Comments on: how do I build a cesspit ?/?

By: Nathaly Ellis

Nathaly Ellis — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:44:31 +0000

Michael H is absolutely right. There are a lot of regulations regarding septic tanks and cess pools. The water authority will need to be informed, as will the local authority and permission will need to be obtained. I would imagine there would be very substantial fines for anyone not doing this as polluting water courses etc can cause huge environmental damage really quickly. As for emptying, Yellow Pages will have contacts, would need doing about twice a year depending on usage levels.

By: Skye Hemmings

Skye Hemmings — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:22:08 +0000

Of course the land is important! How close to river or water ways are you? How close to drinking wells on your own property are you? Surely, you don’t want to pollute any one Else’s water!!
Or your own water!!!
I dug a pit at a cabin, we piped it away from the cabin 100feet, and a 5% grade down all the way, then we put in a small concrete tank with holes, about 1000 gallons big, around the outside edges we put 3 feet in every direction of crushed stone.
We covered and back filled in the whole mess.
Because it is hard to pump because of where we live.
All paper is recycle paper no dyes, no perfumes!.
NO BLEACH or strong chemicals are used in the house.
We use vinegar, and ammonia etc.
My wash is drained into a rain barrel to then send the Grey water to the garden.
I also use a bacteria product called RID-EX, it is live bacteria that you flush into the septic system to keep it healthy.

Well I am no expert in construction terms, or scientific terms, but, knock on wood we have been O.K for 5 years by being careful
It some times takes us that long to decide to start the search for some Crazy Person to drive a Septic Truck out to where we live!!! And we have lived here 32 years total

By: Mattie Bennington

Mattie Bennington — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:27:35 +0000

find some professional

By: Jarrett Cummins

Jarrett Cummins — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:45:39 +0000

to build a septica fosse, a cesspit or in english a septic tank you will need to have a square hole 6×6 ft and 6ft deep if its single chambered to leave the floor of the tank earth and build a wall like a little house inside the hole leave a 1 inch gap between each brick to you reach the height of you ground level we use concrete girders to cover the tank.
hope this helps

By: Keegan Bristow

Keegan Bristow — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:58:15 +0000

Oh dear, are you in the UK ?

If so, you’ll need planning permission to build it and permission from your local water authority and the environment agency.

If there is any possibility of getting to mains drainage they will insist on it, then they will choose an active accelerated biodisc type thing, then a septic tank, then a reed bed, then a cesstank.

Not being able to afford one is not an excuse as far as the EA are concerned, they don’t worry about insisting you spend up to £30K on a system, so that includes all the bio-discs etc.

So, once you’ve proved to them that all the other are not feasable, you will have completes ground surveys, perculation tests, mains flow drops etc and you will have designed a system ( so therefore won’t need to ask the question here ). Also , you cannot design a system yourself, the council insist you are insured for designing foul disposal, so it’ll need to be a current chartered surveyor.

If you are going to do it yourself, and risk a £50K fine, then you’ll need to do perculation tests to make sure where the water table is, then you need to buy a sealed plastic cesstank, you are not allowed to make them out of brick or metal anymore.

So, if they give you permission, it will have to be a bought plastic thing with certified calculations to prove to the council its the right size. You will also need to arrange for it to be empied on a very rugular basis by a registered carrier as a sealed cesspit is not like a septic tank.

There are standard water usage tables for mobile homes. A chartered surveyor will have those for you.

By: Adrian Hubbard

Adrian Hubbard — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:30:10 +0000

All in all a Klargester would be best but if you really are set against it you will need a brick lined pit with inlet and outlet dip pipes, a reinforced concrete top with inspection cover and adequate sub-surface drainage that will depend on soil conditions. You should get building control approval for this and they will let you know the regulations governing size and construction.

By: Johan Shepherd

Johan Shepherd — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:12:41 +0000

the size of the cesspit would depend on use and frequency of use. if its going to be a summer cabin type thing, then a pit 5′ wide x 5′ long x 5′ deep should be big enough. if you are going to live there year-round, then you will want a digger pit (8 x 10 x 10). The lie of the land plays a small role. as long as the pit is the lowest point in the plumbing system and is above the drain field, you will be okay. best material is poured concrete with iron pipe.

By: Bianca Woodbridge

Bianca Woodbridge — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:35:59 +0000

Take a glorious nation with an empire upon which the sun never set. Add a load of crap politicians, bulk up with immigrants and scroungers and there we have it. The UK.

Apart from that I am useless sorry.

By: Samara Turner

Samara Turner — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:47:04 +0000

You but soem form of water tight tank, fill it with a little water, and throw in something dead that will rot. I used a dead rat. The rest does it’s self as the bacteria builds up. You must howeevr have access to empty it somehow. A chamber lis or something. The bacteria will break down the solids, but you must pay for it emptid every time it’s full.

By: Mauricio Hardcastle

Mauricio Hardcastle — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 10:01:34 +0000

dig a very very very big and deep hole