CLEARMASTERS
Why parks are different
Holiday park drainage has a hard job
A park can go from a handful of people to a small town in a few weeks, all on private drainage that most guests don’t know is there.
Huge seasonal swings
A treatment plant sized for a full park in August has to keep working in February, when it’s barely used. Both extremes cause problems.
Chemical disposal points
Cassette toilet chemicals emptied by touring guests can kill the bacteria in a treatment plant if the wrong products are used.
Guests who don’t know
Wipes, nappies and fat from hundreds of guests who are used to mains drainage at home.
Permits and long runs
Most parks need an environmental permit, and spread-out sites rely on long pipe runs and pump stations.
Interactive
Common drainage problems on holiday parks
Tap a number to see what goes wrong in each part of a typical park, and how to prevent it.
Clubhouse, bar and café
A busy kitchen at peak season sends fat and food waste into the drains.
- Fat building up in drains and the pump station
- Grease separators left too long between empties
What to do: Empty the separator on a schedule, and more often in the summer.
Shower and toilet blocks
Hundreds of visitors a day, most of them unused to private drainage.
- Wipes, sanitary products and nappies flushed
- Hair and soap in shower drains
- Huge morning peaks in flow
What to do: Clear signs in every block, and planned jetting before the season starts.
Pool
Filter backwash and pool emptying can send a surge of treated water into the drains.
- A sudden surge through the treatment plant
- Chlorine harming the bacteria
What to do: Check where backwash goes. Most treatment plant makers say it shouldn’t go into the plant.
Chemical disposal point
Where touring guests empty their cassette toilets. One of the most common causes of treatment plant trouble on parks.
- Toilet chemicals, especially formaldehyde-based ones, killing the bacteria
- Concentrated waste arriving all at once on changeover days
What to do: Ask guests to use formaldehyde-free toilet chemicals, and tell us where your CDP drains to.
Static caravans and lodges
Each unit has its own connection, often on long, shallow runs.
- Blockages on long, flat pipe runs
- Frozen or damaged pipes after winter
- Owners flushing wipes
What to do: A CCTV survey of problem runs, and a reminder to owners at the start of the season.
Touring pitches and motorhomes
Grey water from motorhomes and tourers adds to the load.
- Grey waste points blocked with food and fat
- Flows rising sharply on busy weekends
What to do: Keep grey waste points clear, and plan emptying around your busiest weekends.
Pump station
Parks are often spread out, so sewage is pumped to the plant.
- Wipes ragging the pumps
- Alarms on the busiest weekend of the year
What to do: Service before the season, and keep our 24/7 number in reception.
Treatment plant and outfall
Sized for a full park, it has to cope with August and with an empty site in February.
- Overloading at peak season
- Poor performance when the park is nearly empty
- Missing permit records
What to do: A desludge and service before and after the season, plus effluent sampling for your permit.
Interactive
Your drainage year
Tap a time of year to see what the drainage is doing and what work fits best.
What we offer
How we look after holiday parks
Planned maintenance contracts
A schedule for every drainage asset on site, booked and confirmed by our office, with a written report after every visit.
Effluent sampling
Samples taken as part of your maintenance plan, with the records kept ready for your permit and the Environment Agency.
A named contact
One person who knows your site, your access arrangements and your preferences.
Jetting and CCTV
Planned jetting of problem drain runs before they block, and camera surveys to find the cause of repeat problems.
Compliance paperwork
RAMS, insurance certificates and training records on request, and a waste transfer note for every load removed.
24/7 emergency cover
One number, answered day and night. Tankers to stop an overflow, engineers to fix the cause.
One contractor
Everything on site, from the shower block to the outfall
Around your guests
Visits that don’t spoil anyone’s holiday
Quiet times
Mid-week and early morning visits, away from changeover days.
Tanker out of the way
Long hose runs keep the tanker away from pitches and play areas.
Agreed routes
Site roads and access agreed with you, with speed and safety in mind.
Briefed crews
In uniform, polite with guests, and the site left clean.
Planned around your diary
Bank holidays, events and busy weekends noted in advance.
Getting started
How it works
Site visit
We visit out of season if we can, record every drainage asset and look at your permit and records.
A plan for your season
Pre-season and post-season visits, emptying and sampling, all booked around your calendar.
Visits and reports
Our own crews carry out the work. You get a written report and waste transfer notes.
Support all season
Your named contact keeps things on track, and our 24/7 line covers the busy weekends.
What our customers say
Checkatrade
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Scores as of September 2026
Questions answered
Questions from park owners and managers
Can toilet chemicals from caravans damage a treatment plant?
Yes. Some cassette toilet chemicals, particularly formaldehyde-based ones, can kill the bacteria a treatment plant relies on, especially when lots are emptied at once on changeover days. Many parks ask guests to use formaldehyde-free products, and it’s worth knowing where your chemical disposal point drains to.
When should a holiday park treatment plant be serviced?
Ideally before the season starts and again after it ends, with desludging when the sludge builds up. Your plant’s manufacturer will also have guidance. We plan visits around your season so the plant is ready for the busy months.
Does a holiday park need an environmental permit for its sewage?
Usually. The general binding rules only cover discharges of up to 2 cubic metres a day to the ground or 5 cubic metres a day to a watercourse, and most parks produce far more at peak times. Most parks need an environmental permit, which may set limits on effluent quality.
Can you work around our guests?
Yes. We plan visits for quieter times, such as mid-week or early morning, agree where the tanker parks and which route we use, and avoid your busiest weekends for anything that isn’t urgent.
Do you empty holding tanks and portable toilets?
Yes. We empty holding tanks, portable toilets and welfare units with our own tankers, as well as septic tanks, cesspits and treatment plants.
What happens if the pump station fails in August?
Call our 24/7 line on 03333 233577. We can send a tanker to stop an overflow and an engineer to find and fix the fault. A pre-season service makes this much less likely.
Can you take effluent samples for our permit?
Yes. We take effluent samples as part of a maintenance plan and can help you keep the records your permit asks for.
Do you work on campsites and glamping sites too?
Yes. We look after drainage on campsites, glamping sites, caravan parks and lodge parks, from a single septic tank to a large treatment plant with pump stations.
Got a different question? Call 03333 233566 or send us a message.
Let’s get your park ready for the season
Tell us about your park and your season dates. We’ll arrange a visit, see what’s there and plan the work around your busiest months.
Useful guides for park teams
Other sectors we work with: Pubs and restaurants · Wedding and event venues · Golf clubs · Care homes · Schools and colleges · all sectors
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.