| If you live in an area where there is no sewerage then | | | | brick lower so that water can flow from the primary |
| you will need an alternate method of disposing of your | | | | to the secondary. That is all there is to the tank. |
| toilet waste. Maybe you have a fishing or hunting cabin | | | | Pre-cast some concrete lids and slide them on top to |
| with no adequate toilet facility. There is nothing wrong | | | | seal it all. You will need to get into the tank once every |
| with the old long drop system except it can get a bit | | | | year or so to do a clean out. |
| smelly sometimes. The best way to go is with a septic | | | | The most important part is now the stone drain. Dig a |
| tank system which will be so efficient you will believe | | | | drain from the outlet pipe side for at least twenty |
| you are hooked up to the sewerage. | | | | meters. This drain needs to be two feet square and |
| You can quite easily build a septic tank system your | | | | level for the whole length. Fill the drain with stones or |
| self and it will work perfectly for years and years. You | | | | rock right to the top and cover with Hessian bags for |
| are going to need a bit of digging work so it may pay | | | | covering with soil again. For a permanent adsorption pit |
| to get in a digger to do all the main hole digging for you. | | | | brick up the sides leaving gaps between the bricks and |
| It doesn't matter how far away from the house you | | | | cover with pre-cast concrete lids. This will allow you to |
| are because a good septic tank system done properly | | | | get in later if you need to do any cleaning out work |
| will not have any odors. The ground should be | | | | although it is not really necessary. The stones will do |
| reasonably level and not be too heavy like solid clay | | | | the job nicely as long as it is level. |
| because we need absorbing of our waste water into | | | | The idea is for the waste from your toilet to drop into |
| the soil. If the ground is not level make sure you design | | | | the primary tank. This will displace some water which |
| across the slope so all your trenches are level. | | | | will flow over into the secondary tank. This in turn will |
| Dig a hole first for the tank about 10' long by 4' wide | | | | displace some water in the secondary tank which will |
| and about 5' deep. Dimensions aren't critical as long as | | | | flow out the outlet pipe into the stone drain. As it flows |
| it is big enough to do the job. If you have a need for a | | | | along the level bottom of the stone drain the water is |
| tank to suit several families then make it bigger to suit. | | | | absorbed through the bottom and sides of the drain |
| Better to be too big rather than too small because | | | | into the surrounding soil. |
| then you get overuse and blockages and bad smells. | | | | By the time the water in the primary tank has passed |
| Concrete a floor in the hole and brick up the sides to | | | | through into the secondary tank most of the solids |
| just below ground level. Incorporate an inlet pipe close | | | | have broken down by bacteria in the tank. As it settles |
| to the top on the house end with 4" sewer pipe. | | | | in the secondary tank and eventually reaches the |
| An outlet hole directly opposite with the same 4" | | | | absorption drain it is almost pure water and is easily |
| sewer pipe. Divide the tank into two, two thirds and | | | | absorbed into the ground. If you have built this system |
| one third and brick up a dividing wall across the tank | | | | correctly it will happily treat your toilet waste for years |
| so that the two thirds bit is nearest the house or inlet. | | | | to come with only an occasional tank clean out. It is |
| This will become the primary tank and the one third | | | | recommended that this be an annual task. |
| size is the secondary tank. Leave the dividing wall a | | | | |