I think something might be wrong with my septic tank. What should I do?

Septic tanks can cause serious problems if they go wrong, including environmental harm and costly clean up bills. If you are worried about your tank’s operations, give us a call – we will discuss your concerns and, if necessary, dispatch our team to investigate and resolve the issue. For routine tank emptying, we encourage you to book online.

Septic Tank Services

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M. Gaze has been emptying septic tanks across Norfolk and Suffolk for more than 25 years. No matter the size or classification, we have the experience, vehicle fleet and know-how to cater to any job, including tank cleaning and treatment of removed wastes.

Septic Tank Emptying Norfolk

& Suffolk

Second nature to M. Gaze

While most UK households are connected to some form of mains drainage system, a significant number rely on private systems to store their wastewater.

Across rural Norfolk and Suffolk, thousands of properties rely on private drainage systems. use private drainage of wastewaters to cess pits, septic tanks, klargestors, biodiscs systems and the like. They are subject to a raft of regulations pertaining to their condition and performance, the most recent set of guidance from the Environment Agency being released in 2020.

This is something we are all too familiar with. M. Gaze has been emptying private drainage systems for several decades and our service has developed to include in-house treatment of removed wastes at our septic wastewater treatment plant in Norfolk.

Each year, hundreds of people across Norfolk and Suffolk trust us to perform routine and emergency septic tank emptying.

We are able to either pump waste from your tank for ongoing use, or perform an empty and clean should you be moving house and this be a stipulation of your sale. This is an important consideration for buyers, and keeping your septic tank operating as efficiently as possible is in the best interest of all parties.

You can easily book septic tank emptying in Norfolk & Suffolk online, and we recommend doing this every 6-12 months. For emergencies, call our office any time on 01508 548543.

We can dispose of your old septic tank in Norfolk or Suffolk

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Frequently asked questions

A septic tank consists of one or more concrete or plastic tanks of between 4,000 and 7,500 litres (1,000 and 2,000 gallons).
One end is connected to an inlet wastewater pipe and the other to a septic drain 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. Wastewater 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. The excess liquid, now in a relatively clear condition, then drains from the outlet into the leach field, also referred to as a drain field or seepage field, depending upon locality. A percolation test is required prior to installation to ensure the porosity of the soil is adequate to serve as a drain field.

The remaining impurities are trapped and eliminated in the soil, with the excess water eliminated through percolation into the soil, through evaporation, and by uptake through the root system of plants and eventual transpiration or entering groundwater or surface water. A piping network, often laid in a stone-filled trench, distributes the wastewater throughout the field with multiple drainage holes in the network.
The size of the leach field is proportional to the volume of wastewater and inversely proportional to the porosity of the drainage field. The entire septic system can operate by gravity alone or, where topographic considerations require, with inclusion of a lift pump. Certain septic tank designs include siphons or other devices to increase the volume and velocity of outflow to the drainage field. These help to fill the drainage pipe more evenly and extend the drainage field life by preventing premature clogging.