Which septic tank should I choose for households without access to the general sewage network? Property owners are faced with a choice: concrete septic tank, plastic septic tank or sealed ecological septic tank. We suggest which option to choose.

Which septic tank to choose - but what exactly is it?

A septic tank is a drainless tank designed to collect liquid waste, or sewage. Faecal matter must be discharged from every residential building. However, sometimes not every household is connected to the sewage network. In such cases, a domestic sewage treatment plant can be used. Alternatively, a septic tank can be used, which is considered to be a simpler and cheaper solution.

When deciding which septic tank to choose for your property, it is most beneficial to take the appropriate thoughts and actions while still in the home design and plot plan stage. This involves determining where the septic tank will be located. A very important aspect when selecting and purchasing a septic tank is its perfect leak-tightness, which is always confirmed by a certificate. At the stage of designing your house and developing your property, you should also know that the construction of a septic tank with a capacity of up to 10 m³ does not require a building permit. All that is required is to report the fact of construction to the relevant authority, which is usually the district office.

Septic tank types - which septic tank should you choose for your property?

Several types of septic tanks are available on the market:

• concrete,
• made of plastics,
• ecological.

Concrete septic tanks are a solution that has been on the market for many years. In the past, it was most often constructed from concrete circles. Today, concrete septic tanks are available for sale as prefabricated units. It should not be a problem which septic tank to choose, for example for single, double, triple or multi-chamber concrete septic tanks. They are heavy enough that there is no problem in anchoring them. It is only when they are removed that there can be a complication. This happens when a sewerage system is brought to our plot.

Plastic septic tanks are lightweight and easy to install. However, they are not an ideal measure - they can be troublesome if groundwater pushes them to the surface when the containers are empty. This solution can be particularly problematic, especially in areas with high groundwater tables. Remember that both concrete and plastic septic tanks need to be emptied regularly.

A very good and gaining popularity solution are ecological septic tanks, which are actually in the form of small sewage treatment plants on the property. Ecological septic tanks have for pre-treatment of wastewater (a.k.a. pre-settling tank). They also have perforated pipes that discharge the wastewater in the ground of the plot. As a result, an ecological septic tank does not need to be emptied as often as a concrete or plastic septic tank.

In order to use an ecological septic tank on your property and connect it to your domestic sewage system, professional products such as septic tanks (septic tank 2000l or oseptic tank 3000l), sewage pipes or various external drainage fittings (kolano, reduction).

What else is worth knowing about septic tanks?

When planning a septic tank on your property, you should consider the type of soil of the house or plot. A septic tank should not be built in areas subject to environmental protection, in areas prone to flooding and flooding (especially in depressions of the land). The septic tank shall be installed in an area accessible by transport. This is where the vehicle that empties the septic tank can reach it without hindrance. In the event of problems, a tried and tested solution is to use an emptying pipe that has a special connector at its end, installed in the property fence.

Modern septic tank containers are airtight, however, certain distances must nevertheless be maintained. The septic tank should be at least 15 m away from the deep well. The distance from the street or neighbour's plot should be at least 2 m. The exception to this is a mutual agreement with the neighbour so that the tanks from both plots are directly at the border. The septic tank must also be at least 5 m away from the windows and doors of the living quarters.

Which septic tank to choose should not be a problem for those who have serious problems with the lack of accessibility to the general sewage network. An ecological septic tank is not only environmentally friendly, but also modern and convenient.

You can read about all the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of septic tanks in a separate article.