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Septic tank, cesspit & drainage specialists for London & the South East

Emptying, servicing and repairs for septic tanks, cesspits, treatment plants and pump stations, plus drain jetting and CCTV surveys. For homes, farms and businesses across Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Hampshire and London.

  • Over 34 years' experience
  • Our own tankers and engineers
  • Registered waste carrier
  • Rated 9.87/10 on Checkatrade

What do you need help with?

Pick one and we'll point you to the quickest way to get it sorted.

Emergency? Call 03333 233577 any time.

9.87/10from 132 Checkatrade reviews
24/7emergency call-outs, 365 days a year
2,000–4,000gallon tankers, all with jetting
34+ yearslooking after private drainage
CBDU405449registered waste carrier

Domestic and commercial

Whether it's your home or your business

The same crews, tankers and engineers look after a single cottage septic tank and a busy commercial site, so you get the same care whatever the size of the job.

What we do

Everything for private drainage, under one roof

From a routine septic tank empty to a failed pump station at 2am, one team handles the lot, with our own tankers, engineers and CCTV units.

Who we are

Clearmasters (Environmental) Ltd

For more than 34 years we've been emptying, servicing and repairing private drainage across the South East. Everything is run from our own office in Smallfield and our transport yard in Copthorne, on the Surrey and West Sussex border.

We don't subcontract. The tankers are ours, and so are the people: an office team that answers the phone and plans the work, a service department of qualified engineers, and tanker operatives who know the lanes and the systems they're visiting.

  • 34+years in the trade
  • 2sites: office and tanker yard
  • 6counties covered
A Clearmasters tanker emptying a septic tank

Get to know us better...

Meet the team

Know your system

Septic tank, cesspit, treatment plant or pump station?

They all do different jobs and need different care. Here's a quick guide. Not sure which you have? Tell us what's on the lid and we'll work it out.

01

Septic tank

Holds the solids and lets the liquid drain away to a soakaway or drainage field.

Usually emptied about once a year

Septic tank emptying
02

Cesspit

A sealed holding tank with no outlet, so everything that goes down the drain stays in it.

Can need emptying every few weeks

Cesspit emptying
03

Treatment plant

Uses air and bacteria to clean the wastewater, with a blower, pumps and an alarm that all need looking after.

Serviced and desludged at least once a year

Treatment plant servicing
04

Pump station

Lifts sewage up to the sewer or treatment system when a property sits too low to drain by gravity.

Typically serviced every six or twelve months

Pump station servicing

Recent work

Real jobs from around our patch

A few recent jobs, written up with what we found, what we did and how long it took.

Areas we cover

Local to the South East

We're based on the Surrey and West Sussex border and cover six counties, from the Weald and the Downs to the coast and the edges of London.

Main office: Rough Beech Court, Dowlands Lane, Smallfield, Surrey RH6 9SD
Transport yard: Unit D1 Cophall Farm Business Park, Effingham Road, Copthorne RH10 3HZ

What our customers say

★★★★★

We highly recommend this local company. Very efficient and thorough service, carried out by a very pleasant chap who took the trouble to explain how the system worked etc. Invoice was lower than quote as they did not have as much volume as they estimated to take away!!

Customer in Redhill
★★★★★

As in the past, prompt and reliable. Made an effort to fit my urgent callout into their schedule. Knowledgeable and courteous crew. Would not hesitate to recommend this company.

Customer in Leatherhead
★★★★★

It was so refreshing to have such an excellent service completed to such a high standard. The chaps were incredibly knowledgeable and helpful and they have my highest recommendation. I will certainly be using them again for our new build.

Customer in Horsham

Worried about the rules, or buying a house with a septic tank?

The Environment Agency's General Binding Rules set out what small sewage systems must do. We can check your system, explain where you stand in plain English, and put right anything that isn't compliant.

  • Septic tanks must not discharge straight into a ditch, stream or river
  • A discharge to ground is limited to 2 cubic metres a day
  • Systems must be emptied and maintained regularly
  • Sellers must give buyers written details of the system

Questions answered

Septic tank and drainage FAQs

How often should a septic tank be emptied?

Most household septic tanks need emptying about once a year. The right interval depends on the size of the tank and how many people live in the property, so a big household with a small tank may need it more often. Cesspits fill much faster and can need emptying every few weeks.

What's the difference between a septic tank, a cesspit and a treatment plant?

A cesspit simply stores waste until it's emptied. A septic tank lets the solids settle and sends the liquid out to a soakaway or drainage field. A treatment plant goes further, using air and bacteria to clean the wastewater, so it has mechanical parts that need servicing as well as emptying.

Do I need to replace my septic tank under the current rules?

If your septic tank discharges straight into a ditch, stream or other watercourse, the Environment Agency's General Binding Rules say it must be upgraded: by connecting to the mains, replacing it with a treatment plant, or installing a drainage field. If it discharges to a soakaway or drainage field and works properly, it can usually stay. We can survey your system and tell you where you stand.

Which areas do you cover?

We cover Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent, Hampshire and London from our office in Smallfield and our tanker yard in Copthorne. Find your town, or call 03333 233566 with your postcode.

Do you work for businesses as well as homes?

Yes. As well as homeowners, we work for farms, pubs, restaurants, schools, housing estates, management companies and industrial sites, with services from grease traps and gully clearance to pump station maintenance and CCTV surveys.

Prefer us to call you?

Leave your name and number and a member of the team will ring you back.

Fully accredited & compliant

We're independently vetted and certified so you can trust who you're letting onto your site.

SafeContractor

Health & safety pre-qualification accreditation, verifying our processes meet recognised safety standards.

RISQS

Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme — approved to work safely within the rail industry supply chain.

Achilles UVDB

Utilities Vetting Database membership, confirming we meet the utilities sector's supply chain standards.

Trading Standards Approved

Vetted and approved under the local authority's trusted trader scheme for honesty and fair dealing.

NADC Member

Members of the National Association of Drainage Contractors, the UK trade body for the drainage industry.

Registered Waste Carrier

Registered with the Environment Agency, so your waste is handled and disposed of fully within the law.

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