If you live or work in an area that isn’t connected to the main sewage network, then it’s more than likely you have a septic tank (or cess pit) in the vicinity or the premises.

We’re often asked, how often should I empty my septic tank?

The answer is dependent on how much it is used. For example, a property housing just two people is less likely to fill the Tank as quickly as a family of five.

As a rule of thumb, we say at least once a year for the average domestic tank.

Some properties have what’s called a cess pit and though less common they still exist.

You my wonder what the difference is. Well, they both hold waste water and the unmentionable stuff, but the main difference is a cess pit or pool has no access hatch and it normally sited above ground.

What’s going on in the septic tank?

A Septic Tank is installed underground and for various reasons such as hygiene and durability is made from plastic, which of course won’t rust or decompose.

Lurking away in the subterranean darkness, your storage has three distinct layers.

The top layer is known as crud and will not decompose naturally. It floats on top of the waste water and is a very good reason to have a tank emptied even if it is a low use facility.

The waste water layer comes below that and can exit through a T shaped outlet to a drain field or soakaway which filters through to the naturally occurring ground water level or water table.

The third layer is the part we’ll be less descriptive about just use your imagination.

Bacterial action breaks down solids into a mush. The planet as a whole is dependent on these little fellows, the circle of life and all that.

Is there any special care required with a septic tank?

Because it’s advisable to maintain the levels of bacteria working away in your waste facility, use biocides like domestic bleaches, antibacterial soaps and washing up liquids by all means to keep your kitchen and bathroom clean and healthy, but be mindful of the fact their antibacterial action will still be working once you’ve flushed it away.

And please remember, don’t flush cotton buds, wet wipes or disposable nappies into your tank, they don’t biodegrade.

How do I know my septic tank needs a service?

You’ll probably be alerted by the odour or worse still there’ll be unpleasant smelling liquid overflowing the T shaped outlet mentioned above. Your toilet and sinks may take longer to drain, so this is your call to action to have the tank emptied.

How is that done?

We send a tanker equipped for such tasks to empty the tank. This involves running a suction hose from the vehicle, into the tank via its hatch. The tanker takes care of the rest.

How do I arrange my service?

Before we pop along, we’ll want to know a bit about your property, such as how far the access to the tank is from road or driveway. the approximate size of your tank and quite importantly, we’d like to know if your property is accessible for a HGV.

You see, where difficulties occur, experience has equipped us with solutions, like our new 7.5 tonne “mini” tanker which can find its way into places a 26 tonne one would find too much of a challenge.

We also have a towable vacuum unit that we attach to a 4×4 on occasion, when we’re asked to deal with those narrow country lanes.

If you book a service with us, as part of the procedure, we send out a detailed specification of the vehicle we intend to send, just so you can check those dimensions and ensure we can actually reach the tank from where the vehicle parks up. Just a little forward planning can spare an awful lot of heartache.

Other questions it’s wise to ask yourself before we come along.

Is the hatch or access to the tank straightforward?

Not locked or obscured by shrubbery or brambles for example?

If we know all this in advance, the operation is sure to go with military precision.

Tardis Environmental have been in the waste management business for 27 years now with experience in portable toilets for construction, events and festivals, weddings and parties.

We remove waste from construction sites in bulk along with other sorts of liquid waste such as drilling slurry and flood water and it is all disposed of at the appropriate facilities for the waste being tipped.

How do I get hold of you?

One number nationwide, 0800 731 0589 will connect you to the team who can answer all your questions.

Alternatively, you can review the complete range of Tardis services at www.tardishire.co.uk

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