Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Old Cess Pit
Because the grass wouldn't grow very well in a part of my back lawn (and area which looked like a rather ugly 'hump'), I decided to excavate. Having found concrete about 10cm under the turf I eventually found a concealed manhole cover.
On investigation I seem to have found a disused cesspit made of concrete, with iron supports inside, measuring about 5 metres long, 3 metres wide and 3+ metres deep. It seems to be totally empty albeit there is 30cm or so of water at the bottom. I do know that my house was connected to mains sewage about 15 years ago, and I had assumed the cess tank would have been filled in or removed. I can not see any outlets, which has led me to conclude this is not a septic tank. There is one inlet pipe which is not connected to anything as far as I can tell, I suspect the water seeps in through this pipe from the garden above. Does anyone have any advice as to what to do with this, and who can do it without spending £000s? It looks horribly dangerous as well as being an eyesore over which grass will not grow properly. The options seem to be: 1. Fill it in, which would take many, many tons of rubble, and would not solve the eyesore/grass problem; 2. Remove it, which would probably be very expensive and would still leave an enormous hole needing to be filled in anyway; 3. Knock it in on itself and then bring it up to ground level with more rubble as needed, then cover the final 30cm or so in ballast/topsoil. Trouble is, that looks incredibly dangerous and difficult to achieve. Thanks in advance for any advice |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Old Cess Pit
"Graham99" wrote in message ... Because the grass wouldn't grow very well in a part of my back lawn (and area which looked like a rather ugly 'hump'), I decided to excavate. Having found concrete about 10cm under the turf I eventually found a concealed manhole cover. On investigation I seem to have found a disused cesspit made of concrete, with iron supports inside, measuring about 5 metres long, 3 metres wide and 3+ metres deep. It seems to be totally empty albeit there is 30cm or so of water at the bottom. I do know that my house was connected to mains sewage about 15 years ago, and I had assumed the cess tank would have been filled in or removed. I can not see any outlets, which has led me to conclude this is not a septic tank. There is one inlet pipe which is not connected to anything as far as I can tell, I suspect the water seeps in through this pipe from the garden above. Does anyone have any advice as to what to do with this, and who can do it without spending £000s? It looks horribly dangerous as well as being an eyesore over which grass will not grow properly. The options seem to be: 1. Fill it in, which would take many, many tons of rubble, and would not solve the eyesore/grass problem; 2. Remove it, which would probably be very expensive and would still leave an enormous hole needing to be filled in anyway; 3. Knock it in on itself and then bring it up to ground level with more rubble as needed, then cover the final 30cm or so in ballast/topsoil. Trouble is, that looks incredibly dangerous and difficult to achieve. Thanks in advance for any advice -- Graham99 Make a 'Feature Well' on top of it. Direct the house rainwater into it. Install an electric submersible pump Use the water You will need to allow the water to flow into it for a long time and overflow to wash the remaining water out. And as you see, you will need an overflow. I have one of these just outside the back of the house. As yet done nothing with it because of its awkward position where an extension was built onto the house in the 1970's Mike -- www.rneba.org.uk. The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association. 'THE' Association to find your ex-Greenie mess mates. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Old Cess Pit
Install an electric submersible pump Use the water http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-35463.../dp/B0001K9TDI Mike -- www.rneba.org.uk. The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association. 'THE' Association to find your ex-Greenie mess mates. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Old Cess Pit
On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:16:13 +0100, Graham99
wrote: Thanks in advance for any advice Trying to fill it in or re-use it in some way are both labour-intensive. If you are not prepared for that much work, two suggestions that would be much easier: 1. Build a rockery over it. 2. Get four gravel boards or railway sleepers (depending on the size), and make a raised bed. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Old Cess Pit
|
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Old Cess Pit
"Broadback" wrote in message ... wrote: On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:16:13 +0100, Graham99 wrote: Thanks in advance for any advice Trying to fill it in or re-use it in some way are both labour-intensive. If you are not prepared for that much work, two suggestions that would be much easier: 1. Build a rockery over it. 2. Get four gravel boards or railway sleepers (depending on the size), and make a raised bed. Pity Blaster Bates is no longer with us, he would solve it, in a flash, with a bang! Only when they are full and solid and all the neighbours get a share!! I heard that story when we were at our old house out in the country and could see him doing it there!! Mike -- www.rneba.org.uk. The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association. 'THE' Association to find your ex-Greenie mess mates. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Old Cess Pit
"'Mike'" wrote ... "Graham99" wrote in message Because the grass wouldn't grow very well in a part of my back lawn (and area which looked like a rather ugly 'hump'), I decided to excavate. Having found concrete about 10cm under the turf I eventually found a concealed manhole cover. On investigation I seem to have found a disused cesspit made of concrete, with iron supports inside, measuring about 5 metres long, 3 metres wide and 3+ metres deep. It seems to be totally empty albeit there is 30cm or so of water at the bottom. I do know that my house was connected to mains sewage about 15 years ago, and I had assumed the cess tank would have been filled in or removed. I can not see any outlets, which has led me to conclude this is not a septic tank. There is one inlet pipe which is not connected to anything as far as I can tell, I suspect the water seeps in through this pipe from the garden above. I agree with Mike, use it to store rainwater for the garden by directing your gutter downpipes into it. You will need to get down into it to paint the sides and bottom (if you can empty it) with a waterproof paint but then you will have your own garden water supply. It can be planted over with alpines or similar that don't need a good depth of soil. Alternatively turn it into a swimming pool or garden pond, the depth would be excellent for Koi but without a bottom drain I wouldn't go down either of those routes. Didn't one of the Garden TV shows some years ago do something with a similar structure and turn it into a sunken garden room complete with TV etc? It was a large Air Raid Shelter and they took off the top and made a raised one out of glass with steps leading down. -- Regards Bob Hobden |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Cess Pits are basically water tight tanks that store your waste material, from all sources, until emptied. The tanks can be constructed from many materials including bricks and mortar, plastic and metal. Whilst the waste is in the tank, no treatment takes place and it is forbidden to filter/drain off the liquid. For domestic use, the Cess Pit is a dying breed as the new rules and regulations favour the Fosse Septique. Obviously in situations where there is insufficient land for a Fosse Septique, and its filter system, and no mains drainage, a Cess Pit will probably be the only choice left. Its main drawback is that it needs emptying on a regular basis
|
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Many of these replies seem very gung-ho to me. A 3 metre deep koi carp pond? I don't think so. I'd go for the shallow-rooted plants, e.g. alpines, as the line of least resistance, not to mention the cheapest and least labour-intensive.
|
#11
|
|||
|
|||
Cess Pits are basically water tight tanks that store your waste material, from all sources, until emptied. The tanks can be constructed from many materials including bricks and mortar, plastic and metal. Whilst the waste is in the tank, no treatment takes place and it is forbidden to filter/drain off the liquid. For domestic use, the Cess Pit is a dying breed as the new rules and regulations favour the Fosse Septique. Obviously in situations where there is insufficient land for a Fosse Septique, and its filter system, and no mains drainage, a Cess Pit will probably be the only choice left. Its main drawback is that it needs emptying on a regular basis.
|
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
[IBC] For old, Old, OLD members ;-) | Bonsai | |||
[IBC] For old, Old, OLD members ;-) | Bonsai | |||
Horse manure in a pit question | Edible Gardening | |||
avacado pit | North Carolina | |||
avacado pit | North Carolina |