How to properly install a cesspool made of reinforced concrete rings

When managing wastewater in places without access to a central sewage system, installing a cesspool composed of rings made of reinforced concrete is a cost-effective and long-lasting solution. Whether you’re looking to start from scratch or upgrade your current setup, knowing the steps involved can help to streamline and expedite the process. This guide will take you through each step of the process, from choosing the ideal location to making sure that ventilation and sealing are done correctly.

Selecting a suitable location is the initial stage of the installation procedure. It is imperative that the cesspool be situated safely away from your house, any water sources, and any property lines. This satisfies local laws while also guaranteeing safety. After locating the location, you must dig a pit the same size as your reinforced concrete rings. Depending on how many rings you want to use and your unique requirements, the depth and diameter will vary.

It’s time to place the concrete rings after the pit has been prepared. Because of the weight of the rings, this part needs to be done precisely and might require extra assistance or equipment. Make sure all of the rings line up precisely by carefully lowering each one into position. To stop leaks, make sure you properly seal the joints as you stack the rings. Maintaining the integrity and functionality of the cesspool over time requires proper sealing.

Another important thing to think about is ventilation. By managing the gases the waste produces, installing a ventilation pipe helps to ensure the cesspool runs effectively and safely. You can backfill the area surrounding the cesspool with dirt after installing the ventilation and placing all of the rings. By doing this, the structure is stabilized and ready for use. Your cesspool’s lifespan and dependability will be increased with routine maintenance and inspections.

Step	Description
1. Site Selection	Choose a well-drained area away from water sources and your house.
2. Digging the Pit	Excavate a pit to the size of the reinforced concrete rings plus a bit more for ease of installation.
3. Preparing the Base	Level the bottom of the pit and add a layer of gravel for drainage.
4. Installing the Rings	Carefully lower the first ring into the pit, ensuring it is level. Add additional rings on top, sealing joints with cement.
5. Sealing	Seal the inside of the rings with waterproof cement to prevent leaks.
6. Backfilling	Backfill around the rings with excavated soil, compacting it as you go.
7. Installing the Cover	Place a concrete cover over the top ring, ensuring it fits securely.
8. Ventilation	Install a ventilation pipe to allow gases to escape.
9. Inspection	Check for any leaks or structural issues before use.
10. Final Touches	Finish the surface around the cesspool to match the surrounding area.

Similarities and differences between designs with and without a filter

The storage tank is intended to be a sizable underground container that is used to collect household waste. The size and form of the structure are not standardized, but each pit’s layout must contain the following components:

• A reservoir, the volume of which is determined according to the needs of the owners of the site.
• Drain hole through which waste flows into the storage tank.
• A ventilation pipe of suitable height capable of removing gases (hydrogen sulfide, methane, ammonia) to a safe height.

Concrete ring cesspools resemble wells that are two to three meters deep. The structure’s walls are composed of two to three hermetically joined rings. Either the bottom is absent, or a factory-made concrete product—like a concrete slab—takes its place.

Outside, there is a sewer pipe installed, and it’s below freezing point. Based on the anticipated volume of waste, the tank’s volume is computed. The pit has a neck with a technical hatch that closes it off from above.

Concrete ring drainage pits are built with the intention of collecting sewage, regardless of design variations. They are not meant to purify wastewater by separating it into solid waste and water, which is recovered to a degree of 60–90%, unlike septic tanks, which are arranged in accordance with a more complex plan.

Based on how the bottom is arranged and how quickly the hole fills, there are two types of drain pits:

• With sealed concrete bottom. Such containers are only capable of accumulating wastewater, which happens quite quickly. Therefore, one has to resort to the services of vacuum cleaners relatively often, at least once a month.
• With filter bottom (without concrete base). Reservoir fills slower. Some of the contents seep through the bottom filter into the ground, so cleaning is needed approximately every two to three months.

Installation conditions

There are a few restrictions on the possibility of creating a pit without a bottom. Owners should take the following aspects into account when selecting a filter treatment facility:

• Requirements of sanitary standards from SNiP. It is prohibited to build pits with a filter bottom if the expected flow exceeds one cubic meter per day.
• Soil features. Clay (or loam) is an almost airtight obstacle; it is not able to absorb water at the required speed, so the bottom filter simply will not function.
• Location and depth of aquifers on the site. If the groundwater is located at a high level (if the base of the structure lies less than 1 m from the aquifer), the filter is abandoned: the risk that the runoff will reach groundwater is too great.

To guarantee the efficient and secure operation of a reinforced concrete ring cesspool, there are a few essential steps that must be followed during installation. First, pick a suitable spot that abides by local laws and is away from water sources. Next, make sure the base of the pit is level and dig a hole deep enough to hold the rings. Lower each ring into the pit with caution, making sure the joints are sealed to stop leaks. To finish the process, backfill the area around the rings with dirt or gravel and add a sturdy cover. You can build a strong and effective cesspool system by following these instructions.

Pros and cons of constructing concrete rings

The following factors serve as the owners’ justification for designing and building a concrete ring cesspool:

• Simple jobs. Construction is technologically simple and takes minimal time.
• Availability. Affordable cost is often a decisive plus. According to this parameter, the simplest structure leaves far behind a functional but expensive septic tank. This is especially beneficial if people come to the dacha only on weekends or in the summer.
• Strength. Walls made of heavy reinforced concrete rings are considered the most durable option (when compared with brickwork or exotic things like used tires).
• Reliability and durability. If you do not violate the construction technology, the underground building will last 35-40, or even more years.

Put another way, if there is minimal sewerage and the ability to do routine pumping, a cesspool will be the best option. If significant wastewater volumes are anticipated, a septic tank should be considered. With the ability to minimize soil pollution and process drive contents efficiently, this device will prove to be more beneficial in the long run.

Because of the following, owners are unwilling to construct a cesspool:

• The volume is insufficient for the needs of their farm.
• Pumping will have to be done too often.
• There is practically no wastewater treatment; it is difficult to get rid of the specific smell.
• The need for additional maintenance of a pit with a filter bottom. Periodically, along with pumping, it is necessary to clean (and sometimes change) the filter layer of crushed stone or gravel.

Preparation: selection of scheme and calculations

Prior to beginning construction, it’s critical to select the type of structure, ensure that it complies with sanitary regulations, set up equipment, and make material purchases. You can account for all the subtleties and create a fully functional cesspool by being prepared.

Selection of construction scheme

There are three concrete ring pit designs that are widely used:

• Standard sealed well. Two rings are used for the construction of the shaft, and an additional element is installed on the upper tier – a narrower neck ring.
• Standard filter well. The design differs in two ways: instead of the bottom, a layer of crushed stone is filled, and the standard lower ring is replaced with a perforated one (with holes).
• Modernized scheme. Two containers are installed: in the first, mechanical wastewater treatment occurs (sediment is formed), in the second, filtration is carried out. This type of storage does a better job of cleaning; the quality of cleaning can be improved by adding a third container and using biological products (anaerobic bacteria).

Choosing a location for structures with and without a filter

Two criteria are taken into consideration when choosing a location: ease of maintenance and adherence to sanitary standards outlined in SNiP. Nonetheless, there are enough differences between designs with and without a filter for them to be considered during construction and operation.

The best applications for cesspools made of bottomless rings are seasonal homes with runoff of less than one cubic meter per day. The following criteria are taken into consideration when choosing the location of the filter container:

• The nearest building with a foundation must be 5 meters or more. This precaution will protect you from being washed away.
• The location of the pit relative to the well (or other source of drinking water) is influenced by the type of soil. If the site has clay soil, the distance is reduced to 20-30 m. On loamy soils it increases to 30-50 m, on sandy soils – at least up to 50 m.

The structure’s lack of environmental friendliness is its primary drawback. When sanitary regulations are broken, nearby water sources may lose their drinkability. Should it be demonstrated that the developer was at fault—for instance, failing to maintain a 1-meter buffer between the groundwater level and the bottom—the case will result in a fine, and in certain cases, even more severe liability.

When a particular smell appears in a pit without a bottom, a lot of people refuse to accept it. Bacterial agents can be used in certain situations to expedite decomposition and eliminate odors from the surrounding area.

It is best practice to provide a bottom for holes in places where people live permanently. When laying a sealed storage tank, the following guidelines are considered:

• The depth of the concrete shaft should not exceed 3 m. This is due to the design features of the vacuum cleaner machine. You also need to think about vehicle access routes.
• The minimum distance to a residential building is 5 m, to the fence – 2 m.
• Since the sealed pit may be located closer to the dwelling, a ventilation pipe will be needed. The pipe parameters depend on the size of the tank, but the diameter cannot be less than 10 cm.

Determination of volume

There are two indicators used to calculate the volume:

• Number of people permanently living in the house.
• Daily water consumption per person. If the house has all the benefits of civilization: toilet, shower, washing machine, then consumption is 150-200 liters or, in round numbers, 0.2 m³.

Let’s say that a three-family home needs a sealed pit installed next to it. This is how the calculation appears:

• During the day, the following will flow into the container: from 3×150 to 3×200 liters, that is, 450-600 liters of wastewater.
• According to sanitary standards, the minimum volume is tripled: it turns out 1.35-1.8 cubic meters. You must understand that this volume is calculated for that part of the well that is located below the entrance of the sewer pipe.

There are situations when it makes sense to figure out the tank’s capacity based on how frequently the sewer truck arrives. The tank should hold 150x3x7 = 3.15 or 200x3x7 = 4.2 cubic meters if pumping is done once a week. Should maintenance be carried out biweekly, the necessary volume rises to 6.3–8.4 cubic meters.

Sewage disposal machines have tanks that hold between 3.5 and 4 cubic meters on average, though they can occasionally hold up to 6 cubic meters. A large pit that is full to overflowing cannot be drained by such a tanker. It is therefore helpful to find out what kind of transportation the company maintaining the site uses. You can dig a pit with the maximum volume if the fleet possesses tanks that have a capacity of 6–8 cubic meters.

How to choose concrete rings

From a construction and operational standpoint, the round shape of the storage tank is the best choice because it evenly distributes the load throughout the well. Since the rings form the pit’s volume, the sizes of the rings are used to calculate the volume.

A cesspool ring’s standard dimensions are one meter in diameter and 0.89 meters in height. The assortment of nearly all reinforced concrete plants includes this product. But, as delivery will be necessary, it makes sense to get in touch with a nearby business to find out which models of reinforced concrete products are available.

For the above example, three standard rings will suffice to get the necessary size for the cesspool. Concrete ring cesspools are becoming a standard solution, so many factories are now producing kits specifically for this purpose.

Typically, the kit contains:

• Rings KS10-9 (diameter meter): 2-3 pieces.
• Well cover slab PP10-1: diameter 1.2 m, hatch hole size 0.7 m.
• Plastic hatch.

Buying ring components with a locking connection (groove-ridge) is better because the well will withstand soil pressure better and be more resilient. Optional kit variations include the following:

• If the bottom is not filtration, but sealed, purchase a bottom, its diameter cannot be less than the outer diameter of the ring.
• Instead of a lower through ring, you can purchase a ring with a bottom.
• For a filtration well, the lower ring must be perforated.

The guidelines for filling the container will be as follows, taking into account the typical size of concrete rings for a cesspool:

• Useful volume: 1500-1900 l.
• Pit diameter: minimum 1.5 m, depth – 2.9-3 m.
• Volume of extracted soil: up to 5.1-5.2 cubic meters.

What to consider: preparation of materials

The following supplies are ready at the same time as the drainage pit’s rings are chosen and purchased:

• If construction is carried out without the use of equipment, shovels and a lifting device for excavating soil (manual or electric winch) will be required.
• Crushed stone, gravel, sand. Materials needed to make a bottom filter or leveling screed. In the latter case, you will need cement to fill the screed.
• Metal brackets for mounting rings.
• For sealing joints: bitumen mastic, waterproof sealant (for example, cement-based), silicone or other materials.

The following things should also be taken into account:

• To deliver large reinforced concrete products, you cannot do without renting a freight transport.
• If you do not have a winch, order a car with a manipulator – a standard ring weighs 600 kg, and it is very difficult to move it manually.
• The construction of a cesspool requires the efforts of two or three people. You can arrange for installers with experience in installing reinforced concrete structures in a specialized company (often one that sells rings for wells).

Construction technology

The first phase of construction involves excavation work, which can be done manually or with the use of specialized machinery like an excavator. The latter choice will result in higher construction costs, but it will make sense if finishing the job on schedule is crucial.

The end product ought to be a pit that is 30–50 cm in diameter larger than necessary. Filling a gravel bed is required if a cesspool is made of concrete rings without a bottom (sand and crushed stone work well for this). This comes before the pit’s bottom is leveled. The material is carefully compacted until the pillow, which will function as a filter, reaches a thickness of 40–60 cm.

When building a sealed pit, there are two methods to form a solid foundation at the bottom:

• Laying the finished reinforced concrete product using a crane. The option is faster, but requires care, since the bottom must lie horizontally on a leveling gravel pad 20 cm thick.
• Lay the reinforcing frame and pour the concrete solution.

If the concrete components have connecting grooves, installing the structure is the easiest aspect of construction. Because they offer a tight but not hermetically sealed connection, different materials are stuffed into the joints on the inside and outside.

When the well’s lid is lowered, the cesspool installation is deemed finished. Using a hammer drill, a hole is made in the upper ring for the sewer pipe. The plastic pipe must be laid at an angle after a trench has been dug. Sand-cement mortar is used to seal the pipe entrance.

There are two ways to arrange ventilation for a concrete ring cesspool: forced ventilation and natural ventilation. Initially, a hatch hole is placed in the floor slab; however, it may not always be available for a ventilation pipe. In the second scenario, the pipe is cut in a separate manner. A round plastic pipe is the best option for ventilation; the higher it is, the better the air circulation and the owners won’t be bothered by the particular smell.

If you follow the right procedures and take the required safety precautions, installing a cesspool composed of reinforced concrete rings can be a simple process. Selecting the ideal spot is crucial; make sure it’s sufficiently remote from your house and any water sources to avoid contamination. An effective installation requires careful site preparation and planning.

Digging the pit to the proper depth and width during installation is essential to ensure the concrete rings are firmly in place. After the rings are in place, properly sealing the joints will stop leaks and guarantee that the cesspool operates effectively. Sand or gravel can be added as a suitable base layer to improve drainage and support the structure.

The stability of the cesspool can be preserved by carefully compacting and backfilling the area with soil after the concrete rings are installed. Frequent upkeep will ensure that the cesspool lasts longer and continues to function, such as inspecting it for cracks and making sure it is not overfilled. You can build a dependable and long-lasting cesspool system for your home by following these instructions.

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