Diagnosing Issues and Replacing Cesspits

At Proseptic, we’re proud of our extensive experience and knowledge surrounding cesspits. In order to provide the most cost-effective solutions, we can assess your property and individual circumstances at a pre-arranged site inspection.

What Is A Cesspit?

A cesspit is a sealed underground tank that collects sewage and wastewater. Unlike a septic tank, it does not process or treat the sewage but merely stores it ready for emptying. Cesspits are usually discreetly buried underground so that they can collect waste without causing aesthetic disturbance or inconvenience to the household.

Compliant Cesspits

As cesspits store waste for collection, they are often seen as a substitute for soakaways when it is unsafe to disperse any water, no matter how well treated, to nearby land.

In order to run compliant sewage treatment, you must have a site survey and an industry expert to determine whether you need a cesspit or soakaway.

Cesspits must also be installed at an adequate distance from your home to comply with legislation. At Proseptic, we are fully up to date with the latest cesspit legislation and can carry out compliant installations.

It is worth remembering that cesspits can only be emptied by professional drainage experts.

Cesspits FAQs

How do I spot cesspit issues?

Cesspits are sealed spaces, used to store effluent where alternative treatment methods are not available usually due to poor soil drainage conditions (such as blue clay). These cesspits are usually lined with brick or another solid material and can cause issues if they are not maintained properly. The first signs of an issue are usually:

✔️ Strong odours.
✔️ Puddles or excess effluent surrounding the area where the cesspit is located.

What should I do if I notice problems with my cesspit?

As soon as either of these signs arise, it’s important to call us to diagnose the issues. It is important that cesspit issues are looked at as soon as possible, as malfunctioning sewage treatment systems and components can cause health issues, unusual smells and structural damage.

How do you fix cesspit problems?

In Groundwater Protection Zones (SPZs), cesspits may be one of the only acceptable effluent disposal methods, alongside clay soil. In these areas where no other options are available, a new cesspit must be large enough to store 45 days of effluent multiplied by the number of occupants in the property, multiplied by 180 litres per day.

We advise any homeowners with an existing or new requirement to contact us for evaluations and expert advice on the options available for waste management. Once we carry out our survey, we’ll provide you with a report containing details of any issues we find.

Benefits of Proseptic

No obligation cesspit installation advice

  • If you are have any questions about cesspit installations or are unsure if your existing system meets the latest regulations, please get in touch. Our friendly, expert team are always happy to share our expertise to help you make the right decisions.

Fitted by expert engineers

  • Cesspit surveys, inspections, installations and on-going maintenance are carried out by our team of highly experienced engineers. We pride ourselves on our outstanding customer service.

What can you expect from Proseptic

  • We deliver all cesspit installations with longevity, quality and efficiency with minimal hassle.
    We’ll explain all the different sewage treatment solutions to you so that you can feel confident and make an informed decision.