If it is impossible to connect a private house to a centralized sewage network, the owner needs to equip an autonomous treatment plant. Typically, a septic tank is chosen for these purposes. It represents one or several tanks in which sewage is settled and filtered. For better cleaning, the devices are equipped with biofilters and special filtration fields, as well as aerators, supporting the vital activity of aerobic bacteria-cleaners. The output is clear enough water so that it can be dumped into the ground or even used for technical needs.
Operating principle
Septic tanks work on the principle of wastewater treatment by the upholding and processing of organic waste by special microorganisms. Contaminated liquid from plumbing fixtures enters the chambers of the septic device, where it is clarified to a state in which it cannot become a source of environmental pollution.
The more chambers and filters the treatment plant is equipped with, the cleaner the outlet liquid.
Effective devices are able to clarify the liquid by 98 percent. It can be used for watering the garden, wet cleaning, summer shower. And the clay mass formed in the final settlers can serve as fertilizer.
Types of septic tanks for a private house
In small country houses and summer cottages, single-chamber septic tanks are often used - sealed containers buried in the ground. To create them, use metal and plastic tanks, polymer pipes with a welded bottom or install concrete rings with a bottom in the pits. The advantages of such devices are ease of installation and low cost. The cost of a medium-sized tank starts from 1,500 rubles, installation of a structure from concrete rings will cost from 15,000 rubles. The downside is the need for regular pumping with the help of sewage equipment.
With the regular addition of microorganisms and the installation of a biofilter, the number of cleaning procedures can be reduced to one per year.
More effective is a two-chamber septic device with overflow. It can also be built independently, using the same methods as in the case of a single-chamber septic tank. But the design will come out twice as expensive, and take twice as much space, which is irrational for a tiny site.
The overflow septic tank operates according to the following scheme:
- The liquid from the sewage enters a sealed well, where it settles and is purified by bioorganisms.
- Partially clarified water enters the second tank. Instead of a bottom, a filter cushion of sand and gravel is equipped in it.
- Leaving through the crushed stone filter into the soil, the liquid is additionally cleaned.
The septic device requires pumping out every 1.5–2 years.
Three to five chamber septic tanks with biofilters, filtration fields and aerators are most productive. They have several hermetic chambers where water settles, activated sludge is formed. In the aftertreatment unit, nitrites decompose into nitrates under the action of bioactive substances.
After additional sedimentation, almost pure water is discharged to the filtration pad, and then to the ground. Economical owners of septic tanks use it for technical needs.
Criterias of choice
To select a suitable septic device, you need to evaluate the following indicators:
- dimensions of the structure and your site;
- the principle of operation of a particular device and its performance;
- soil type and depth of freezing;
- level of subsoil sources;
- the number of residents and likely guests;
- number of plumbing fixtures.
When choosing a volatile option, you need to consider the quality of the power supply. If there are interruptions, the price of equipment will increase due to voltage stabilizers and power generators.
The cost of septic tanks
If you want to install a high-quality sewer septic tank for a private house, it is better to purchase a ready-made device. Manufacturers offer many options at an affordable cost. The most popular systems include:
- Topas. They are characterized by a high degree of purification and durability, but they need power supply for the operation of air pumps. The price of a septic tank "Topop" for the sewerage of a country house depends on productivity and starts at 73,000 rubles.
- "Tank". These modules are non-volatile, easy to install and require pumping out only once every two years. Their price starts at 19,000 rubles. Most septic tanks need soil treatment with an additional purchase of infiltrates.
- "Rostock". A kind of two-chamber septic tanks in one case. For cleaning, mesh and sorption filters are used. The design will clean the fluid only up to 80%, but it is easy to install and relatively inexpensive. The most budget model costs 26,000 rubles.
For large cottages, you need to choose the most productive device or a deep bio-treatment station with pumping equipment. A correctly installed septic tank will provide urban comfort even in the most remote village.
