Septic Tank Emptying

If you live in a rural area and your home is not connected to mains drainage it is likely that you will have a septic tank. When working properly a septic tank provides an effective way of treating waste water from baths, sinks and toilets.

A septic tank consists of one or more concrete or plastic tanks of between 4000 and 7500 litres (1,000 and 2,000 gallons); one end is connected to an inlet wastewater pipe and the other to an outlet pipe that drains through into a field. Generally these pipe connections are made with a T pipe, allowing liquid to enter and exit without disturbing any crust on the surface. Today, the design of the tank usually incorporates two chambers, each equipped with a manhole cover, and separated by a dividing wall with openings located about midway between the floor and roof of the tank.

Waste water enters the first chamber of the tank, allowing solids to settle and scum to float. The settled solids are anaerobically digested, reducing the volume of solids. The liquid component flows through the dividing wall into the second chamber, where further settlement takes place. Waste that is not decomposed by the anaerobic digestion must eventually be removed from the septic tank. Otherwise the septic tank fills up and waste water containing uncompounded material discharges directly to the drainage field. Not only is this detrimental for the environment but, if the sludge overflows the septic tank into the leach field, it may clog the leach field piping or decrease the soil porosity itself, requiring expensive repairs.

The rate of accumulation of sludge also called septage or fecal sludge is faster than the rate of decomposition. Therefore, depending on the size of your tank and the number of occupants in your house we would recommend that you have your tank emptied regularly. Desludging should normally take place every twelve months. However, experience has shown that, depending on the tank’s size and usage, this period may be extended but not normally beyond two years.

This process is carried out by one of our vacuum tankers and disposed of safely under Duty of Care at a registered liquid waste treatment facility. 

For more information, please get in touch today to see how we can help you with your septic waste disposal.

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