5 Questions to ask about managing a septic tank or cesspit in your home

Are you thinking of moving into a property that has a septic tank or a cesspit? The concept of not being connected to the public waste water system may be a new one to you. After all, it’s not something we normally need to think about – you flush and it disappears, no?

However, in remote or rural parts of the country, septic tanks and cesspits are routinely used to collect waste water from a property. This includes water from showers and sinks, waste water from dishwashers and washing machines and, of course, sewage from the toilet.

Rather than automatically disappearing into the public sewer, the contents from a septic tank or cesspit emptying process needed to be done periodically – doing nothing is not an option.  There’s no reason to be worried or scared about this kind of system, but it is a good idea to get familiar with how it all works as you move into your new home.

  1. How does a septic tank work?

Typically a large rectangular box made from brick, concrete or stone – or it could be a bottle shaped plastic tank – buried underground not far from the building, the waste water is sent from the tank’s outlet pipe to a soakaway, drainage field or stream.

It’s a network of perforated pipes that allow the waste water to percolate safely into the ground without any polluting the environment. The septic tank itself doesn’t actually treat the waste, it merely separates it into three layers: sludge (bottom layer), scum (top layer) and waste water. The waste water is piped into the soakaway, leaving the more solid contents in the tank.

https://youtu.be/eEswZusP__g

  1. What’s the difference between a septic tank and a cesspit?

A cesspit is a simple sealed tank that has a manhole cover to (you can buy manhole covers at EasyMerchant) give access for waste collection. While the purpose of both types of underground container is to collect waste water and sewage from your house, there is no processing or any kind of treatment involved with cesspits.

Whichever type of tank you have on your land, it’s important to keep the system as ‘clean’ as possible. Flushing things such as sanitary items, baby wipes, food waste, fat, grease, coffee grounds etc away can easily cause blockages – with potentially very unpleasant consequences.

In addition, it is recommended that you use environmentally friendly household products rather than biological cleaners and bleach in an effort to help the biological decomposition process in the tank. See this blog post for a comparison between a septic tank and cesspit.

  1. What happens if the tank doesn’t get emptied?

The contents of your septic tank or cesspit will accumulate over time and need emptying by a professional waste company on a regular basis. There are several symptoms to indicate that emptying is overdue, including

  • Toilets taking longer to flush
  • Gurgling sounds in your plumbing
  • Waste backing up
  • (for septic tanks) Solid waste escaping into the soakaway, causing bad odour and pollution

Obviously, you want to avoid this at all cost.

  1. How often should you have your septic tank or cesspit emptied?

As a rule of thumb, once a year is a good frequency to start with. Once you have settled into your home, you may find quarterly that the frequency for emptying may need to be adjusted – realistically speaking, it could be anything from monthly to or annually.

The tank will need emptying before it is full, but when that is depends on how quickly it fills up. This, in turn, depends on the on the size of your property, the number of occupants that use the facilities, and with which frequency.

It also depends on the actual size of the septic tank or cesspit. It is possible that, say, if a home has been extended, the tank may not have been upgraded to accommodate the extra waste. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to work out that a larger tank that is underused will need emptying less frequently than a tank that’s too small and overused!

  1. How do you empty a cesspit or septic tank?

The good news is that emptying your sewage and waste water not a DIY job – you won’t have to do it! Contact a local waste management company who will send out one of their tankers with a long flexible hose. The tanker operator will insert the hose into the tank and drain out the contents, take it away and dispose of it safely.

Make sure that the company emptying the tank is on the Environment Agency’s Register of Waste Carriers, Brokers and Dealers and has the correct waste disposal licence.

 

EAN Content

Content shared by this account is either news shared free by third parties or sponsored (paid for) content from third parties. Please be advised that links to third party websites are not endorsed by Estate Agent Networking - Please do your own research before committing to any third party business promoted on our website. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

FMB Supports Construction Leadership Council’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) Health, Safety and Wellbeing Strategy is a welcome and much needed new initiative to help drive industry change, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The FMB’s CEO Brian Berry has joined more than 140 industry leaders at the Construction Leadership Council’s launch of its comprehensive Health, Safety and Wellbeing…
Read More
Clacton on Sea cash injection
Breaking News

20% Property Premium to Live Beside Britain’s Best Beaches

The latest research from eXp UK has found that homebuyers hoping to live by one of Britain’s best beaches can expect to pay almost 20% more on average compared to the wider local market, amounting to a seaside property premium of over £46,000. The research* by eXp UK analysed property prices in postcode districts surrounding…
Read More
Breaking News

Houseboats hand London homebuyers 57% saving

Houseboats hand London homebuyers 57% saving versus bricks and mortar The latest research from Benham and Reeves has found that London homebuyers could save as much as 57% on their property purchase by choosing a houseboat over a traditional bricks and mortar home, with the average cost of a houseboat across the capital coming in…
Read More
Breaking News

Silverstone fails to take pole when it comes to race track property premiums

The latest research from Yopa has found that while Silverstone may be the spiritual home of British motorsport and host of this weekend’s Formula 1 Grand Prix, it is far from the most prestigious racing venue when it comes to local property prices. In fact, homes near other race circuits across Britain command far higher…
Read More
Breaking News

Section 8 Reforms: What Landlords Need to Know About Longer Notice Periods and Stricter Rules

By Allison Thompson, National Lettings Managing Director, LRG As the Renters’ Rights Bill continues its progress through the House of Lords, landlords should be preparing for a much tighter framework around possession. One of the most significant changes proposed is the reform of Section 8, the legal route for regaining possession where a specific reason…
Read More
New Build for Merseyside
Breaking News

British new-build demand sees quarterly decline

The latest new-build market insight from Property Inspect has revealed that buyer demand for new-build homes remained largely static between the first and second quarter of this year, although buyer appetites for new homes remained robust in a number of major cities. The New-Build Demand Index (Q2 2025) from Property Inspect provides a view of…
Read More