CLEARMASTERS
Septic tank and cesspit emptying
We empty septic tanks and cesspits at homes, farms and estates around Whitchurch and check the inlet, outlet and baffles while we’re there. We’ll tell you honestly if the tank is showing its age.
Learn moreWhitchurch is a small town close to the source of the River Test, in rolling chalk country on the edge of the North Wessex Downs. The town is on mains drainage, but the villages and farms around it, such as Laverstoke, Freefolk, Hurstbourne Priors, St Mary Bourne and Litchfield, mostly aren’t. They depend on septic tanks, cesspits and treatment plants.
This is the very top of a famous chalk stream, where the water is at its clearest and most sensitive. It’s also chalk country, where groundwater rises in wet winters and some streams only flow part of the year. Both affect how private drainage should be looked after here.
We empty, service and survey systems around Whitchurch all year. Our tankers and engineers are in Hampshire most days and we answer the phone 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Our Whitchurch drainage and waste services
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Septic Tank & Cesspit Emptying
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Treatment Plant Servicing
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Septic Tank Surveys
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Treatment Plant Installations
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Treatment Plant & Pump Repairs
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Blocked Drains & CCTV Surveys
Learn moreWhitchurch &
the upper Test
the upper Test
Cottages, farms
& estates
& estates
Plant servicing
& repairs
& repairs
Waste transfer
notes
notes
24/7
call-outs
call-outs
What we do for Whitchurch customers
Treatment plant servicing
If you have a treatment plant, it needs servicing at least once a year. Our engineers clean and check it, test the blower and pumps, and give you a written report.
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Surveys and General Binding Rules checks
A survey tells you what system you have, its condition and where it discharges, and whether it meets the rules. It’s worth having before you buy, and before deciding whether an old tank needs replacing.
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Upgrades and new treatment plants
If your septic tank discharges into a watercourse, it has to be upgraded. We can install a treatment plant or a new drainage field, and then service it for you.
Learn moreLocal knowledge
Drainage around Whitchurch: what to know
The top of a chalk stream, and chalk downs all around.
The source of the Test
The river rises just upstream of Whitchurch. Any septic tank discharging into it, or a ditch feeding it, has to be upgraded under the General Binding Rules.
Rising groundwater
In wet winters the water table in the chalk can rise high enough to affect tanks and drainage fields in the valley bottoms.
North Wessex Downs
Parts of the area are in a protected landscape, so planning for new systems can take a little longer. It’s worth starting early.
Local to you
Areas we cover in and around Whitchurch
From Whitchurch up and down the Test valley and onto the downs, here’s where we work.
Whitchurch · town and nearby
- Whitchurch
- Laverstoke
- Freefolk
- Tufton
- Hurstbourne Priors
Surrounding villages · where private drainage is common
- Overton
- St Mary Bourne
- Stoke
- Litchfield
- Newtown
- Ashe
- Deane
- Micheldever
- Bullington
- Longparish
- Hurstbourne Tarrant
- Binley
Not sure if we cover you?
If you’re in or around Whitchurch, call with your postcode and we’ll confirm.
Nearby areas
Why Whitchurch customers use us
Careful work at the top of the Test
Whether it’s a cesspit at a farm near Litchfield or a treatment plant in St Mary Bourne, here’s what you get.
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34 years in drainage
We’ve been emptying tanks and servicing systems since long before most of the kit on the market existed.
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Trained engineers
Our engineers and most of our tanker drivers hold current confined space entry certificates, and the engineers carry the most common parts.
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Paperwork done properly
A waste transfer note with every collection, and a written report after surveys and services.
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We remember so you don’t have to
Regular customers get a reminder when their next empty or service is due.
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The right kit for the job
Tankers from 2,000 to 4,000 gallons, jet/vac combination units, CCTV survey kit and confined space teams for pump station wet wells.
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Day and night, all year
Emergency call-outs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with a real person answering the phone.
What our customers say
9.84/10
Checkatrade
From 134 reviews · Read them
4.9/5
From 63 reviews · Read them
Scores as of September 2026
★★★★★Work carried out professionally as usual, the only company I'd recommend.
Mary M. Google review
★★★★★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
★★★★★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.
How it works
What happens when you book
Simple and the same every time.
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Step 1
Tell us what you’ve got
Call us or book online and tell us what kind of system you have and when it was last emptied, if you know.
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Step 2
We come out and do the job
We agree a date and send a tanker or service engineer. It helps if:
- there’s firm ground for a tanker near the tank, as riverside lawns can be soft
- lids and covers are easy to find and not buried under turf
- you tell us about bridges, weight limits or narrow lanes on the way in
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Step 3
Paperwork and the next visit
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
Get a quote for your Whitchurch property
Tell us what you need and we’ll give you a price for emptying, servicing, a survey or an upgrade. If something’s overflowing, call us now.
- Free quotes for emptying, servicing and surveys
- Help with General Binding Rules upgrades
- Treatment plants installed and serviced
Urgent?
03333 233566
Questions answered
Whitchurch septic tank FAQs
The questions people around Whitchurch ask us most often.
My septic tank drains to a stream that only flows in winter. Does that count?
It can. A winterbourne is still a watercourse when it flows, and the General Binding Rules don’t allow septic tanks to discharge to surface water. A survey will confirm where yours goes and whether it needs upgrading.
Why does my drainage field stop working in some winters?
In the chalk valleys, groundwater can rise close to the surface after a long wet spell. When the ground is saturated, the drainage field can’t drain. It usually recovers when levels drop.
What does upgrading a septic tank involve?
Usually replacing it with a treatment plant, or moving the discharge to a drainage field. We survey the site first and recommend what will work and meet the rules.
How often should a treatment plant be serviced?
At least once a year, and most need the sludge emptied about once a year too. We can do both on one visit and remind you when it’s due.
Do you cover the villages towards Overton and St Mary Bourne?
Yes. We cover Whitchurch and all the villages around it in the upper Test valley and on the downs.
Can you help in an emergency?
Yes. Our crews are in Hampshire most days and we answer the phone 24 hours a day. Call 03333 233566.
Got a different question? Call 03333 233566 or send us a message.
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.