Do-it-yourself tire drain pit: step-by-step instructions for arrangement

The desire to add urban comfort to country life encourages many summer residents, and even owners of country real estate, to install a water supply system on their own property. But full-fledged operation of the water supply system is impossible without sewerage, isn’t it?

It turns out that you can make an autonomous sewer system yourself from scrap materials. One of the popular home-made structures is a drainage pit made from tires, used to collect and filter wastewater. The structure and installation of the structure are very simple, but the efficiency and safety of operation of the system is achieved only with strict adherence to technological standards.

In this material we will talk about how to choose a place for a cesspool, and what needs to be taken into account. Also, here you will find step-by-step instructions for building a cesspool from car tires. The material is accompanied by arrangement diagrams and videos with expert advice on the construction of drainage pits.

Design and principle of operation of the settling tank

Cesspool - the simplest arrangement option autonomous sewerage. With the advent of highly efficient septic tanks and local treatment systems, the use of drainage collectors in private households and cottage communities has decreased. However, this method of wastewater disposal remains in demand among summer residents.

The most cost-effective and easy-to-implement local sewage system is based on the use of old tires. In this case, the walls of the drain container are reinforced with rubber tires, and the bottom of the tank is missing.

There are two options for organizing a drainage pit: 1 – an absorption well without a bottom, designed for the processing and disposal of gray waste and clarified water that has been treated in a septic tank, 2 – a sealed storage tank, arranged for collecting mixed or brown wastewater. Both methods are simple and easy to implement

The base of the absorbing, or otherwise filtering, option is a drainage layer of crushed stone and sand. The stability of the structure is achieved due to the weight of the tires themselves, soil filling and accumulated wastewater.

At the top of the “tower” made of tires, a sewer pipeline is provided. The entire structure is covered with a lid, which prevents the spread of unpleasant odors and clogging of the pit.

Operating principle of the absorption pit:

1. The waste liquid flows through the pipe into the container.
2. Heavy, solid suspensions settle on the surface of the “cushion” of crushed stone.
3. Semi-purified water seeps through the drainage layer and passes deep into the soil.
4. The accumulated sludge is periodically pumped out of the tank.

To improve the quality of filtration and speed up the drainage of wastewater, a hollow perforated pipe is installed inside the tire tank.

Part of the wastewater is subjected to double purification - suspended matter that has not settled to the bottom is filtered out by a drainage pipe and undergoes further treatment in a sand and gravel backfill

The feasibility of a drainage collection made from tires

When planning the construction of a cesspool from tires, it is necessary to compare the features of the arrangement, the efficiency of the drainage collection with the expected operating conditions and “loads” on the sewer system.

The main arguments in favor of a well made of rubber products:

1. Low cost. You can get used tires for free - a car service center or trucking company still has a lot of old tires left for recycling. In extreme cases, you can buy worn-out car tires for almost pennies at a flea market. The main expense item is the arrangement of the supply pipeline.
2. Easy to install. Preparing the material, installing and connecting the drain tank is a feasible task for one person. The work does not involve the use of expensive tools and equipment.

Rubber does not corrode, so the pit will last longer than a structure made from metal barrels. The average service life is 10-12 years.

Any car tires with a diameter exceeding 1 meter are suitable for constructing an absorption well. The entire process of constructing a drain pit from tires will take 1-2 days

A “makeshift” sewage treatment plant has a number of negative factors that limit its use:

1. Poor performance. Even very large tires are not able to provide sufficient volume for the accumulation and removal of wastewater. The tire absorption pit is suitable for a family of two or three people.
2. Freezing of the system. Despite the use of thermal insulation materials, in severe frosts the rubber becomes frozen, which can lead to freezing of drains and stopping the operation of the sewer system.
3. Unpleasant smell. From time to time, “aromas” of sewage may be heard from the direction of the cesspool. To eliminate the problem, install a ventilation pipe and cover the hatch with a tight lid.
4. Limited use. The degree of wastewater purification by an absorption pit reaches 40% - this is not enough for safe disposal into the ground. In order not to disturb the ecological balance, heavily contaminated liquid and fecal matter should not be dumped into the tire drain pit.
5. Insufficient tightness. It is quite difficult to ensure complete impermeability of the joints between tires. When the soil moves and after cleaning, there is a high probability of depressurization of the structure - sewage begins to seep into the ground.

Loss of tightness is the most common cause of failure in the sewer system.

Possible solutions to the problem: overhaul of the structure after cleaning or complete dismantling of the rubber well and subsequent construction of a trench from new tires.

Accumulated sludge prevents normal drainage of wastewater, so the collection tank must be cleaned regularly. The cleaning process is very labor-intensive due to the unevenness of the tank walls

It is advisable to build an absorption well made of tires if the following conditions are met:

• the volume of waste liquid does not exceed 1 cubic meter/day;
• the groundwater level in the area is at a depth of 2 m;
• It is preferable to install a cesspool without a bottom on light, well-drained soils (sand, sandy loam); on heavy substrates (clay), the water tends to stagnate.

The construction of a pit is advisable for a summer cottage, sauna or bathhouse for seasonal use.

Choosing a place for a drain hole

When constructing a drainage pit, one should be guided by the standards set out in SanPiN 42-128-4690-88. The document clearly defines the permissible boundaries of the placement of the sewer system on the site.

The basic rule when choosing a location is: the distance from a residential building to a sewage pit must be at least 15 m. Deviation from the standard is possible in agreement with the local SES

Additional, but no less significant, restrictions on the removal of a reservoir with sewage:

1. The distance to the water pipes depends on the direction of movement of groundwater. The direction can be approximately determined by the slope of the terrain. When water flows from the drainage pit, the minimum distance between the designated objects is 40 m, otherwise - no less than 25 m.
2. The nearest well or deep well with drinking water should be 50 m or more. In practice, it is very difficult to comply with this norm. With the permission of the SES, this distance is reduced to 30 m.
3. The distance to open water is at least 30 m.
4. The distance between trees, bushes and a cesspool is 4 m. The same parameter is determined for the roadway.
5. The distance of the treatment plant from the neighboring site is about 3 meters.

The optimal location of the pit is in the lowland of the site in the direction of groundwater. To reduce the likelihood of an unpleasant odor entering the home, a container with sewage is built on the leeward side, away from the house.

When planning, it is necessary to ensure unimpeded access for cleaning equipment to the cesspool.

The standard hose length for a sewer truck is 6 m, with 1.5-2 m going into the depth of the trench.Modern special equipment is equipped with hoses with a length of 10 m, but its call and work will cost an order of magnitude more.

Technology for constructing a tire cesspool

Below is a step-by-step instruction on how to create a drainage pit with a drainage well. The material used to construct the absorption well is old tires.

The process of constructing a drainage structure from old automobile rubber includes a number of traditional steps:

Stage #1. Calculation of the volume of the drain tank

The primary task of constructing an autonomous tire treatment system is to calculate the volume of the drain tank to determine the number and dimensions of tires used. The volume of the chamber depends on the number of people living in the house.

According to regulatory data, one adult spends about 170-200 liters of water per day (for bathing, washing, cooking, etc.). If we take as a condition that a family consists of three people, then the daily volume of wastewater will be about 600 liters (0.6 cubic meters).

According to technological rules, sewers of this type must accommodate three times the daily volume of wastewater. The norm is due to the fact that the period of primary decomposition of organic matter, the breakdown of sewage into suspension of different fractions, is three days

This means that the resulting value (0.6 cubic meters) is multiplied by three. In total, the tank capacity should be 1.8 cubic meters. However, for the accuracy of calculations, the type of soil should be taken into account. When arranging a cesspool on a porous substrate, the volume of the “rubber” tank can be reduced by 20%. In case of dense soil, increase by 10%.

To calculate the number of tires, you need to determine the volume of one tire. This is easy to do if you know the diameter and height of the tire.

The volume of a tire is calculated as the area of ​​its base times its height.In this case, the area of ​​the base is the product of the square of the radius and the constant π (3.14)

Stage #2. Preparation of materials and tools

To independently construct an absorption pit and supply communications to it, you should stock up on tools and materials. Earthworks are carried out using different types of shovels.

Shovel. The curved scoop design makes it easy to scoop and remove soil from the ditch. If the metal blade of the shovel bends, it can be reinforced with additional sides.

Bayonet shovel. It is used at the beginning of digging, so a tool with a standard length handle (1.5 m) is suitable.

"Digger". A ripper shovel with a long holder, similar in design to double forks. The tool is designed for loosening hard soil layers.

For ease of use at depth, the shovel is equipped with a long handle (2.5-3 m). It is advisable to make a cross-shaped grip on the edge of the handle - it will make it easier to flip the bayonet

Indicative list of materials:

1. Tires. Tires from tractors, trucks or cars are suitable. In case of high groundwater, it is better to use products of large diameter - it will be possible to obtain the required volume without going deep into the groundwater.
2. Crushed stone, gravel and sand. Materials are needed to construct the filter bottom of the tire tower.
3. Sewage pipes. For pipeline assembly, two-layer polyethylene or propylene pipes with a diameter of 110 mm are suitable. Additionally, you need to purchase corrugations, tees, plugs and fittings.
4. Lid. A plastic insulated model is suitable sewer hatch. The diameter is selected in accordance with the dimensions of the drainage pit.
5. Film waterproofing and concrete mortar. Materials are necessary to ensure the tightness of the tank - the outer cracks of the “pyramid” are coated with the solution, and the inner surface of the walls is lined with film.
6. Plastic or concrete pipe. It goes deep into the drainage layer and acts as a filter element.

For installation work you will need: a cutter or jigsaw, a tape measure, a building level, a garden auger, a ladder, a bucket and a rope.

Stage #3. Sewer pipe outlet

The organization of a local treatment system begins with the arrangement of an outlet. Subsequently, the riser in the house is assembled, tees and outlet pipes are connected. In an old building, the sewer pipeline is discharged through an underground or cellar.

If the new house does not have an exhaust duct provided in advance, then you will have to dismantle the floor and make a hole in the foundation.

Next, a trench is prepared leading from the house to the cesspool. It is necessary to ensure a sufficient slope for drainage - at least 1.5-2 cm per linear meter

The depth of the pipeline at the exit from the house should be at least 60 cm, optimally 1 m. If in some areas the depth of the trench is less than 90 cm, then the pipeline must be insulated. Read more about the depth of sewer pipes Further.

Stage #4. Land works

One of the tires is used as a pattern for marking the boundaries of the pit. The tire must be placed in the chosen place and pegs should be placed around the perimeter of the circle. In order for the tires to fit freely into the pit in the future, the diameter of the ring must be expanded by 20-40 cm.

At first, it is convenient to dig the ground with a bayonet shovel.The fertile soil layer (the first 50 cm) can be evenly distributed throughout the garden; deeper soil layers can be used for backfilling.

It is easier to continue digging a deep pit with a shovel with a long handle - the compacted soil is loosened by a “digger”, then collected with a shovel and loaded into buckets. To descend into the ditch and lift filled containers to the surface, a ladder is lowered into the excavation.

Working together, you can speed up the digging process and build a primitive lifting mechanism - tie a rope to the buckets.

The pit is further deepened to the thickness of the drainage cushion (20-30 cm). The walls of the pit are freed from tree roots so that as they grow they do not damage or move the tires

For safety reasons, excavation work at depth must be carried out with a partner. One person is engaged in digging, and the second helps on the surface and insures against the collapse of the walls of the pit. This requirement is especially relevant when constructing a pit in unstable soils.

Stage #5. Preparation of car tires

Regarding the technology for preparing tires for installing a cesspool, the opinions of the performers were divided. The first group believes that there is no need to do any manipulations with the tires, since complete or partial removal of the tread will negatively affect the stability of the segments and the tightness of the structure as a whole.

However, keeping the tire beads worsens the performance of the absorption pit - the useful volume of the tank is significantly reduced, and waste accumulates very quickly in the formed “pockets”. At the same time, it is almost impossible to efficiently clean the sludge from the embossed walls - the tank quickly fills with sewage, and the sewage system fails.

The optimal solution is a partial cut of the rim. On the wheels, you need to leave 5-7 cm at the side ends for fixation with adjacent segments

In one tire you need to cut a hole for connecting the sewer pipe.

Stage #6. Formation of a drainage well

At depth, the soil is often heavy, clayey, poorly absorbent and permeable to moisture. To increase the suction area of ​​waste liquid and improve the efficiency of the absorption trench, one or more drainage channels are installed.

Work progress:

1. Use a garden drill to drill the deepest possible hole - the channel should pass through dense rocks that slow down the outflow of filtered water. The depth of the trench from the bottom of the pit is up to 3-5 m.
2. Prepare a pipe that matches the length and diameter of the drainage channel. To prevent the filtration pipe from silting, its upper edge must be 1 m higher than the base of the drainage pit.
3. The side walls of the pipe, starting from the top and not reaching 50 cm to the bottom, are drilled. The top of the channel is covered with a fine-mesh polypropylene mesh.

After casing the drainage well, i.e. installation of a perforated pipe in the drilled trunk, a layer of crushed stone and gravel is poured onto the bottom of the pit - the thickness of the filter pad is about 20-30 cm.

A sewer plastic pipe with a diameter of 110 mm can be used as an outlet channel. A more affordable alternative is asbestos-cement pipe

Stage #7. Laying tires and sealing walls

The first tire is placed at the bottom of a kind of shaft, passing through it drainage pipe. In a similar way, the second tire is lowered into the hole, and the beads of adjacent wheels are connected in a convenient way.

Having compared and aligned both tires, you need to make through holes in the treads.Pass a metal wire or plastic clamp through them and twist tightly.

During the construction of the tower, the external joints are sealed - the joints of the tires are treated with concrete mortar or bitumen mastic. After the mixture has set, you can begin backfilling the pit.

Fixing and strengthening the walls of a tire tank in the ground is done in different ways: filling it with a sand-earth mixture, pouring concrete, or filling the space with remaining tires. Vertically laid tires will immobilize the structure

The end of the last tire should rise slightly above the ground. Upon completion of laying all the tires, the inside walls of the container are covered with waterproofing material. The most affordable option for a hydrobarrier is a sealant of suitable composition.

Stage #8. Final arrangement

A small embankment is made along the perimeter of the beads of the finishing tire and compacted - a kind of blind area is obtained that prevents rainwater from penetrating inside the trench. The container is closed from above with an insulated hatch.

The ventilation pipe can be removed through the plastic cover. The length of the outer part of the ventilation duct must be at least 60 cm to ensure normal draft.

The cesspool ventilation system solves several problems: access of oxygen to activate aerobic bacteria and removal of gaseous waste products

In order not to deteriorate the thermal and waterproofing properties of the hatch, the sewer hood can be made in another way. You need to cut a hole in the closing tire and install an “L”-shaped ventilation sleeve with an exit to the outside. These works are carried out before backfilling the pit.

In order to prevent clogging of the ventilation duct, flooding or small animals falling into the pit, a protective umbrella is installed on the pipe

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Technology for manufacturing a cesspool trench from tires with main and side drainage on the walls:

Construction of a homemade drainage pit for a summer residence:

The “makeshift” version of the cesspool is simple and easy to construct. However, when using it, there remains a risk that some of the sewage will go into the ground without filtration, since the tire construction does not guarantee complete tightness. The construction of an absorption trench made of tires is justified only in rare cases.

Are you trying to create a drainage pit from car tires yourself, but have questions arise during the work? Or maybe you found shortcomings in the material or have valuable information that you can share with visitors to our site? Please leave your comments at the bottom of the article.