CONSTRUCTING A SOAK PIT

A Soak pit is a deep pit where sewage and waste water gets collected and eventually percolates into the soil. Localities which do not have a network of drainage systems can adopt this for disposing off waste. The soak pit is located most preferably within one’s own compound (as close as one can get, to the compound wall) and at the most just outside the house. Be sure to not locate it where there is heavy traffic of people or vehicles.

What you will need

1. A person to dig a very deep ditch. Cost would be around 500 rupees a ring depth(usually soak pit depths are measured in terms of ‘rings’)

2. Around 10 concrete rings of 6’ diameter and 1’ width ( number of rings depends on the depth)

3. A pre-cast (made in advance) or a cast-in-situ (cast on site) slab for the cover

4. Sewage connection

Method

1. Dig a deep ditch (around 10’ deep and 7’ diameter, for a house hold of 4-6 members)

2. Lower the rings slowly into the ditch until they are one on top of the other

3. Pack the remaining 1’ outside the rings with loose gravel and debris

4. Place a cover over the opening

5. Be sure to provide a small 1’6” x 1’6” lid in the cover so as to facilitate cleaning (Conventional cleaning involves a person introducing a long stick into the opening and clearing the blocks, else a tanker comes and introduces a pipe into the opening and then sucks out the waste water that is to be dumped elsewhere)