How Far To Separate Well/Bore Hole From Spetic Hole?

[kolohe]

Looking for information on the best and/or minimum distances you'd want to place a bore hole from where your toilet is at. The toilet drains into a big hole, like a spetic tank, but its not contained.

Thanks,

K

[gennisis]

then in that case, site your borehole as far away,and preferably uphill from the septic pit.

I have found that Thai soil,certainly where I live, drains very quickly..sandy content I guess,in which case the water will drain fairly vertically.

Again the volume of liquid draining from the septic will determine the area in which it drains....the greater the vlolume the larger the drainage area.

[kolohe]

Thanks for the reply. Could you please quantify that distance?

Thanks,

K

[paulchiangmai]

Not less than five miles by the sound of it.

[xen]

Sounds like the whole area could be contaminated by the toilet especially if it seeps into the water table as the contamination will spread horizontally as well as vertically (underground ). Are your neighbour's toilets also draining into a big hole . There are many nasty diseases that can come from human crap and so your bore hole water may not even be safe for even uses like garden or vegetable irrigation.

[IsaanAussie]

Thais dig containment pits for the sewage, usually concrete rings stacked vertically with an open bottom. When the hole becomes full of sediments they have it pumped out.

As far as seperation is concerned 30 meters is the recommended safe distance. One improvement you can make is to use EM in the sewage hole. This will limit the smell and if you get the right stuff it will help to decompose the sewage as well.

If you are more serious then build a simple septic tank from concrete rings with a concrete base a dividing wall inside and then install a soak away drain. I have posted pictures here before of such a tank, easy to build.

[TPI]

As others have stated 30 metres is optimum but, if you're using the water as drinking water you might find it easier to buy in town water by the tanker load to start and install spouting and downpipe into a large (2000lt) tank and so catch the rainwater from the wet season??

[TPI]

I think you have to work out how much water your family uses in a year and buy and fill tanks to supply that amount. It'll surprise you how little water you use for drinking and dish washing etc.

[IsaanAussie]

I think you have to work out how much water your family uses in a year and buy and fill tanks to supply that amount. It'll surprise you how little water you use for drinking and dish washing etc.

TPI,

I would be very interested in your numbers as I am of the opposite opinion that I am amazed by how much we use. I use a gravity feed water system in my pig farm (I know it is not the same application, but bear with me) To wash the floor with a bare minimum of water uses almost 1,000 litres of water. Each pig consumes 20 litres a day. Most people grossly underestimate their water consumption. A flush toilet uses 6 litres minimum, washing the dishes will use over 10, probably 20 if things are rinsed.

Back to the topic, 30 metres is the figure set to guarantee that the soils filter the water adequately. I draw drinking water at 30 metres from the nearest exit to the septic tank soak system and do not have any issues.

[kolohe]

Thanks IssanAussie, that is just the information I am looking for.