Septic tank

Depends how close the mains runs to your property and the size of your garden. Septic tanks aren’t cheap and you need a decent bit of space to install them. Plus the ongoing need to pump etc.

Our house is miles from anywhere so mains isn’t an option. We have plenty of land but I’m not at all keen on septic tanks, although I have considered a DIY option where the overflow is treated in Reed beds or similar.

I plan to install a compost loo in the outhouse and either another one in the main bathroom indoors or possibly a home biogas digester.

But then we’re trying to be more off grid, reduce ongoing running costs and have as little waste as possible leave the site.

If you were wanting a more conventional life these options may not appeal.

That's ok if main sewer is not to far is easy to connect on to main sewer but hi don't no what rules an regs over there because we get over yet because of covid but if main at our house is to far hi will be be building a septic tank as hi Wasa drainage engineer so to me it's slice of cake no problems anything hi can helpe whith  contact me

Thanks for your advice, very interesting.

My septic tank works fine. And I got it emptied last year for 50 leva. Bargain! :-)

However, as the village now has mains sewers, I thought it was a pity the previous owner had not connected. Unfortunately, my house is lower than the sewer pipe at the front of the house (nice asphalt road) so this presented a challenge (aside from the big wall, and the already finished road).

While exploring at the back of the house (dirt track), I found a sewer manhole in the tall grass about 250m downhill from me. The village sewer contractor (and his assistant) needed one full day with a digger to make a connecting trench (septic tank to manhole), lay the piping, and cover again. This was only 1,000 leva!

Not t bad of price

Snowball, as the others said, the challenge could be finding the mains sewage. Only the larger villages have it.

Helen, please post about your experiences getting that set up! I would love to read it as I hope to do something very similar - a composting toilet, with reed beds or similar for greywater management. I don't want either mains sewage or a septic tank.  I hope that's going to be possible. Also, there's a need for rainwater harvesting. Traditionally Bulgarians haven't needed to do it, but I suspect as the climate changes, summers will become drier. Old wells are drying up as the water table drops in many areas.

How doing over there Wats weather like mate paul

Jane I will be documenting all our Bulgarian adventures... can’t wait to get started.

I agree, I’ve already got plans on how to save grey water for the garden, and get IBCs under every downpipe - once we’ve fitted some guttering that is!

It was very dry in our village last summer, the mains water was turned off for part of the day, wells were drying up and the free lake water stopped too. My garden is going to be a huge priority, as will the animals we keep, in a bid for self sufficiency, and water conservation/heat reduction is on my mind already.

Can't wait to read it, Helen! Do you have a blog?

Growing up in Australia I'm used to making rainwater harvesting and conserving water a priority. I was surprised to see no one collects rainwater in Bg. I'm sure that will change as things get drier.

@HelenDinBG

I'm actually just about to construct a waist tank biogas digester, did you get anywhere with it, it's not so easy to find solid decent plans other than images...

- @Radicalkitesurf

Hi, I’m looking to buy a septic tank for my house in Bulgaria what is the best place to buy one from?

Hi looking to install a septic tank at my how we’re is the best place to get one or if any one knows of a good reputable company

If it's a village property, I reckon there are still Bulgarian tradesmen around who will build one for you.

Or, there are now plastic tanks ("digestors"?) available which you can bury in the garden.

I recently put up a prefab cabin, and we made a septic with a digger (don't need a very big one) and a couple of those precast concrete rings.