Septic Tank Emptying & Servicing in Guildford

Guildford town is almost entirely on mains sewers, but head out towards Shere, Albury, Peaslake or the Clandons and it's a different story. Much of the countryside around Guildford lies within the Surrey Hills National Landscape, and many of its cottages, farmhouses and country homes have never been connected to the mains. They rely on a septic tank, a cesspit or a small sewage treatment plant, and some of those systems are older than the people who own them.

The ground here matters too. The Hog's Back and the North Downs are chalk, and the land to the south around the Tillingbourne valley is largely sandstone. Both drain far more freely than clay, which suits soakaways and drainage fields, but it also means wastewater can reach the groundwater underneath more quickly. That groundwater supplies drinking water, so any new or replacement drainage field has to be planned carefully and within the Environment Agency's rules.

We also help people who are buying or selling a home. A property with a septic tank changes hands with legal responsibilities attached, and a survey before exchange avoids nasty surprises for both sides. Whatever you need, you'll deal with our own crews and engineers, with emergency cover around the clock.

Surrey Hills
villages

All major
plant makes

Surveys for
house sales

24/7
emergencies

Own tanker
fleet

How we help Guildford homeowners

Tanker emptying a septic tank at a village property

Emptying older septic tanks and cesspits

Plenty of village properties around Guildford have tanks that were built decades ago, sometimes in brick, sometimes buried under a lawn or patio that's been added since. We empty them all, and while we're there we'll tell you honestly how the tank is holding up: cracked walls, missing baffles or a blocked outlet are all easier to deal with when they're spotted early. If your lane is narrow or your tank is a long way from the road, mention it when you book and we'll send the right size of tanker. Our fleet ranges from 2,000 to 4,000 gallons.

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Engineer servicing a sewage treatment plant

Treatment plant servicing for homes and businesses

Newer homes, barn conversions and many rural businesses around Guildford, including pubs, golf clubs, equestrian yards and wedding venues, run their own sewage treatment plant. A treatment plant is a small machine that needs looking after: blowers, diffusers, pumps and alarms all wear, and the sludge has to be removed regularly. Our engineers service all the main makes, including Klargester, Conder, Marsh, Graf and Tricell, and can set up a regular service so the effluent leaving your plant stays within the rules.

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CCTV survey of a septic tank outlet pipe

Septic tank surveys when you buy or sell

If you're buying a house with a septic tank, you need to know what you're taking on: where the tank is, where it discharges to, whether it meets the General Binding Rules and what condition the pipework is in. If you're selling, the law says you must give the buyer written details of the system. Our septic tank and home buyer surveys can combine an inspection of the tank with a CCTV survey of the drains, and give you a clear written report you can hand to your solicitor. It's far cheaper than discovering a problem after completion.

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Drainage fields and upgrades on chalk and sandstone

Free-draining ground makes drainage fields work well, but it brings its own rules. A new drainage field can't discharge more than two cubic metres a day under the General Binding Rules, and it can't go inside a groundwater Source Protection Zone 1 without a permit from the Environment Agency. Before we recommend anything, we check the designation for your property, carry out a percolation test and size the system to suit. Where an old septic tank discharges into a stream or ditch, we can replace it with a treatment plant or add a compliant drainage field.

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Recent work

Recent work around Guildford

A treatment plant repair in the Surrey Hills, sorted on the same visit.

Klargester BioTec treatment plant lid and kiosk in a garden in Albury

New Charles Austen ET60A air blower fitted to the Albury treatment plant

New-style Klargester control panel fitted to the treatment plant

Albury
Treatment plant repair

Getting a Klargester BioTec back up and running in Albury

The problem

When our engineer arrived for this plant's annual service, the Klargester BioTec wasn't working. Both the control panel and the air blower had failed. The blower pumps air into the plant so the bacteria can break down the waste, so without it, the wastewater leaving the plant isn't being treated properly.

What we did

We keep common spares on our vans for exactly this reason. Our engineer fitted a new-style Klargester control panel and a Charles Austen ET60A blower there and then, and got the plant working again before leaving.

The result

The service and repair were done in one two-hour visit, so the customer didn't have to wait for parts or pay for a second call-out. It's one of the reasons an annual service is worth having: faults get found and fixed before they cause a bigger problem.

System: Klargester BioTec
Work: Annual service & repair
Time on site: 2 hours
Completed: July 2026

Is your treatment plant due a service?Get a free quote

Local to you

Areas we cover around Guildford

From the villages of the Tillingbourne valley to the farms along the Hog's Back and out towards Ripley and the Horsleys.

Guildford · town and outskirts

Guildford
Merrow
Burpham
Stoughton
Onslow Village
Jacobs Well
Worplesdon
Wood Street Village

Surrey Hills and surrounding villages · where most off-mains systems are

Shere
Gomshall
Albury
Peaslake
Chilworth
Shalford
Bramley
Wonersh
Compton
Puttenham
Seale
Normandy
Pirbright
Ripley
Send
West Clandon
East Clandon
West Horsley
East Horsley
Effingham

Tucked away down a lane?

Plenty of village properties are. Give us your postcode and a rough idea of access, and we'll confirm we can reach you.

Nearby areas

Call 03333 233566

Why choose us around Guildford

Private drainage specialists, not general plumbers

Septic tanks, cesspits and treatment plants are at the heart of what we do, and we've been looking after them for more than 34 years.

Comfortable with older systems
Brick tanks, hidden chambers and undocumented pipework don't faze our crews.
Every major treatment plant make
Klargester, Conder, Marsh, Graf, Tricell and more, serviced by qualified engineers.
Straight answers for buyers and sellers
Written survey reports that explain what's there, whether it complies and what it would cost to put right.
The right tanker for the lane
Tankers from 2,000 to 4,000 gallons, so we can match the vehicle to the access.
Careful with the groundwater
We know the rules for discharges to ground and design drainage fields to meet them.
Here when it overflows
Emergency call-outs at any hour, every day of the year, including bank holidays.

What our Surrey customers say

9.84/10

Checkatrade

From 134 reviews · Read them

[4.9]/5

Google

From [000] reviews · Read them

Scores as of September 2026

★★★★★

Pleasure to deal with this company. The are efficient and competitively priced
Checkatrade review Checkatrade · GU4

★★★★★

Clearmasters Ltd did a great job of servicing and emptying our sewage treatment plant. The team turned up on time, were very polite, efficient and gave me lots of advice on maintenance. The office team are extremely helpful also. I'd thoroughly recommend them.
Checkatrade review Checkatrade · GU10

★★★★★

Friendly efficient service at a reasonable cost. Arrived on time and operatives were helpful and polite.
Checkatrade review Checkatrade · GU5

Read all our reviews

How it works

From first call to finished job

Whether it's a routine empty at a cottage near Shere or a survey before you exchange contracts, here's how it goes.

Step 1

Get in touch

Call or book online. Tell us whether you have a septic tank, cesspit or treatment plant (or that you're not sure), how to find it, and what the access is like. If it's for a house sale, let us know your exchange date.
Step 2

We visit

Our crew arrives with a tanker sized for your lane. To save time on the day:
- make sure gates are open and there's room to park near the tank
- uncover the lids, or tell us where they're likely to be
- keep dogs and horses away from the working area
Step 3

You get it in writing

A waste transfer note for every empty, a service record for treatment plants, and a written report after any survey, ready for your solicitor or your own files.

Book online Call 03333 233566

Free, no-obligation quote

Get a quote for your Guildford-area property

Emptying, servicing or a survey before a sale, send us a few details and we'll come back with a price. If your tank is overflowing, please ring us instead.

Free quotes, with no charge just to give you a price
Specialists in septic tanks and treatment plants
Emergency call-outs at any hour

Overflowing now? 03333 233566

Questions answered

Guildford septic tank FAQs

The things homeowners, buyers and sellers around Guildford most often want to know.

My house is on chalk. Does that make a difference to my septic tank?

Yes, in two ways. Chalk and sandstone drain well, so soakaways and drainage fields around Guildford tend to cope better in wet weather than they would on clay. The flip side is that wastewater can reach the groundwater more quickly, and that groundwater is used for drinking water.

If you need a new or replacement drainage field, it has to meet the Environment Agency's General Binding Rules: no more than two cubic metres a day, and not inside a groundwater Source Protection Zone 1 unless you have a permit. We check this before recommending anything.

I'm buying a house near Guildford with a septic tank. What should I check?

Find out what kind of system it is, where the tank and drainage are, and where it discharges. If a septic tank discharges straight into a stream or ditch, it must be upgraded under the General Binding Rules, and who pays for that should be agreed as part of the sale.

The seller has to give you written details of the system, including maintenance records if they have them. A septic tank survey before exchange gives you an independent report on its condition and whether it complies.

Do you service my make of treatment plant?

Almost certainly. We service Klargester, Conder, Marsh, Graf, Tricell and most other domestic and commercial plants. If you're not sure what you have, tell us what you can see on the lid or control panel and we'll work it out.

How often does a treatment plant need servicing and emptying?

Most manufacturers recommend a service at least once a year. The Environment Agency's guidance is that sludge should be removed before it reaches the plant's maximum capacity, and at least once a year. We can do both in the same visit.

Can your tanker get down a narrow village lane?

Usually, yes. Our tankers range from 2,000 to 4,000 gallons, so we can send a smaller vehicle where access is tight. When you book, tell us about narrow lanes, weight limits or a long distance from the road to the tank, and we'll plan around it.

Isn't Guildford on mains drainage?

The town is, almost entirely. But many homes in the surrounding villages and countryside, particularly in the Surrey Hills, have never been connected to the mains and rely on a septic tank, cesspit or treatment plant.

Will you come out to a village outside Guildford?

Yes. Around Guildford, septic tanks and cesspits are mostly found in the villages rather than the town, in places like Shere, Albury, Peaslake, Compton, the Clandons and the Horsleys. Check the villages listed above, or ring 03333 233566 and tell us your postcode.

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.

Checkatrade Member

Listed and reviewed on Checkatrade, giving you independent, verified feedback from real customers.

Registered Waste Carrier

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

Septic Tank Emptying & Treatment Plant Servicing in Guildford

Off-mains drainage services around Guildford