Editing Cesspit (section)

{{Short description|Underground holding tank or soak pit}}
{{redirect|Cesspool|the G.I. Joe character|Cesspool (G.I. Joe)}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2025}}

[[File:Septic tank EN.svg|thumb|right|Scheme of a cesspit that is constructed like an underground holding tank]]

'''Cesspit''', '''cesspool''' and '''soak pit''' in some contexts are terms with various meanings: they are used to describe either an underground holding tank (sealed at the bottom) or a [[Dry well|soak pit]] (not sealed at the bottom).<ref name=":0">{{cite book|isbn=978-3-906484-57-0|url = http://www.eawag.ch/forschung/sandec/publikationen/compendium_e/index_EN|title = Compendium of Sanitation Systems and Technologies |edition= 2nd Revised |author1=Tilley, E. |author2=Ulrich, L. |author3=Lüthi, C. |author4=Reymond, Ph. |author5=Zurbrügg, C. |publisher = Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Duebendorf, Switzerland|year = 2014}}</ref> A cesspit can be used for the temporary collection and storage of [[Human feces|feces]], excreta, or fecal sludge as part of an on-site [[sanitation]] system and has some similarities with [[septic tank]]s or with soak pits. Traditionally, it was a deep cylindrical chamber dug into the ground, having approximate dimensions of {{convert|1|m|ft}} diameter and {{convert|2|–|3|m|ft}} depth. Its appearance was similar to that of a hand-dug water well.

The pit can be lined with bricks or concrete, covered with a slab, and needs to be emptied frequently when in use as an underground holding tank.<ref name=":0" />  In other cases (if soil and [[groundwater]] conditions allow), it is not constructed watertight, to allow liquid to leach out (similar to a [[pit latrine]] or to a soak pit).