Everything You Need to Know About Cesspits

Here at Coastal Drains we cover all things drain related and that includes cesspits. If you have a septic tank or cesspit and are not sure exactly how they work, then read on and discover everything you need to know about cesspits.

What is a Cesspit?

A cesspit is a sealed, underground tank that collects and stores sewerage from your property without treating it. The tank is used to store the sewage until it can be collected.

Helpfully, cesspits tend to be buried underground so that they do not take up any room on your property. They are normally located within the property boundary and must be emptied frequently by professionals.

How They Work?

Cesspits simply collect and store waste water and sewage, without treating it in any way. Depending on the size of the tank, the property and the number of occupants, the cesspit can fill up quickly and needs to be emptied as often as required, whether than be monthly, quarterly or annually. Cesspits are usually buried underground with a single manhole cover for access by the waste collection team.

What to Avoid

In order to ensure the health and functionality of your cesspit, we would suggest following a few simple rules – such as not depositing materials into the tank that cannot decompose.

Here are a couple of things you should avoid sending into your cesspit:

• Coffee grounds
• Cooking fats
• Paper towels
• Disposable nappies
• Cigarette butts

And any other non-decomposable materials. Instead of decomposing, these materials will fill up your cesspit and block the system. As with all drain systems, we would always suggest that you avoid washing grease, cooking fats and other oily products down the drain. Instead, keep a separate container for all non-decomposable waste and throw it away with the garbage.

Care and Maintenance

• Have the cesspit regularly emptied by Coastal Drains
• Check the level in the tank regularly as it is an offence under the 1936 Public Health Act to let it overfill
• Keep the area surrounding the manhole clear for easy access
• Don’t let flammable or hazardous liquids enter the system

Coastal Drains

Here at Coastal Drains, we deal with all of your drainage problems efficiently and thoroughly. Cesspits can suffer from blocked or collapsed pipes which result in overflowing sewage. When these have reached the end of their working life they can be replaced with newer and much more efficient systems. Whether it’s just to empty the tank or clean the pipe work, we can solve the problem. We can install new tanks and treatment plants.

Whatever the problem, call Coastal Drains Ltd even if you just want advice. If you have any further questions about cesspits, please do not hesitate to give us a call. We would be happy to discuss your options and give you any advice or assistance you may require.