Soakage Pit.

[chiangrai]

The drain pipe for the shower,kitchen sink and washing machine goes

out behind the kitchen a couple of feet then goes straight onto the ground

(earth).

The water from the kitchen sink has food in it and I want to do something about it.The Thai's expect me to just extend the pipe further from the house

and let it go onto the ground there.

Is there a more evolved solution,like a soakage pit.Like diging a hole and putting stones in it then covering it over with earth again.

Would that work.

How big and how deep should the hole be,there is only 2 people living in the house.

What size of stones can I buy.The local hardware store delivers chippings

are they too small.

[TheCruncher]

Install a degreaser under your sink, or anywhere along the drain, before it reaches the ground.

[eyecatcher]

You need a concrete silt /grease trap type box.

That way any solids are collected in the box so you can scoop them out afterward.

It also ensures your pipes remain relatively clean and of course you are not contaminating the neighbours land.

[ThaiKneeTim]

If there is food debris you'll need to build an interceptor pit, then go for a herring bone arrangement of large pipes laid on stone chippings in a trench. Use a 20mm holesaw to make the holes in the pipe, anything too small will undoubtedly block up.

A total length of 20 metres should be plenty for current use and spare capacity for extended use.

Alternatively you could use the concrete rings the Thais use for their shit pits, but fill the bottom with stone chippings leaving plenty of space to hold at least a bath full of water. If the rings are placed in a hole and the outside back filled with stone chippings it will give you additional soakaway capacity.

Always give yourself some spare capacity in case the ground becomes waterlogged, or the system is overwhelmed by over use e.g. Washing machine empties at the same time someone decides to take a shower.

[chiangrai]

The concrete ring sounds like the easiest way.

I was thinking of using one ring.Half filling it up with stones and

half with chippings then putting the earth back on top.

How does that sound.

[eyecatcher]

Sounds ok until you said put earth on top.

Put the concrete lid on top otherwise your soil will simply finds its way to the bottom and block the whole soakaway.

[chiangrai]

O.K

So buy a concrete lid as well and put the earth on top of that.

How far down into the ring should the pipe go.

[kannot]

Heres what I did, 4 concrete rings in two tanks, first tank for "crap" 100% sealed overflows into second pit which drains into the local soil, note the huge amount of stones surrounding my sewage system, they arent there by accident, did it all myself inc pipework....just cant trust the Thais to not foook it up.

Sealed with bitumen paint 2 coats in the first tank with rings cemented together, second tank has "gaps" betwen each ring.

A lot will depend on your soil type, mines almost all rock sand so no drainage issues and no problems since built............as expected

Total cost probably 2000 baht inc pipes rings etc also hired Makro to dig the hole 600 baht hour........no way to dig by hand unless you are mental with my soil.

First tank for crap bedded down on concrete second one for grey water sits on the soil itself.

Edited February 21, 2016 by kannot