Sewage pit problem

I've searched the threads here and I seem to have a unique problem...

I moved into this 20 year old house 6 years ago, and have just removed the lid from the sewage pit for the first time. It seems that the plumber couldn't figure out how to connect the drain from the main floor and from the basement bathroom & laundry through the same drain hole on the tank, so he hooked up the basement drain to the drain hole and made a new hole for the main floor drain.

It looks like the second hole was originally sealed with cement, which has since fallen out into the pit. I can see water from the main drain is leaking outside of the pit, and I'm pretty sure groundwater is leaking back into the pit too.

It seems I have two options:

1. tie the basemnet and main drains together and replace the pit
2. try to seal this hole somehow.

Obviously option 2 would be much cheaper and easier, but what could I seal the hole with? The gap is over an inch wide in places.

Can this hole be sealed?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I would suggest looking here to see if you could find either a rubber grommet or, bulkhead fitting that would provide the seal that you need.

http://www.mcmaster.com/

Thanks for the link. I've decided to go down the "patch it up" route, wish me luck...

leesouthern said:

....

I moved into this 20 year old house 6 years ago, and have just removed the lid from the sewage pit for the first time. ....

Click to expand...

What is a "sewage pit"? If you are referring to a septic tank then I suggest that you spend a couple hundred dollars to have it pumped out and maintained before it burps into your leach field and costs you several thousand dollars. Then repeat in 3 year intervals.

Sorry, I guess "sewage basin" is the correct term. I saw "sewage pit" used on a different forum and I guess it stuck in my head.

I don't know what that is either. Maybe this is what you have? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Septic_tank

Most I've seen are concrete, not plastic.

It's similar to this:

http://www.northernwatersltd.com/htm/other_products.htm#sewagesimplex

Only mine has a very large second hole cut into it to hadndle waste from the main floor...

My house is on a sloping site and the septic tank is on higher ground than the house, hence the need for the sewage basin & pump.

leesouthern said:

It's similar to this:

http://www.northernwatersltd.com/htm/other_products.htm#sewagesimplex

Only mine has a very large second hole cut into it to hadndle waste from the main floor...

My house is on a sloping site and the septic tank is on higher ground than the house, hence the need for the sewage basin & pump.

Click to expand...

Gotcha! You have a grinder pump to the septic tank. Regardless, I'd advise you to pump the septic tank ASAP and in 3-4 year intervals. Good luck with the other totally separate issue.