If you have a villa, or run a construction project in the UAE; or if you are building a house in the middle of the desert you may have heard of a “septic tank”. And if you are not connected to the council sewage system, you will need a concrete septic tank. It is essential.
But now it gets tricky. When deciding whether you need a single chamber concrete septic tank UAE, or a double chamber concrete septic tank UAE, many people will ask the supplier, “which one is cheaper?” Well, that might not be a good question. Being able to understand the differences can save you money, protect the environment and keep you above the law in the UAE.
Let’s go back to basics – in layman’s terms, with no jargon.
What are Concrete Septic Tanks and Why Do We Need Them in the UAE?
A concrete septic tank is a waterproof tank that is buried in the ground to store and partially treat sewage. In the UAE, concrete is the most common type of septic tank due to its strength and availability. Al Safrik Steel Concrete is the best type of concrete to use in the harsh soil conditions in the UAE, unlike plastic tanks or fiberglass tanks.
Concrete is heavy and can handle high compressive loads, making it an ideal material for dense loads of waste and corrosive salt in UAE’s soil. ATN Info That’s why you see concrete septic tanks on residential sites, labour camps, agricultural farms and industry sites all over the UAE’s seven emirates.
Well, in concrete septic tanks the design is based on a number of chambers in a tank.
What Is a Single Chamber Concrete Septic Tank?
A single chamber concrete septic tank is the most basic design of the system in which the wastewater is treated in a single chamber. Wastewater is separated by gravity. The suspended solids drop to the bottom forming a sludge layer and the fats and oils float to the surface forming a scum layer. The semi-treated water, or effluent, in the middle flows to the drain field through a T-shaped outlet that stops the sludge and scum from escaping the septic tank. Arab Precast
It’s like a studio apartment. It’s in one room – fermenting, ripening, storing. It works. But when it’s full it overflows.
But single chamber septic tanks can still be a better option: they cost less initially to install, they are smaller in size (good for small parcels of land) and they are easier to install with less parts to put together and no divider. Jet Concrete Work
In the UAE, for small houses, temporary site offices or low use, such as a single chamber concrete septic tank will be more than adequate for a small two-bedroom villa, a temporary site office or a holiday home.
What Is a Double Chamber Concrete Septic Tank?
The double chamber tank is the most recent and may be used for new buildings or developments. It’s a two chamber tank, that uses a baffle wall for two-stage treatment. The larger chamber is used for primary settling. The smaller chamber is used for final settlement. This helps to remove more solids and provides better quality effluent. Arab Precast
If a single chamber is a bachelor apartment, a double chamber is like a two-room apartment with a living room. The first chamber does the heavy lifting, while the second chamber puts the finishing touches on the product.
A double-compartment septic tank is a tank with two chambers. The second chamber provides additional settling and decomposition of solids. This could mean that you have to pump and clean the tank less often than a single-compartment tank, as the solids settle out. Zamacprecast
This tank is for you if you have a permanent daily use of your property – a residential site, an office, a construction camp, a factory, or any other site where you have large amounts of wastewater.
What’s the difference: Single Chamber vs Double Chamber Concrete Septic Tank UAE
Let’s look at the differences between the two:
Treatment Quality
The biggest difference is the quality of the wastewater treatment. In single compartment tanks, there is only one tank which is used for solids to settle and be degraded by bacteria. Dual compartment tanks have two tanks to treat the wastewater – the first compartment is used for solids to settle and the second compartment is used to further treat the wastewater to produce a clearer effluent. Royal falcon events
Drain Field Protection
A double chambered system provides more filtration and protects your drain field, increases absorption and extends the life of your system. This two system is more compliant with today’s environmental regulations and safeguards groundwater. Arab Precast
In the UAE, where we need to protect our groundwater, this is a crucial consideration.
Pumping Frequency
A two-tank or two-chamber septic system will better remove solids than a one-chamber system. There is obviously more volume, so can postpone pumping. Terrain Precast
In very remote areas of Ras AL Kaimah, Fujairah and Al Ain (where the septic service may not be readily available).
Cost
Single chamber tanks are initially cheaper. Double chamber tanks are more expensive, but cheaper over time with reduced maintenance, pumping and drainfield replacement costs. The advantages of single chamber tanks come with a catch: they require more frequent pumping and you can’t use as much water. Jet Concrete Work
Size and Space
Double chamber tanks are larger in size. If you have a small area for your tank to be underground or you have poor soil to dig deep, this may be a factor you’d want to discuss with your installer.
Which is Best in the UAE?
This is where most articles stop. Let us be direct. The owners of property in Dubai need to maintain their on-site sewage system, such as a septic tank. Periodic cleaning and checks should be carried out. Blockage, leakage and overflow in the sewage system should be noted and reported to Dubai Municipality. Dana Steel UAE
Dubai Municipality’s Sewerage Design Guidelines requires consultants to comply with its guidelines and regulations and DM will not connect any system to its sewerage network if it is not compliant with minimum requirements. Jetonsuae What’s this mean for you? This could mean your design could get rejected (or even inspected) for your septic tank system.
In 2020, there were over 75 public wastewater treatment plants in the UAE with a total capacity of more than two billion litres per day. National government is very concerned about wastewater. This includes your concrete septic tank UAE system, and it should be sufficient.
The two chamber design is preferred by engineers, and increasingly, government, for new construction and properties with three or more residents. The majority of new residential and building codes prefer the two chamber concrete septic tank because it helps to separate the contaminants from the water before it reaches the drainfield, prevents back-ups or drainfield damage, and can cope with larger families or visitors. Jet Concrete Work
How to choose the right concrete septic tank in UAE
The choice of concrete septic tank UAE – single chamber or double chamber – is a practical consideration.
Here are some questions to consider:
- Who will be using the system?
- Will it be a permanent or temporary home or business?
- Is it a sandy or salty site?
- How far away is the pump truck?
- And what are the standards of your Dubai Municipality or your emirate’s authority for your project?
A concrete septic tank manufacturer in the UAE should offer modular septic units with various capacities of 200, 500, 1000, 5000 and 10,000 litres, built-in access points for cleaning, high-density concrete with special additives to reduce seepage and comply to the UAE Civil Defense and Environment standards. ATN Info
Don’t go for the least expensive option. Ask for certifications. Ask for ISO, GCC compliance. Inspect the concrete quality. And make sure the installer is familiar with UAE municipalities – not all are.
Final Thoughts
There are engineering and non-engineering differences between a single chamber and double chamber concrete septic tank UAE. It is the system’s lifespan, ease of maintenance, quality of effluent and how compliant your system is with the regulatory regime under which you operate.
Single chamber systems are less expensive to install. They’re suitable for small households. They perform better at treating waste, are less likely to damage your soakaway system and they do not require frequent pumping out – so they are the preferred option for most homes in the UAE.
When installing a new or upgrading an existing septic system in the UAE, ensure you use an approved manufacturer who understands the local soil conditions, city requirements and the UAE climate. A properly designed concrete septic tank will outlast 25 years. A poor quality system will cost much more in the long run.
