SEPTIC TANK / SOAKAWAY PIT, NIGERIA’S CHOICE FOR SEWAGE DISPOSAL

Arc. Boyce A. Odoko

Department of Architecture.

National Institute of Construction Technology, Uromi. Edo State.

E-mail: odokoarch@yahoo.com

ABSRACT

Septic tank is a wastewater treatment system through pipes connected to it from homes and commercial buildings. It is mostly used at rural arears where homes have no access to municipal underground sewage treatment system. Each time a water closet (WC) is flushed, faucet of the kitchen sink is turned on, and if you do laundry, take a shower, or take a bath, both the wastewater and solids goes through the plumbing pipes system in the house into the septic tank. Septic tank system has two compartments, the septic tank section has concrete slab on the floor. The other compartment is the soak away pit. The soak away pit is of natural earth at the bottom which allows the wastewater to naturally drain the liquids down into the earth. The septic tank section is responsible for treating the wastewater naturally by separating the solid waste from the liquids. The solids being heavier than the waste liquids, settles down at the bottom of the septic tank concrete slab floor. The wastewater flows through an opening at the top of a wall separating the two compartments into the soak away pit which naturally drains the wastewater into the earth.

Keywords: Septic Tank, Soakaway Pit, Environmental Pollution, Cracked Open, House, Solids, Clog, Water Closet, Sink, Concrete Cover Slab, concrete slab, Drain, compartment.