. These products are self-contained biological wastewater treatment plants capable of producing such water at the outlet that can be used for watering a garden or diverted into a pond with fish. The principle of operation of such septic tanks is to separate fractions into heavy and light. This is facilitated by the design of the station.

The main work on wastewater treatment is performed by aerobic or an aerobic bacteria. The vital activity of the former is possible only under the condition of constant air pumping. The latter live in silt or soil and do not need additional stimulation. These stations can be installed on heavy soils, including clay ones.

With soil treatment

These are the simplest tanks in the device for the accumulation of wastewater. They are arranged by analogy with storage tanks, but without concreting the bottom. That is, you can use all the same materials: brick, concrete, plastic or iron, but at the bottom you need to arrange a drainage layer. It is made of sand and gravel. Here, large fractions are filtered, after which the effluents penetrate to the clay and receive better purification.

Such septic tanks are good because the sewer machine needs to be called less often than in the case of storage tanks. However, in clay soil, the process of filtering and leaving wastewater will be hardly noticeable. Therefore, sewage will have to be pumped out with the same regularity as in the presence of a container with a concrete bottom. Such a septic tank with their own hands is built quite quickly.

Mounting technology

  1. You should decide what will be used for the storage tank device. In order to speed up cleaning and make it more efficient, it is recommended to build a two-chamber structure with a filtration field. This will avoid overfilling the main tank and get the most purified effluent at the outlet.
  2. 2nd step - determining the location of sewage receivers. Here you need to focus not only on the convenience of their placement on the site, but also on sanitary and hygienic standards. Since clay does not pass water well, there is little risk of runoff entering a well or well. Therefore, it is possible to install a septic tank with your own hands on the most minimum distances from water intake points and residential premises - 7 m.
  3. When the location of the tanks is determined, earthworks begin. It would be nice to ask the neighbors in advance about the depth at which the clay / soil boundary passes. If it is located below 3 m from the soil surface, the work will be complicated by the need for a device drainage system at quite a depth. When digging pits, it is taken into account that one container should be separated from the other at a distance of no more than 2 m.
  4. After installing concrete rings, plastic cubes or laying bricks on the walls of the pits, they begin to install a drainage layer directly in the containers themselves. To do this, backfill with sand and gravel. For the first, a layer of 10-15 cm is sufficient. For the second, 25-30 cm. If plastic barrels are used as tanks, it is recommended to strengthen them with chains or otherwise during installation. This is necessary due to the fact that during floods and when the soil freezes, the container can squeeze out of the pit.
  5. Both containers must be connected with a pipe so that it hits 40-50 cm below the sewer pipe that goes from the house to the main sewage tank. Such a device allows drains to overflow into the 2nd chamber and contributes to the separation of fractions. Heavier ones settle in the 1st container.
  6. Further, if free-standing containers were used as containers, they must be insulated. You can do this with foam. Such a septic tank, insulated with its own hands, will not freeze in the most severe frosts.

Filter field

In clay conditions, if the groundwater level (GWL) is below 1.5 m, semi-submerged filters or filter cassettes are mounted. At high GWL, it is rational to arrange surface filtration using gravel-sand cushions.

The dimensions of the post-treatment field depend on the daily water consumption in the house. If the volume of wastewater does not exceed 0.5 m³, according to established standards, a filter area of ​​1m² will suffice. If the daily volume of wastewater is more than 1 m³, a field of 1.5-2 m² will be required. On sale there are ready-made designs of filter wells. The price of these products is low, and installation is simple. The role of the main filter in them is performed by geotextiles. But if you buy finished structure there is no desire or opportunity, you can do the post-treatment field with your own hands.

After the soil is taken out, a pipe is laid connecting the 2nd container with the filtration field. As a rule, the laying depth is 0.7-1.2 m from the ground surface, but not lower than 1 m from the groundwater level. The bottom of the pit is leveled, a drainage grid is installed on it. After that, sand and gravel are dumped. The height of the pillow should be such that its top rises above the inlet pipe by at least 5 cm. It should not be forgotten that the pipes are installed taking into account the required slope. It must be at least 1 * per 1 m. Pipes must be insulated with a wooden box and foam.

Drainage device

Since such a soil is not able to pass liquid well, a drainage system will be required to divert rain and flood water from the tanks for receiving sewage. For this, not wall, but ring drainage is performed. For the installation of the pipeline, drains will be needed. You can use purchased perforated pipes or make them yourself from sewer plastic pipes 110 mm in diameter. Perforation is carried out with a drill 1.5-2 mm thick at a distance of 2-2.5 cm from each other. The holes should be staggered.

A trench is formed around the septic tank so that its bottom is 20-30 cm below the freezing point of the soil. Next, the bottom is leveled with a slope that should be at least 1 cm per 1 m towards the storage well. After that, backfilling is done with sand by 5-7 cm and gravel by 10-15 cm. Then geotextiles are laid on the bottom of the trench, a pipeline is mounted inside the ditch and the pipes are wrapped with previously laid material. Then they start backfilling.

Device feature

Clay refers to strongly heaving soils. This property of hers manifests itself with particular evidence if it is wet, and not dry. During seasonal freeze-thaw, such soil can easily push a plastic or other container placed in it out of the pit. Therefore, during the installation of tanks for sewage effluents, their fastening in the pit should be provided.

This can be done using metal rods, which can be used as corners or pipes of small diameter. The purpose of the rods is to fix the location of the container and prevent it from moving during the heaving of the soil. For this purpose, steel chains can also be used, 1 end of which is firmly fixed in the soil.

For deeper sewage treatment, two-stage trenches can be made for the filtration field. In the upper part of such a ditch, pipes are placed through which drains are drained, and in the lower part there is a sand and gravel cushion up to 30 cm thick. With the help of such trenches, you can build a full-fledged filtering system and drain drains outside the site.

The depth of the pits should be such that the liquid in the pipes does not freeze in winter, that is, below the freezing point of the soil. Each pipe will need to be perforated by analogy with the drainage, but the holes should be larger, since the liquid will include small fractions. To prevent clogging of holes with soil, each element of the pipeline is wrapped with geotextile.

masterseptika.ru

Features of clays and loams

A septic tank for clay soil should have some design differences from conventional devices. To understand how a septic tank works in clay, you need to remember how conventional treatment plants work: first, the effluent enters the sump, separating into light and heavy fractions, and then the purified water enters the soil, where the final purification takes place. For the organization of soil cleaning, filtering wells are used, the design of which includes perforated walls and a drainage bottom. But the performance of such a system depends on several factors: the depth of the bookmark, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe walls, the level of soil water and the type of soil prevailing on the site.

The latter indicator has to be considered in more detail, since the efficiency of the entire structure depends on it. For example, one square meter sandy soil can absorb about 90 liters of liquid per day.

In sandy loamy soils, this volume is reduced to 50 liters, loamy soils can process no more than 25 liters. In the case of dense clay soil, the situation is even worse: the soil can absorb less than 5 liters of water per day. That is why a septic tank on clay is performed a little differently than conventional designs.

Clay septic tank options

Despite the fact that the task seems unsolvable, there are still methods for solving it, and for their implementation you do not need to dig the usual cesspool which will then need to be cleaned regularly. Regardless of the type of prevailing soil on the site, it is possible to create a high-quality local treatment plant if all the factors affecting its performance are correctly taken into account. Next will be described possible solutions allowing the use of a septic tank in clay.

Filtration in clay soil

As a rule, a layer of clay soil rarely has a thickness of more than 2-3 meters. This can be seen when arranging the well: under upper layers earth's surface it will be possible to meet sandy soils, or even clean sand, which has an excellent indicator of water absorption. In this case, the well will work much better than it could work in homogeneous soil: the water column will create a high pressure.

Choosing the right solution, you should first study in detail the types of soil located on the site. You can find out from the old-timers of the area, neighbors who recently held construction works, or order geological exploration. The latter option will have maximum accuracy, and there is a point in studying the geology of the site: making a septic tank in clay is much easier and cheaper than purchasing a ready-made biological treatment plant, which is well suited only for the most difficult situations.

Structurally, a septic tank on clay soil can be made in any way: you can mount plastic, brick, reinforced concrete or concrete system. Clay soil does not affect the choice of material at all, so this issue is entirely on the shoulders of the homeowner, and depends on personal preferences and the amount of finance allocated for construction.

Watering

If there is good fertile black soil on the site, the water purified by the septic tank can be used again to provide watering for the plants. To implement such a project, it will be necessary to make the following design: the filter well must be replaced with a sealed tank, to which a drainage pump is connected. This pump will supply the purified liquid to the irrigation system.

Such a septic tank device is well suited for summer cottages, but use it in country houses where people permanently live is impractical. Another disadvantage is the low degree of purification, as a result of which the treated effluents have a characteristic sewer odor. To avoid this problem, you will have to use a septic tank with aeration.

Filtration field

Sometimes even the densest soils show good absorbing qualities. Of course, this does not always manifest itself, but if soil analysis has shown that it can absorb at least a small amount of water, then you can take advantage of this and increase the absorption area. Filtering fields are used to implement this idea.

The design is prepared as follows:

  • first, the entire free area allotted for the structure is covered with gravel;
  • then drains are laid on it, having holes of at least 2 cm in diameter. The length of the pipeline in this case depends on the number of permanent residents: for one person, about 10 meters of pipe are required;
  • then the pipeline is covered with at least a 10-centimeter layer of crushed stone;
  • a layer of black soil is laid on top, on which moisture-loving plants can be planted.

This solution is quite convenient: in this case, little depends on the degree of wastewater treatment, because the smell cannot come out. In addition, if the pipe laying depth is more than 40 cm, then the sewage system can be used even in winter, since the pipeline will not freeze. The disadvantage of the design is the impossibility of its use on soils that are completely impervious to water.

Dumping into a ditch

In the case of soils that do not absorb moisture at all, it is possible to discharge drains directly onto the site or into a special ditch. Naturally, such a system implies maximum wastewater treatment (from 95%) and no smell. To implement the design, it is best to use energy-dependent septic tanks using aeration.

Such treatment facilities operate on similar principles:

  • in the first tank there is always air, which supports the vital activity of aerobic bacteria that decompose organic substances that enter the septic tank;
  • after passing the aeration stage, the wastewater enters the next compartment, where the sludge goes to the bottom and is transferred to the first tank using a compressor;
  • final cleaning is carried out in the third chamber, from which the purified water is pumped out and enters a ditch or a large area from which it can evaporate.

Conclusion

As can be seen from this article, a septic tank in clay soil is not big problem. The main thing is to correctly understand the characteristics of the site and choose the most suitable design that best suits the particular situation.

canalizaciyadoma.com

The design for the clay type of soil must be chosen especially carefully, because it must be a high-quality sewage system, which, moreover, will clean sewage from sewage and display it simply clean water. Some models will even allow you to reuse the water that has already gone through one cycle, although, of course, not for drinking purposes.

The fact is that sandy soils able to absorb up to ninety liters of fluid per day. If it is sandy loam, then this figure is reduced to fifty liters, loam - half as much. And if you have dense clay soil, then it will absorb no more than five liters of water per day. Therefore, the sewer system is built according to other canons.

As a rule, clay in the soil is located only the top two to three meters. This is noticeable, for example, if you equip a well: below you can see sandy loam or generally clean sand, which perfectly absorbs water. The well works even better this way than if the soil were homogeneous due to the pressure of the water column. Thus, first study in detail the type of soil on your hacienda. Ask old-timers, neighbors, those who recently built something, or simply order geologists who will conduct professional exploration. Then you can save on arrangement septic tank in clay instead of buying a ready-made cleaning station.

The design of the septic tank can be anything - plastic, brick, reinforced concrete or concrete. You can choose the material without regard to the clay soil, based on the budget and personal preferences. If you have good black soil on your site, then you can water the crop with purified water from a septic tank. To do this, you will need to put a sealed tank instead of a filter well, and connect a drainage pump to it. Then the supply of purified liquid will be provided to the irrigation system.

Septic tank in clay: reviews, installation, where to drain water. Such a septic tank is suitable for giving, but if you constantly live in a house outside the city, then it is not advisable to buy such a septic tank. Another disadvantage is a rather low percentage of cleaning, so there may be an unpleasant odor. But it can be neutralized with an aeration system.

However, very often even the most dense soil shows good absorbent properties. You can use this to increase the area that absorbs water with filter fields. To do this, cover the entire area with rubble, lay drains with two-centimeter holes on them. The length depends on the number of residents. For each person there should be a ten-meter pipe. From above, it is also necessary to fill ten centimeters of gravel, and put black soil on top. Plants that need abundant watering can be planted on it. it convenient solution, because the degree of purification does not affect anything, and it will not smell either. If you lay the pipes to a forty-centimeter or greater depth, then in winter they will not freeze, and you can continue to use the septic tank. However, in soils that do not let water through at all, it is impossible to equip such a system.

However, even in this case, it is possible to drain the liquid directly onto the site or a specially dug ditch. In this case, it is better to take a non-volatile sewer system with aeration. The principle of operation is about the same. The first reservoir must be air-filled so that the aerobic bacteria can live and work. In the next compartment, the sludge settles and is transferred back to the first tank by the compressor. And in the third chamber, the water is finally purified and pumped into a ditch or onto the ground, from where it evaporates.

Perhaps the first thing to take care of at the beginning of the construction of a house or cottage is a septic tank. Those owners of sites where the soil is clayey will find it more difficult to mount a flawlessly functioning sewer drainage system. But with due diligence and knowledge of how to arrange a septic tank in clay, this is quite possible. In such soil, it is possible to install both a factory autonomous treatment station and a home-made container with or without a bottom.

The homeowner should know that in some respects he is lucky: clay is the best soil filter.

The ability to pass water and purify it are two different things. Therefore, in such soil, you can fearlessly mount a septic tank without a bottom. All sewerage at the outlet will be effectively cleaned, but this process is rather slow. Therefore, the device of the sewer system in these conditions has its own characteristics that prevent overflow of the tank.

Types for installation in clay

Storage tanks

Most often, they are used as plastic containers, in particular eurocubes of various sizes. But barrels and home-made welded stainless steel cubes can be installed. The storage tank can be made of brick or concrete. Such septic tanks are often found in villages and towns. They are arranged simply: it is enough to dig a pit of the desired size, after which lay out its bottom and walls with bricks. Or they install concrete rings with a diameter of 1 m and concrete the bottom of the pit.

For biological treatment

They are the most reliable and modern. These products are self-contained biological wastewater treatment plants capable of producing such water at the outlet that can be used for watering a garden or diverted into a pond with fish. The principle of operation of such septic tanks is to separate fractions into heavy and light. This is facilitated by the design of the station.

Aerobic or anaerobic bacteria perform the main work on wastewater treatment. The vital activity of the former is possible only under the condition of constant air pumping. The latter live in silt or soil and do not need additional stimulation. These stations can be installed on heavy soils, including clay ones.

With soil treatment

These are the simplest tanks in the device for the accumulation of wastewater. They are arranged by analogy with storage tanks, but without concreting the bottom. That is, you can use all the same materials: brick, concrete, plastic or iron, but at the bottom you need to arrange a drainage layer. It is made of sand and gravel. Here, large fractions are filtered, after which the effluents penetrate to the clay and receive better purification.

Such septic tanks are good because the sewer machine needs to be called less often than in the case of storage tanks. However, in clay soil, the process of filtering and leaving wastewater will be hardly noticeable. Therefore, sewage will have to be pumped out with the same regularity as in the presence of a container with a concrete bottom. Such a septic tank with their own hands is built quite quickly.

Mounting technology

  1. You should decide what will be used for the storage tank device. In order to speed up cleaning and make it more efficient, it is recommended to build a two-chamber structure with a filtration field. This will avoid overfilling the main tank and get the most purified effluent at the outlet.
  2. 2nd step - determining the location of sewage receivers. Here you need to focus not only on the convenience of their placement on the site, but also on sanitary and hygienic standards. Since clay does not pass water well, there is little risk of runoff entering a well or well. Therefore, it is possible to install a septic tank with your own hands at the most minimal distances from water intake points and residential premises - 7 m.
  3. When the location of the tanks is determined, earthworks begin. It would be nice to ask the neighbors in advance about the depth at which the clay / soil boundary passes. If it is located below 3 m from the soil surface, the work will be complicated by the need to install a drainage system at a fairly large depth. When digging pits, it is taken into account that one container should be separated from the other at a distance of no more than 2 m.
  4. After installing concrete rings, plastic cubes or laying bricks on the walls of the pits, they begin to install a drainage layer directly in the containers themselves. To do this, backfill with sand and gravel. For the first, a layer of 10-15 cm is sufficient. For the second, 25-30 cm. If plastic barrels are used as tanks, it is recommended to strengthen them with chains or otherwise during installation. This is necessary due to the fact that during floods and when the soil freezes, the container can squeeze out of the pit.
  5. Both containers must be connected with a pipe so that it hits 40-50 cm below the sewer pipe that goes from the house to the main sewage tank. Such a device allows drains to overflow into the 2nd chamber and contributes to the separation of fractions. Heavier ones settle in the 1st container.
  6. Further, if free-standing containers were used as containers, they must be insulated. You can do this with foam. Such a septic tank, insulated with its own hands, will not freeze in the most severe frosts.

Filter field

In clay conditions, if the groundwater level (GWL) is below 1.5 m, semi-submerged filters or filter cassettes are mounted. At high GWL, it is rational to arrange surface filtration using gravel-sand cushions.

The dimensions of the post-treatment field depend on the daily water consumption in the house. If the volume of drains does not exceed 0.5 m³, according to established standards, a filter area of ​​1 m² will be sufficient. If the daily volume of wastewater is more than 1 m³, a field of 1.5-2 m² will be required. On sale there are ready-made designs of filter wells. The price of these products is low, and installation is simple. The role of the main filter in them is performed by geotextiles. But if there is no desire or opportunity to buy a finished structure, you can do the post-treatment field with your own hands.

After the soil is taken out, a pipe is laid connecting the 2nd container with the filtration field. As a rule, the laying depth is 0.7-1.2 m from the ground surface, but not lower than 1 m from the groundwater level. The bottom of the pit is leveled, a drainage grid is installed on it. After that, sand and gravel are dumped. The height of the pillow should be such that its top rises above the inlet pipe by at least 5 cm. It should not be forgotten that the pipes are installed taking into account the required slope. It must be at least 1 * per 1 m. Pipes must be insulated with a wooden box and foam.

Drainage device

Since such a soil is not able to pass liquid well, a drainage system will be required to divert rain and flood water from the tanks for receiving sewage. For this, not wall, but ring drainage is performed. For the installation of the pipeline, drains will be needed. You can use purchased perforated pipes or make them yourself from sewer plastic pipes with a diameter of 110 mm. Perforation is carried out with a drill 1.5-2 mm thick at a distance of 2-2.5 cm from each other. The holes should be staggered.

A trench is formed around the septic tank so that its bottom is 20-30 cm below the freezing point of the soil. Next, the bottom is leveled with a slope that should be at least 1 cm per 1 m towards the storage well. After that, backfilling is done with sand by 5-7 cm and gravel by 10-15 cm. Then geotextiles are laid on the bottom of the trench, a pipeline is mounted inside the ditch and the pipes are wrapped with previously laid material. Then they start backfilling.

Device feature

Clay refers to strongly heaving soils. This property of hers manifests itself with particular evidence if it is wet, and not dry. During seasonal freeze-thaw, such soil can easily push a plastic or other container placed in it out of the pit. Therefore, during the installation of tanks for sewage effluents, their fastening in the pit should be provided.

This can be done using metal rods, which can be used as corners or pipes of small diameter. The purpose of the rods is to fix the location of the container and prevent it from moving during the heaving of the soil. For this purpose, steel chains can also be used, 1 end of which is firmly fixed in the soil.

For deeper sewage treatment, two-stage trenches can be made for the filtration field. In the upper part of such a ditch, pipes are placed through which drains are drained, and in the lower part there is a sand and gravel cushion up to 30 cm thick. With the help of such trenches, you can build a full-fledged filtering system and drain drains outside the site.

The depth of the pits should be such that the liquid in the pipes does not freeze in winter, that is, below the freezing point of the soil. Each pipe will need to be perforated by analogy with the drainage, but the holes should be larger, since the liquid will include small fractions. To prevent clogging of holes with soil, each element of the pipeline is wrapped with geotextile.

To organize sewage in a private house, so that the septic tank serves for a long time and remains strong and airtight, in addition to many nuances, it is necessary to take into account the type of soil. Currently using different types septic tanks, which are installed underground and above ground. Aboveground, however, are already used very rarely, since they emit an unpleasant odor that spreads to the site.

Choosing a place to install a septic tank on clay soil

When digging a hole underground, you can use a gravel bed or a concrete pad. The latter option is more preferable, especially if it is planned to lay polymer containers.

Installation Features

When installing a septic tank, take into account:

  • soil type;
  • groundwater level;
  • the location of the house itself;
  • fence and other buildings;
  • vegetable garden.

Based on this, the depth is calculated where they will conduct sewer pipe. It must be at least seventy-five centimeters. The level of freezing of clay in the cold season, which, by the way, is high, is also taken into account. The septic tank must be installed in such a way that the filtration takes place above the groundwater level, otherwise the suction will be insufficient. After laying, the pipe is covered with earth until a small hill is obtained.

It is desirable to insulate the septic tank with foam.

In order for it to be firmly fixed underground, it is necessary to provide good drainage otherwise the container may sink into the soil. After the construction of the pit, a drainage is carried out for dispersion. It would also be useful to install a drainage pump.


strengthening the soil and the installation site of the septic tank

In order for septic tanks in clay to be perfectly fixed, it is additionally desirable to attach them with steel ropes. Filtration trenches must be two-stage. The right pillow is made of gravel and sand thirty centimeters thick. At a depth of fifty centimeters to a meter, a perforated pipe is laid for filtration. In the second trench, the pipe is already placed at a depth of one and a half to two meters.

Installing a clay-based septic tank is more difficult due to the characteristics of this type of soil: its average porosity has a poor ability to pass liquid. That's why Special attention here should be given to the drainage or filter floor. This will entail additional material costs. If the thickness of the clay exceeds three meters, then it is necessary to replace part of the soil with crushed stone and sand, since these materials have excellent throughput.

The installation site of the septic tank should be calculated in such a way that it was as far as possible from the water intake point. For clay soil, this distance can be from twenty meters. The sump itself is laid below the freezing depth of the soil due to the heaving properties of clay.

Thus, despite the difficult nature of this type of soil, it is possible to install a septic tank, but the behavior of clay soil should be taken into account.

Types of septic tanks

Not all types of septic tanks are suitable for clay soil.

Tanks for the sewer system are divided according to the nature of the work into:

  • accumulative, in the form of sedimentation tanks that are cleaned as sewage flows accumulate;
  • for deep cleaning, after which water can be used;
  • for soil filtration, when purified water completely goes into the soil.

In the last two cases, all septic tanks also need to be cleaned periodically, but this is done much less frequently than in the first case.

Devices can be:

  • monolithic;
  • prefabricated.

According to the material produced, they are divided into septic tanks from:

  • reinforced concrete;
  • bricks;
  • metal;
  • plastic.

According to their form, septic tanks are:

  • horizontally installed;
  • vertically mounted.

They consist of:

  • one camera;
  • two cameras;
  • multiple cameras.

Accumulative septic tanks for clay soil

This type of sewer septic tanks are pits or special containers that are placed in dug pits. The bottom is treated, drained or a concrete pillow is laid. In excavated pits, runoff is separated into light substances that will float up and heavy solid wastes that settle to the bottom. Such a septic tank is very easy to install, but it is inconvenient to operate it, as an unpleasant odor will come from it.


installation of a Biotank type septic tank for clay soil

Accumulative septic tanks are made of plastic or fiberglass. They are sealed and will not corrode, but require installation to ensure that the device is firmly stable. Sometimes septic tanks are built simply from bricks or reinforced concrete rings.

Some owners of suburban areas dig a hole, install formwork and fill it with concrete. But it will good decision only in case small area and for temporary residence in a private house. In addition, for such a septic tank, you will often have to call a sewage truck for cleaning, and the smell emanating from the pit will obviously not add to the comfort of staying outside the city.

This type of septic tank is well suited for clay soil, especially if it is well fixed.

Septic tank with soil aftertreatment

For such a septic tank, which provides for soil post-treatment, a cleaning machine is called less often than for a simple storage tank. This type of septic tank provides for a barrel size larger than in cumulative form. But it is also more difficult to install it in the ground, since additional protection measures must be provided here.

A concrete pillow is laid at the bottom, the septic tank itself is placed and secured with chains. This is done so that it stays firmly in one place and cannot be pushed out, which can happen in the cold season. It also needs to be protected from being simply crushed with earth when buried. To do this, it is filled with water when instilled. Sometimes special batteries are used, which can significantly reduce the frequency of cleaning. A septic tank of this type is easy to install on your own. Wastewater in it, they first fall into one chamber, where they are divided into layers, one of which settles, and the other, on the contrary, emerges. Partially clarified water then enters the next chamber, where decomposition takes place with the help of anaerobic bacteria artificially planted there. In the second chamber, the water is thus purified by sixty percent.


installation of a storage tank for a septic tank on clay soil

Such septic tanks are quite easy to operate and are used frequently. However, they are not suitable for clay soils. Rather, the implementation of the method is possible when laying an artificial sand filter and an additional structure for water drainage. But to do this is not only too difficult, but also quite expensive. Therefore, on such soil, usually, a septic tank with soil post-treatment is not used.

Biological deep cleaning

Septic tanks with biological treatment are reliable and durable. With their help, high-quality cleaning, as a result of which water can be used for technical needs. The applied method is combined, providing deep cleaning. At the same time, in addition to mechanical settling, chemical and biological methods are used.

Waste masses in it are cleaned as follows. First, as in the previous types of septic tank, they fall into the sump, where a layer of more or less purified water is formed. It passes into the next chamber, where anaerobic bacteria are planted, which perform secondary purification. After that, the water does not come out, but continues to be purified. by chemical means, resulting in the most high level cleaning, achieved ninety-eight percent.

Of course, not a single septic tank used in private country houses can guarantee one hundred percent cleaning. Therefore, you should not drink such water in any case. But it is quite applicable for technical needs. So, it can be used to water the garden, flower beds or just grass near the house, as well as wash cars and more. You can install it either with your own hands or with the help of specialists. It all depends on the complexity of the design.


soil preparation for a septic tank

Such sewerage on clay soils is possible in the same way as on other soil. However, the disadvantage here is the high price of a septic tank. The purchase of this device will be justified only if people live in the house permanently. It usually requires electrical network. Therefore, for uninterrupted operation, it is necessary to ensure that there are no surges in electricity. Often, an autonomous system is used for this.

Installation at high GW

If the groundwater level is high on the site, then it is better if professionals install the septic tank. You can also do it yourself, but you need to prepare for difficult work.

Between the walls of the septic tank and the pit, gaps of ten to fifteen centimeters are left.

From below, a pillow of sand is laid, with a thickness of at least five to ten centimeters, and if the water underground is too close to the surface, then formwork is used.

It is necessary to carefully consider the backfill, because if it is done incorrectly, this can cause the container to move. The distance left between the septic tank and the pit is covered with sand.

Such soil belongs to the category of problematic and is considered "heavy", and not only in direct, but also in figuratively. Excavation, conducted in areas with clay soil, are characterized by their specifics. What is it expressed in relation to the installation of a biological treatment plant?

Local structures of this category can be installed on any soil. And this is one of the advantages of such septic tanks for autonomous sewage. However, there is a moment that is not taken into account by all land owners who, in an effort to save money, try to carry out the entire cycle of events on their own. Installation of the biotreatment station is carried out on clay soils only after a series of engineering calculations. Therefore, to invite a specialist (at least for professional advice) is more than rational solution. Otherwise, during the operation of a deep-cleaning septic tank, such problems may arise that you cannot cope with them on your own.

So what are the features of clay soil? The main difficulty is in the minimum absorption of liquid due to the increased density of the earth. What does this mean in practice?
  • The removal of the clarified liquid must be forced. On clay soils, it is impractical to organize a natural discharge. Or rather, you can't. Therefore, even when choosing a model of a biological treatment plant, this nuance must be taken into account.
  • ground water placed high enough. Since it is necessary to prepare a pit for the installation of the station, there may be a problem with its constant flooding. Even with the organization of forced drainage, it is unlikely to be completely solved.
  • On clay soil, any septic tank, including the station, does not fit to a considerable depth. This means that you will need additional insulation corps. For most regions of the Russian Federation, this topic is more than relevant, given how low the thermometer falls in winter. With regard to the biological treatment plant, the difficulty is also in the fact that for the normal life of bacteria, they need to be provided with the maximum favorable conditions. Therefore, for this item, everything must be correctly calculated - the type of heat insulator, the thickness of the layer, the method of its installation.