<!{|style="float: left;"|{{Language-- table at top of page with logo, picture, Application level, Management level, and input-output tables -->box|english_link=Soak_Pit|french_link=Puisard|spanish_link=Pozo_de_Absorción|hindi_link=coming soon|malayalam_link=coming soon|tamil_link=coming soon | korean_link=coming soon | chinese_link=Coming soon | indonesian_link=Coming soon | japanese_link=Coming soon}}|}{|width="100%"|style="width:50%;"|{{santablesantable_new|
sys1=[[Single Pit System|1]]|
sys2=[[Waterless System with Alternating Pits|2]]|
sys3=[[Pour Flush Pit System with Twin Pitswithout Sludge Production|3]]|
sys4=[[Waterless System with Urine Diversion|4]]|
sys5=[[Blackwater Treatment Biogas System with Infiltration|5]]|
sys6=|
sys7=|
sys8=|
sys9=|
pic=Soak-pit.png|
ApplHousehold=XX|
ManShared=XX|
ManPublic=|
Input1=Effluent |Input2=Greywater |Input3=Urine | Input4= Anal Cleansing Water|Input5=Stored Urine|Output1=- Stored Urine |Output2= Anal Cleansing Water | Output3= | Output4= | Output5=
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|[[Image:Soak-pit.png |right|500px]]
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[[Image:Icon_soak_pit.png |right|95px80px]]'''A Soak Pit, also known as a soakaway or leach pit, is a covered, porous-walled chamber that allows water to slowly soak into the ground. Pre-settled effluent from a Collection and Storage/Treatment or (Semi-) Centralized Treatment technology is discharged to the underground chamber from where it infiltrates into the surrounding soil.'''
The Soak Pit can be left empty and lined with '''A soak pit, also known as a soakaway or leach pit, is a covered, porous material (-walled chamber that allows water to provide support and prevent collapse), or left unlined and filled with coarse rocks and gravelslowly soak into the ground. The rocks and gravel will prevent the walls Pre-settled effluent from collapsing, but will still provide adequate space for the wastewater. In both cases, a layer of sand Collection and fine gravel should be spread across the bottom Storage/Treatment or (Semi-) Centralized Treatment technology is discharged to help disperse the flow. The soak pit should be between 1.5 and 4m deep, but never less than 1.5m above underground chamber from which it infiltrates into the ground water tablesurrounding soil.'''
<br>As wastewater (pre-treated greywater or blackwaterafter primary treatment) percolates through the soil from the Soak Pitsoak pit, small particles are filtered out by the soil matrix and organics are digested by micro-organismsmicroorganisms. Thus, Soak Pits soak pits are best suited to soils for soil with good absorptive properties; clay, hard packed or rocky soils are soil is not appropriate.
===Design Considerations===
The soak pit should be between 1.5 and 4 m deep, but as a rule of thumb, never less than 2 m above the groundwater table. It should be located at a safe distance from a drinking water source (ideally more than 30 m). The soak pit should be kept
away from high-traffic areas so that the soil above and around it is not compacted. It can be left empty and lined with a porous material to provide support and prevent collapse, or left unlined and filled with coarse rocks and gravel. The rocks and gravel will prevent the walls from collapsing, but will still provide adequate space for the wastewater. In both cases, a layer of sand and fine gravel should be spread across the bottom to help disperse the flow. To allow for future access, a removable (preferably concrete) lid should be used to seal the pit until it needs to be maintained.
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{{procontable | pro=
- Can be built and repaired with locally available materials. <br> - Technique simple to apply for all users <br>- Small land area required. <br> - Low capital cost; low and operating cost. <br> - Can be built and maintained with locally available materials. <br> - Simple technique for all users. costs | con=- Pretreatment Primary treatment is required to prevent clogging, although eventual clogging is inevitable. <br> - May negatively affect soil and groundwater properties.
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<br>==Adequacy=Appropriateness=== A soak pit does not provide adequate treatment for raw wastewater and the pit will quickly clog. It should be used for discharging pre-settled blackwater or greywater. Soak pits are appropriate for rural and peri-urban settlements. They depend on soil with a sufficient absorptive capacity. They are not appropriate for areas prone to flooding or that have high groundwater tables.
A Soak Pit does ===Health Aspects/Acceptance=== As long as the soak pit is not provide adequate treatment used for raw wastewater sewage, and as long as the pit will clog quicklyprevious Collection and Storage/Treatment technology is functioning well, health concerns are minimal. A Soak Pit The technology is located underground and, thus, humans andanimals should be used for discharging presettled blackwater or greywaterhave no contact with the effluent. Soak pits are appropriate for rural Since the soak pit is odourless and peri-urban settlements. They depend on soil with a sufficient absorptive capacity. They are not appropriate for areas that are prone to flooding or have high groundwater tablesvisible, it should be accepted by even the most sensitive communities.
==Health Aspects/Acceptance=Operation & Maintenance===A well-sized soak pit should last between 3 and 5 years without maintenance. To extend the life of a soak pit, care should be taken to ensure that the effluent has been clarified and/ or filtered to prevent the excessive build-up of solids. Particles and biomass will eventually clog the pit and it will need to be cleaned or moved. When the performance of the soak pit deteriorates, the material inside the soak pit can be excavated and refilled.
As long as the Soak Pit is not used for raw sewage, and as long as the previous Collection and Storage===Field experiences===The following project(s) utilize soak pits.<br>{|style="border: 2px solid #e0e0e0; width: 20%; text-align: justify; background-color: #e9f5fd;" cellpadding="2"<!--rsr logo here-->|- style="vertical-align: top"|[[Image:akvorsr logo_lite.png|center|60px|link=http://akvo.org/products/rsr/]]<!--project blocks here-->|- style="vertical-align: bottom"|[[Image:project 644.jpg |thumb|center|140px|<font size="2"><center>[http://Treatment technology is functioning well, health concerns are minimalrsr. The technology is located underground and thus, humans and animals should have no contact with the effluentakvo. It is important however, that the Soak Pit is located a safe distance from a drinking water source (ideally 30m)org/project/644/ RSR Project 644]<br>Rwenzori Integrated School WASH Project</center></font>|link=http://rsr. Since the Soak Pit is odourless and not visible, it should be accepted by even the most sensitive communitiesakvo.org/project/644/ ]] |}
==Maintenance==<br>
A well-sized Soak Pit should last between 3 and 5 years without maintenance===References===* Ahrens, B. (2005). To extend the life of a Soak Pit, care should be taken to ensure that the effluent has been clarified and[https://or filtered well to prevent excessive build up of solidswww.mtu. The Soak Pit should be kept away from highedu/peacecorps/programs/civil/pdfs/brooke-ahrens-thesis-traffic areas so that the soil above and around it is not compactedfinal. When the performance pdf A Comparison of the Wash Area and Soak Pit deterioratesConstruction: The Changing Nature of Urban, Rural, the material inside the soak pit can be excavated and refilledPeri-Urban Linkages in Sikasso, Mali]. To allow for future accessPeace Corps, a removable US. (preferably concreteDetailed construction instructions) lid should be used to seal the pit until it needs to be maintained.
Particles and biomass will eventually clog the pit and it will need to be cleaned or moved* Mara, D.D. (1996). Low-Cost Urban Sanitation. Wiley, Chichester, UK. pp. 63-65. (Book; Dimensioning calculations)
* Oxfam (2008). [https://policy-practice.oxfam.org/resources/septic-tank-guidelines-126711/ Septic Tank Guidelines]. Technical Brief. Oxfam GB, Oxford, UK. p. 4.
* Polprasert, C. and Rajput, V. S. (1982). [https://www.susana.org/en/knowledge-hub/resources-and-publications/library/details/2995 Environmental Sanitation Reviews. Septic Tank and Septic Systems]. Environmental Sanitation Information Center, AIT, Bangkok, TH. pp. 31-58. ===Acknowledgements===
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==References and external links==
* Ahrens, B. (2005). A Comparison of Wash Area and Soak Pit Construction: The Changing Nature of Urban, Rural, and Peri-Urban Linkages in Sikasso, Mali. Peace Corp, USA. Available: http://www.cee.mtu.edu/peacecorps/reports/Brooke_Ahrens_Final_Report.pdf (Detailed construction instructions)
* Mara, DD. (1996). Low-Cost Urban Sanitation. Wiley, Chichester, UK. pp 63–65. (Dimensioning calculations)
* Polprasert, C. and Rajput, VS. (1982). Environmental Sanitation Reviews: Septic Tank and Septic Systems. Environmental Sanitation Information Center, AIT, Bangkok, Thailand. pp 31–58.
