Emptying, inspection and the 2020 discharge rules
Septic tanks and treatment plants
Septic tank and treatment plant emptying across Gower and rural Swansea, with an inspection of the tank and soakaway, and plain advice on the discharge rules.
Plenty of houses on Gower and in the villages north of Swansea are not on the mains sewer. Their tanks need emptying, usually once a year, and looking at while the lid is off.
We empty septic tanks, cesspits and package treatment plants with a partner tanker, and while the tank is empty we look at the inlet and outlet, the baffles, the lid and the soakaway or outfall, and tell you what we see. Treatment plants get their aeration and pumps checked. You get a short written record, which is useful when you sell the house.
The rules changed: since 2020 a septic tank should not discharge straight to a ditch or stream, but to a drainage field, and in Wales the guidance from Natural Resources Wales applies. We explain plainly what your system does and what, if anything, needs to change, and we do not sell a treatment plant to anyone who does not need one.
What it includes
- Emptying by licensed tanker
- Inlet, outlet and baffles checked
- Soakaway or outfall looked at
- Treatment plant pumps checked
- A written record for your files
- Plain advice on the rules
What it costs
Emptying a domestic septic tank up to 4,500 litres £265, including the inspection. The price page shows the day and out-of-hours prices and which one applies right now.
Questions about septic tanks
How often should it be emptied?
Usually once a year for a family house; more often for a small tank or a busy holiday let.
Can the tanker reach my tank?
The tanker hose reaches about thirty metres. Tell us about lanes, gates and soft ground when you book.
Do I need to register my septic tank?
In Wales most small domestic discharges to ground are exempt if they meet the general binding rules; we explain what applies to yours.
Overflowing? Ring now.
The phones are answered day and night. You get the price for the job and the time of day before we set off, an arrival window, and a text when we are fifteen minutes away.