Emptying, servicing and repairs for septic tanks, cesspits and treatment plants in Ringwood, the Avon valley and the western New Forest.
Ringwood sits on the Hampshire Avon, right on the western edge of the New Forest. The town is on mains drainage, but the farms, cottages and houses along the valley and out into the forest, in places like Burley, Linwood, Ellingham, Harbridge and Bisterne, very often have a septic tank, cesspit or treatment plant instead.
Two things set the area apart. The Avon valley is wide and flat, with water meadows and gravel beds where the water table is high for much of the year, so drainage fields can struggle. And the river itself is protected for its wildlife, with concerns about phosphorus, which means the rules on new drainage here are stricter than in many places.
We empty, service and repair private drainage around Ringwood all year. Our crews are in Hampshire almost every day, and we answer the phone 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Treatment plants are common around Ringwood, both in newer homes and where old tanks have been replaced. They need servicing at least once a year to keep the water they discharge clean. Our engineers clean and check the plant, test the blower and pumps, and leave a written report.
Learn more
We empty septic tanks and cesspits at homes, farms and smallholdings in the Avon valley and the forest, with tankers from 2,000 to 4,000 gallons. We check the tank while we’re there and tell you if anything needs attention.
Learn more
An alarm, a smell or a plant that’s gone quiet usually means a blower, pump or float has failed. We find the fault and fix it, carrying the most common parts with us.
Learn more
When high water in the valley floods a cellar, a chamber or a garden tank, our tankers can pump it out and take it away. Once it’s gone we can check the drains and the system.
Learn moreLocal knowledge
A high water table and a protected river shape private drainage here.
Much of the valley sits on gravel close to the river. In winter the ground can be saturated, and drainage fields stop working until the water drops.
The Hampshire Avon is protected for its wildlife. A septic tank that discharges into the river, a ditch or a stream must be upgraded under the General Binding Rules.
New Forest District Council asks new homes to be nutrient neutral. That affects the choice of treatment plant if you’re building or converting.
Local to you
From the town along the Avon valley and into the western New Forest, here’s where we work around Ringwood.
Ringwood · town and nearby
Surrounding villages · where private drainage is common
If you’re around Ringwood or the Avon valley, call with your postcode and we’ll confirm.
Why Ringwood customers use us
Whether it’s a treatment plant at a smallholding near Linwood or a cesspit in Harbridge, here’s what you get.
We’ve been emptying tanks and servicing systems since long before most of the kit on the market existed.
Our engineers and most of our tanker drivers hold current confined space entry certificates, and the engineers carry the most common parts.
Tankers from 2,000 to 4,000 gallons, jet/vac combination units, CCTV survey kit and confined space teams for pump station wet wells.
A waste transfer note with every collection, and a written report after surveys and services.
Regular customers get a reminder when their next empty or service is due.
Emergency call-outs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with a real person answering the phone.
Checkatrade
From 134 reviews · Read them
From 63 reviews · Read them
Scores as of September 2026
★★★★★Great service from the initial call to the guys that come out. And we’re at the house within 3-4 hours. That’s why we’ve always used them
Josh F. Google review
★★★★★We use Clearmasters regularly for our cesspool emptying and can't fault them at all. Always friendly and professional, both on the phone and the drivers. Online credit card payment which makes life easy. Highly recommend.
★★★★★Turned up on time, cleared the blockage with little fuss and the lads who turned up were professional throughout
How it works
Simple and the same every time.
Step 1
Call us or book online and tell us what system you have and what’s happening. If you know when it was last emptied or serviced, tell us that too.
Step 2
We agree a date and send a tanker or service engineer. It helps if:
Step 3
You get a waste transfer note for anything we take away, and a written report after a survey or service. If it’s a regular job, we’ll remind you when the next one is due.
Free, no-obligation quote
Tell us what you need and we’ll come back with a price. If something’s overflowing, call us now instead.
Questions answered
What people around Ringwood and the Avon valley most often ask us.
Around Ringwood, much of the land sits on gravel near the river, and the water table rises in winter. When the ground is full of water, the drainage field has nowhere to drain. Emptying the tank before winter helps, and a survey can show whether the field needs work.
It can. The Avon is protected, so any system discharging into it or a ditch nearby must meet the General Binding Rules, and new homes have to be nutrient neutral. If you’re planning work, check with the council and the Environment Agency first.
At least once a year, and most need emptying around once a year too. We can do both on one visit and remind you when the next is due.
Use as little water as possible and call 03333 233566. Don’t open the control panel. It usually means a blower, pump or float switch has failed.
Usually. Our tankers come in different sizes and carry long hoses. Let us know about narrow tracks, soft ground or low branches when you book.
Yes. We have crews in Hampshire most days and answer the phone 24 hours a day. Call 03333 233566 and we’ll tell you when we can be with you.
Got a different question? Call 03333 233566 or send us a message.
We're independently vetted and certified so you can trust who you're letting onto your site.
Health & safety pre-qualification accreditation, verifying our processes meet recognised safety standards.
Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme — approved to work safely within the rail industry supply chain.
Utilities Vetting Database membership, confirming we meet the utilities sector's supply chain standards.
Vetted and approved under the local authority's trusted trader scheme for honesty and fair dealing.
Members of the National Association of Drainage Contractors, the UK trade body for the drainage industry.
Registered with the Environment Agency, so your waste is handled and disposed of fully within the law.
Keep the site, forms and online booking working, and protect them from spam.
Google Analytics: counts visits and shows us which pages are useful, so we can improve the site.
Meta (Facebook) pixel: measures our Facebook adverts and shows our adverts to people who've visited our site.
CLEARMASTERS