How to Dig a Seepage Pit for a Septic Tank
Sewage system might be complex for you to install but few pointers can assist you to perform some of the installation tasks by yourself and avoid those bucks you have to pay to a professional plumber. The area where the fluid from the septic sewage system is dumped to earth is known to be the seepage pit. It isn’t a difficult task at all to dig a seepage pit yourself and it won’t take too much time as well. This pit has a simplistic design and you can easily follow the instructions to do the job right.
Things Required:
– backhoe
– shovel
Instructions
-
1
Before you start the digging process, you must determine the type of your septic tank. There are two types of septic tanks available in the market. The first type requires you to dig a pit around the type, whilst the other type needs a totally separate pit.
-
2
Determine the size of your septic tank, as it will be necessary for marking the boundaries of the pit you have to dig.
-
3
You might also need a special permit from your local city offices before you can dig the ground for your seepage pit. Know out any specific requirements you need to fulfil before performing this task. Some building codes require you to set up a drain field as well. Check out for any such requirement you need before obtaining the permit for digging your ground.
-
4
Visit the Call 811 website for further information and ask them to mark the ground on your property. They shall mark the outlet sewer on your septic tank and you should be aware how deep the sewer is from the city.
-
5
Now comes the part to determine the spot for digging the pit. It is not necessary that you dig right around your septic tank and you can choose any other suitable spot within your premises. Make sure you choose an area away from power, gas, cable or water lines.
-
6
You should also be aware of the water table beneath the ground, so that water does not seep into your pit after you have dug it or the sewage water does not pollute ground water.
-
7
A backhoe will be very efficient for digging the soil out of the pit. Use a shovel to remove any lose soil in the pit and keep digging until you have reached the required size and depth of the pit.
-
8
Place the cement seepage pit in the dug hole and connect the outlet sewer pipe to it. Pour gravel around the pit and then place the top using a crane.
