In an ideal world, all your drainage would be installed in a way in which gravity can work its magic and transfer all your waste to the main sewer. This is not always possible for a variety of reasons, and this is where pump stations come in.
Pump stations work as a holding tank or chamber, which will fill to a predetermined capacity before engaging a pump (or pumps) to discharge the liquid with enough force to send it on its way, usually to the mains or at least to a point where gravity can take over.
You could have 1 or 2 pump stations, if you have 2 it would most likely be one for stormwater and one for household waste.
The size of a pump chamber is determined by the total number of properties and their sizes connected to it. Usually, this is calculated by simply adding up the total number of bedrooms. This gives you a general idea of how many people will likely, or potentially could be creating waste. You would then work out a maximum daily discharge and make sure your pump chamber can store at least 24 hours’ worth of waste. This gives you a bit of breathing space in the case of a power cut or pump failure for example.
A fully working pump station is a joy, a failed one…. Not so much. Although your pumps are perfectly designed to transfer the liquids and to a degree (pump dependant!) some of the solids in the pump chamber they are not designed to pump away a lot of what can make it in. larger solids, clumps of tissue paper, little scuba man figures your 3 year old decides to test in your toilet, all these things and more will inevitably find their way into your drainage and need to be removed before they cause blockages or even worse complete failure of your pump(s).
Replacing these pumps can be very costly, not only the outlay for the physical pump but your waste still needs to be dealt with whilst repairs are going on. Daily visits from a vacuum tanker start to build up costs quickly.
This can all be avoided by educating yourselves and your family/guests on what should be getting flushed and regular emptying and servicing of the mechanical parts of your pump chamber.
Don’t panic, call us straight away and we will investigate. Do not attempt to run any pumps manually or adjust anything on the control panel. Unless it has an audible alarm, you can mute that for your own sanity! We are available 24/7 365 days of the year.
The golden rules of what to flush down your toilet
Quite simply, we are the best!
We are always on hand, whether it be a routine visit, or an emergency call out to offer you the very best in cesspit emptying. We pride ourselves on having a modern fleet of vehicles containing the highest tech equipment to ensure that we can provide you with the high levels of reliability and efficiency that we constantly achieve.
Our friendly and knowledgeable office team, are always available to discuss or advise on any of your cesspit requirements or simply to schedule in your cesspit emptying at a convenient time and date that suits you.
On site, our team of dedicated, friendly and fully trained engineers will ensure that your emptying is carried out to the highest standard with minimal disruption. Our engineers are always willing and fully encouraged to spend time answering any questions you may have regarding your sewage system.
Most foul and surface water pump stations require emptying once or twice a year, depending on usage, the amount of solids entering the system and the size of the wet-well. Commercial pump stations may need more frequent servicing due to higher flow rates and heavier demand.
Common symptoms include pumps activating more often than usual, high-level alarms, slow drainage from connected areas, unpleasant odours near the wet-well and rising water levels inside the chamber. These are strong indicators your pump station requires immediate emptying and inspection.
Our engineers safely access the wet-well, remove all sludge, rags and debris, clean the chamber, check for blockages and ensure the pumps, floats and pipework are clear. This full pump station emptying service keeps both foul and surface water systems working reliably.
We plan pump station emptying to minimise disruption. Most domestic systems remain operational during the visit, while commercial pump stations may require a short pause depending on layout. We will confirm all logistics with you ahead of arrival.
Routine emptying prevents pump damage, reduces blockages, improves efficiency and helps avoid emergency callouts caused by overloading or system failure. Proper wet-well maintenance significantly extends the lifespan of both foul and surface water pump station equipment.
Please ensure the pump station access covers are clear, the area is safe to enter and there is suitable space for our tanker. Let us know if the system is a shared or commercial pump station so we can bring the correct equipment for your setup.
