Types of autonomous sewage: which one to choose for a house and a summer residence

We have long been accustomed to the reliable and uninterrupted operation of centralized sewage in apartments. With a move to a country house or cottage, nobody wants to lose comfort, so you need to arrange an autonomous sewer. It is not difficult to do this, you just need to determine the appropriate type of water disposal and take into account several important points when planning it. Then it will be convenient to use, and simple maintenance. Consider what types of autonomous sewage systems exist.

Types of Sewerage

All types of organization of liquid effluents are divided into three groups:

industrial;
storm;
household.

In addition, all of the above species have external and internal parts. The inner one is mounted indoors, and the outer one is pipes, wells, pumping stations, treatment facilities. The external system, in turn, can be:

separate - in it storm drains are discharged separately from the sewage;
semi-separate, where the output is separate, and all drains are connected in the collector;
general alloy, in which all drains are discharged together.

Sewers in private homes and summer cottages are rarely equipped with centralized systems for collecting and discharging liquid household waste. Autonomous types are usually used:

cesspool;
dry closet;
septic tank.

Also, autonomous sewage can be self-flowing or using pumps. We begin the review of the types of autonomous sewage from a cesspool.

Cesspool

This is the simplest and cheapest way to use sewage disposal. For its organization, they dig a pit and place a tank or build it out of brick. The cesspool needs regular pumping. If it is done without a bottom on a drainage pillow, domestic wastewater will go into the ground, polluting subsoil water. In such a place it will no longer be possible to dig a well or punch a well. It is better to make the container airtight so as not to harm the site and sources of drinking water. Such a pit will have to be pumped out most often. You can save on pumping by building a septic tank.

Septic tank

The septic tank differs from the cesspool in that the solid fractions in it decompose special bacteria. As a result, clarified water and sludge are formed. Septic tanks can be one-, two-, three-chamber or more. In each chamber, water passes a certain degree of purification. Water purified with a septic tank can be used to irrigate the garden or discharge it into a storm sewer. As a result of the activity of bacteria, sludge turns into an organic fertilizer useful for plants. When cleaning the septic tank, it is mixed with compost or poured directly onto the beds or under the trees. Place under the septic tank choose the lowest on the site. In the immediate vicinity there should not be wells, buildings on the foundation, trees, reservoirs. A septic tank without pumping has many advantages compared to a cesspool:

complete absence of odors, since as a result of the vital activity of bacteria only methane and carbon dioxide are released into the air;
by all rules, a constructed septic tank can function without cleaning and pumping out for up to ten years;
all equipment is arranged underground, does not spoil the design of the site and does not take up space;
You can arrange a septic tank with your own hands from improvised means;
a septic tank is non-volatile if it does not use aerators.

When using such a sewage system, it should be remembered that bacteria quickly die from chlorine-containing detergents.

Dry closet

If for some reason you don’t want to build a septic tank (and this often happens with a high level of groundwater), you can equip a dry closet in the country. This convenient and simple replacement of the usual toilet does not need water supply and drainage. For its normal functioning, only a ventilation device is required. The principle of operation of the dry closet is that each portion of sewage in it is mixed with a portion of the peat mixture and gradually turns into a compost mass in the storage tank. Gases formed during decomposition are vented. Depending on the frequency of use, the dry closet needs periodic cleaning of the storage tank. You can empty the tank without waiting for it to fill. Content is safely stored in a compost pile. A variety of dry closets is electric. Liquid and solid fractions in it are separated immediately and disposed of in different ways. Such models are still quite expensive compared to conventional ones, and have one significant drawback for men - they must always be used when sitting, since they work out by the weight of the seated person. When designing a sewage system on a site, it is necessary to take into account the number of people who will use it, and provide for the correct installation and insulation for winter use.