SEPTIC TANK
Design
and
Construction
SITING OF SEPTIC TANK*
(Minimum Horizontal Distance)
From building or structure: 1.50 meters
Property line adjoining
Private property: 1.50 meters
Water supply Wells: 15.20 meters
Streams: 15.20 meters
Trees: 3.00 meters
Seepage pits or
Cesspools; 1.50 meters
Disposal Fields; 1.50 meters
On site Domestic Water
Service line: 1.50 meters
Pressure Public
Water Main: 3.00 meters
*Table B-1, Revised National
Plumbing Code of the Philippines
Septic Tank: Design and Construction Considerations
Septic Tank . Septic Tank Construction:
A water tight receptacle
which receives the
Septic tanks shall have a minimum of 2 compartments.
discharge of a sanitary
plumbing system or part The Inlet Compartment shall not be less than 2/3 of the total
thereof, designed and capacity of the tank, nor less than 2 cubic meters liquid
capacity.
constructed to retain
solids, digest organic Minimum Length of 1500 mm
matter through a period
of detention and to allow
the liquids to discharge
into the soil outside of
the tank through a
system of open-jointed
sub-surface pipings or a
seepage pit meeting the
requirements of the
National Plumbing Code. Minimum Width of
The Outlet Compartment shall have a 900 mm
minimum capacity of 1 cubic meter and a
maximum capacity of 1/3 of the total
capacity of the septic tank
The vaults and chambers are
vented through the sanitary
tees in the inlet and outlet
having the top ends open and
screened to make the tank Manhole: Minimum of 2 with
mosquito proof Minimum Dimension of 508mm x
508mm placed over the inlet and the
outlet
228.6mm
Minimum Air
Space or
Freeboard
Liquid Depth: 2 cu.m. minimum
600 mm volume
(minimum) to
1800 mm
(maximum)
If the Septic Tank is over 6 cubic meters,
the minimum length of Secondary
The bottom of the tank should slope (1:10) towards the Compartment shall be 1500mm.
center and below the manhole to facilitate cleaning
No septic tank shall be constructed or
Secondary Compartment: Minimum Capacity of 1 cubic
installed within or under a house. meter or Maximum of 1/3 of the Total Capacity of
Sec. 233 of the 1959 Phil. National Plumbing Code Septic Tank
Inlet Pipe and Fitting:
use 104.6mm Ø (minimum) The invert of the Inlet Pipe shall be at
least 50.8mm above the invert of the
Outlet Pipe
Inlet and Outlet Pipe
shall extend at least
101.6mm above the
water surface
304.8mm Minimum
Depth of Inlet and
Outlet Pipe below
the water surface
Outlet Pipe and Fitting:
Siphon Pipe and Fitting: use 104.6mm Ø
Use 104.6mm Ø (minimum) (minimum)
Access to each septic tank shall be provided by at least 2 manholes Septic tank installed under concrete or black
508mm in minimum dimension or by an equivalent removable cover slab. top paving shall have the required manholes
One access manhole shall be located over the inlet and 1 access manhole accessible by extending the manhole
shall be located over the outlet. Whenever a first compartment exceeds openings to grade in a manner acceptable to
3700mm in length, an additional manhole shall be provided over the the Administrative Authority.
baffle wall.
Septic tank shall be structurally designed to withstand all anticipated earth or other
loads. All septic tanks covers shall be capable of supporting an earth load of not
less than 14.4 kPa when the maximum coverage does not exceed 9000mm.
Sizing of the Septic Tank
Septic tank should be properly sized due to the following conditions:
1. A septic tank of smaller capacity is impractical because some leeway must be allowed
for storage of accumulated sludge.
2. A tank of larger size is not advisable because retarded bacterial activity is liable to
result.
Methods of Sizing the Septic Tank
1. The Philippine National Plumbing Code of 1959 (Sec. 233) provides the standard sizes of septic
tanks based on the capacity (the number of persons) served by the tank.
2. The 1999 Revised National Plumbing Code of the Philippines uses the Estimated Waste/Sewage
Flow Rates of the Design Population in sizing the septic tank. (Tables B-2 and B-3).
3. If the number of persons served (design population) is not available, the Fixture Unit Method
may be employed.
4. If the values for the estimated waste flow rate are not available, use the following volume:
- For residential installations, allow 0.14 to 0.17 cubic meter of tank content per person.
- For school, commercial or industrial purposes, allow 0.06 to 0.09 cubic meter of tank content
per person.
Method 2a:
Estimated Waste/Sewage Flow Rates (Table B-2, 1999National Plumbing Code)
Capacity of Septic Tanks*
SINGLE MULTIPLE OTHER MINIMUM SEPTIC TANK CAPACITY IN:
FAMILY DWELLING USES:
DWELLING UNITS or MAX. DFU GALLONS LITERS CUBIC
(NO. OF APARTMENTS SERVED METERS
BEDROOMS)
1 or 2 --- 15 750 2838 2.84
3 --- 20 1000 3785 3.79
4 2 units 25 1200 4582 4.58
5 or 6 3 units 33 1500 5677.5 5.68
--- 4 units 45 2000 7570 7.57
--- 5 units` 55 2250 8516.3 8.52
--- 6 units 60 2500 9462.5 9.46
--- 7 units 70 2750 10,408.8 10.41
--- 8 units 80 3000 11,355 11.36
--- 9 units 90 3250 12,301.3 12.30
--- 10 units 100 3500 13,247.5 13.25
Extra Bedroom: 150 gallons (567.8 liters) each
Extra Dwelling Units over 10: 250 gallons (946.3 liters)
Extra Fixture Units over 100: 25 gallons (94.6 liters) per fixture unit
*Septic Tank sizes in this table include sludge storage capacity and the connection disposal of domestic food waste units
without further volume increase.
Method 2b:
Estimated Waste/Sewage Flow Rates (Table B-3, 1999 National Plumbing Code)
Type of Occupancy Gallons per Day Liters per Day Type of Occupancy Gallons per Day Liters per Day
Airport : per employee 15 + 4 per 56.8 + 18.9 per Restaurant: Cafeteria 20/employee 75.7/employee
passenger passenger
Churches (Sanctuary) 4 per seat; (with 18.9 per seat; (with Restaurant: Toilet 7/customer 26.5/customer
Kitchen): 7 per Kitchen): 26.5 per
seat seat Restaurant: Kitchen 6/meal 22.7/meal
waste
Factories: w/o shower 25/person/shift 94.6/person/shift
Restaurant: Add for 1/meal 3.8/meal
Factories: w/ showers Add 10/employee Add 3.79/employee garbage disposal
Factories: w/ cafeteria Add 5/employee Add 18.9/employee Restaurant: Add for 2/customer 7.6/customer
cocktail lounge
Hospitals 250 per bed 946.3 per bed
Schools: Staff & Office 20/person 75.7/person
Hospital: Kitchen waste 25 per bed 94.6 per bed
Schools: Elementary 56.8/person
Hospital: Laundry waste 40 per bed 151.4 per bed
Schools: intermediate 20/person 75.7/student
Hotel: No kitchen waste 60/bed (2 person) 227.1/bed (2 & High School
person)
Schools: w/ gym & 5/person Add 18.9/student
Hotel: w/ kitchen waste 70/bed(2 person) 264.95/bed showers
Offices 20/employee or 75.7/employee or Schools: w/ cafeteria 3/person Add 11.4/student
1.12/ sq.m. floor 4.23/sq.m. floor
area area Recommended Design Criteria:
Stores 20 /employee 75.7/employee A. Waste/Sewage Flow, up to 1500 GPD (5677.5 LPD):
Septic Tank Capacity = Flow x 1.5
Stores: Public Restroom Add 1.2/sq.m. of Add 4/sq.m. of B. Waste/Sewage Flow over 1500 GPD (5677.5 LPD):
floor space floor area Septic Tank Capacity = (Flow x 0.75) + 1125
Prefabricated Septic Tank
B 5.13.4 Prefabricated Septic Tanks
B 5.13.4
(a.) Manufactured or prefabricated
septic tanks shall comply with all
approved applicable standards and be
approved by the Administrative
Authority.
(b.) Independent laboratory tests and
engineering calculations certifying the
tank capacity and structural stability
shall be provided as required by the
Administrative Authority.
Plastic Purifying Septic Tank (PPST): Courtesy of KOTEC PLASTIC CORPORATION.
Invented by a Korean Engineer, Soon Weon Seo in 1997
Private Sewage Disposal System
Private Sewage Disposal System – a septic tank with the effluent
discharging into a subsurface disposal field, seepage pits or of such
other facilities as may be permitted by the plumbing code.
B 6 Disposal Field
B 7 Seepage Pits
B 8 Cesspools
Private Sewage Disposal System: Disposal Field or Sanitary
Drainfield
Minimum spacing of lines,
center-to-center is 1.80
meters.
B 6.1 Distribution lines shall be
constructed of clay tile laid open joints,
perforated clay pipe, perforated
bituminous fiber pipe, perforated HDPE
pipe, perforated ABS pipe, perforated PVC
pipe, or other approved materials,
provided that sufficient openings are
available for distribution of the effluent
into the trench area.
Private Sewage Disposal System : Seepage Pits
Sec. 220.6 SEEPAGE PIT – a loosely lined excavation in the
ground, which receives the discharge of a septic tank and
designed to permit the effluent from the septic tank to
seep through pit bottom and sides.
B 7.3 Each seepage pit shall be circular in
shape and shall have an excavated
diameter of not less than 2.20 meters.
Private Sewage Disposal System: Cesspools
Sec. 204.5 Cesspool – a non-watertight lined
excavation in the ground which receives the
discharge of a sanitary drainage system or part
thereof, designed to retain the organic matter and
solids discharging therefrom, but permitting the
liquid to seep through the bottom and sides of the
cesspool.
