How to Build a Small Lagoon for Effluent

How to Build a Small Lagoon for Effluent
Published: Sep 16, 2011
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
2 minute read

Step 1

Stake out the location of the lagoon based on approved construction drawings.

Step 2

Excavate the lagoon to a minimum depth of 5 feet, and stack the fill to create berms. Ensure that the bottom of the lagoon is flat and the sides have a 3:1 slope.

Step 3

Excavate a 2-foot-wide area for the inlet pipe (and overflow pipe if required), to a depth that will accomodate the pipe plus two layers of aggregate and a layer of fill. Lay down 4 inches of clear aggregate in the trench.

Step 4

Install the inlet pipe from the house to the pond edge, ensuring that there is a positive slope -- the ideal slope is 1.4 inch per foot. Install cleanout valves every 75 feet. Install the overflow pipe with a positive slope to discharge the area. Cover the pipe with clear aggregate and fill the excavated area to the surface.

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Step 5

Compact 6 inches of soil in the bottom and on the sides of the lagoon, with a roller. Add two more layers of soil for an additional depth of 12 inches.

Step 6

Extend the inlet pipe to the center of the lagoon and secure it to a poured-in-place concrete slab (2-by-2 feet minimum). Install the EPDM liner (or equivalent), if required.

Step 7

Hydroseed the lagoon sides and berm with the grass mixture. Allow effluent to fill the lagoon to an ideal depth of 2 to 5 feet. Install a safety fence at the perimeter.

Tips

The construction of a lagoon is only moderately difficult if you or someone you know can operate a small bulldozer or front-end loader. The complicated part is designing the system, which some states require to be done by a certified professional. Once you have the plans and the soil test is complete, the actual construction is no more burdensome than a cut and fill, a standard earth-moving exercise.

Warnings

Some states require that the lagoon be designed, installed, pumped and maintained by a certified health professional or a professional engineer.

Check local building codes for setbacks and other requirements.

Photo Credits

Thomas Northcut/Stockbyte/Getty Images

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