Soak-away systems designed for safe disposal of smaller volumes of liquid waste into the ground.
Soak-away systems designed for safe disposal of small to larger volumes of liquid waste into the ground.
Soak pits are unlined or partially lined circular pits designed to allow used water to percolate directly into the surrounding soil through a filter media. The pit is typically filled with coarse materials such as rubble or brick bats, which create voids to facilitate infiltration and prevent immediate clogging.
A removable top cover should be provided to allow for regular inspection and maintenance. To enhance system performance and minimize clogging, it is recommended to use a settling tank as a pre-treatment step before the water enters the soak pit.
Soak pits are mostly used at the household level where the volume of used water is low, particularly for the disposal of supernatant from septic tanks. They are suitable in areas where the soil has good infiltration capacity, and the groundwater table is low (at least 1.5 meters below the bottom of the soak pit).
They are not suitable for: Flood-prone areas, Clayey or rocky soils, Soils with low permeability
Most economical option for small capacities
May negatively affect soil and groundwater properties as it does not provide adequate treatment, and the pit will quickly clog.
Particles or biomass may clog the pit so cleaning or replacing the filter material once in 2 – 3 years or sooner if overflow or surface pooling is observed in the surrounding area.
|
Parameter |
Design Value |
Unit |
Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Hydraulic retention time |
2 |
Days |
assumed |
|
GWT below soak pit below slab |
min 2 |
m |
assumed |
India’s rural sanitation sector has witnessed significant progress under the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G), with increasing emphasis on sustaining Open Defecation Free (ODF) outcomes and strengthening Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) systems across villages. As rural communities continue to evolve and generate higher volumes of greywater and wastewater, there is a growing need for decentralized, cost-effective, and sustainable rural used water management solutions that are technically sound and easy to implement.
Despite the availability of various treatment technologies and management approaches, Gram Panchayats, Rural Development Departments, and implementation agencies often face challenges in selecting appropriate technologies, preparing technical designs, estimating costs, and planning site-specific interventions. The lack of standardized technical resources and easy access to implementation-ready designs further slows down the execution of rural sanitation infrastructure.
To address these challenges and support the effective implementation of rural used water management systems, WASH Institute has developed this dedicated web-based Rural Used Water Management Portal. The portal is envisioned as a comprehensive technical decision-support platform to assist states, districts, blocks, Gram Panchayats, and practitioners in planning and implementing sustainable rural sanitation infrastructure.
The portal provides a curated repository of commonly adopted rural treatment technologies and management systems, including soak pits, leach pits, waste stabilization ponds, DEWATS, drain-end treatment systems, co-treatment models, FSTPs and other decentralized greywater management solutions suitable for rural contexts. Each technology package includes standard design drawings, technical specifications, implementation guidance, and quantity estimates (BoQs) that can be readily adapted for field implementation.
The technical resources available on the portal have been prepared by experienced sector experts in alignment with CPHEEO guidelines, SBM-G operational guidelines, and established field practices. The technologies featured on the portal have been successfully implemented across multiple villages and states, ensuring their practicality, scalability, and suitability for diverse rural conditions.
By making standardized designs and implementation resources easily accessible, the portal aims to strengthen planning capacities, reduce duplication of technical efforts, improve the quality of infrastructure implementation, and accelerate the adoption of safe and sustainable rural used water management systems across India.
Importantly, the portal is designed as a dynamic and evolving knowledge platform rather than a static repository. It will continue to expand through contributions from sector practitioners, government departments, and technical institutions. Future enhancements will include state-specific schedule of rates, GIS-based planning support, case studies, operation and maintenance guidance, and real-time cost estimation tools to further support rural sanitation planning and implementation.
Local governments follow staged planning for grey water management projects — planning and project formulation, DPR preparation, tendering, construction, and operation & maintenance. This portal supports the tendering stage by providing standardized technical drawings and cost estimates.
The designs, drawings, and bills of quantities (BoQs) provided on this portal are intended for reference purposes only and cannot be used directly for construction. Validate design assumptions, adopt locally applicable Schedule of Rates, and ensure compliance with applicable national or state-level standards.