What is Drain Rodding?

Our drain rodding service is an efficient way to unblock most slow draining systems we come across. This service is also a great way to maintain any drainage which has ongoing issues with blocking.

Water waste drainage can gather lots of different types of debris, including fats, food, tree roots and in some cases, animal infestation.

Drain rodding and the rodding process isn’t the most complex service, but it can be a highly efficient process for a speedily unblocking a drain.

The process involves multiple rods which are connected together and fed into the drainage with the blockage. The rod itself looks flexible at first sight, but it is a strong tool which can dislodge stubborn blockages in most cases.

If the drain rodding doesn’t clear the drain effectively enough after multiple attempts, then your waste management company will most likely move on to jetting the drainage.

Drain jetting is a similar process to rodding as another pipe is fed into the drainage. The main difference is that the pipe has a high-powered jet on the tip. This injects water at high power into the drains and will most likely clear any further blockages which stand in its way.

This secondary method is effective but will most likely be an added cost to the project.

If you would like to enquire about our costs for this service, then feel free to contact us by filling in our instant quotation forms, or alternatively call us on 01646 629089

How much does unblocking a drain cost?

What is a Sewage Treatment Plant?

The Sewage Treatment Plant

The sewage treatment plant process is known to be the most environmentally friendly because it basically encourages the growth of bacteria to break down sewage by circulating air through the system to produce a much cleaner effluent.

This process isn’t seen as too dissimilar to the septic tank, but there are some key differences to both systems which set them apart from their predecessor, the Cesspit.

Depending on the size of the treatment plant, they can commonly treat large commercial properties or a number of domestic dwellings.

Not too dissimilar to the septic tank, a sewage treatment plant collects sewage from a property into its first of three chambers. It stays here until the solids have settled to the bottom and grease, oil and scum have floated to the top.

Once this separation process has taken place the liquids (or liquor) travel into the second chamber where the air pump is activated and the bacteria is encouraged to breakdown the contaminants in the water.

Finally, the third tank allows the remaining solids to sink to the bottom while the effluent is discharged into the soakaway. It is important that the process is complete before it is discharged into the environment.

The core benefit of a sewage treatment plant is that the system only needs to be emptied around once a year. This being said, there is an added financial cost for the air pump and the electricity it uses to complete the process. This is estimated to cost anywhere from £150 – £250 a year.

A sewage treatment plants tank range in size, see below:

  • 1000 Gallons / 4500 Litres
  • 2000 Gallons / 9000 Litres
  • 3000 Gallons / 13500 Litres
  • 4000 Gallons / 18000 Litres

If you would like to find out any more about our sewage treatment plant services, please click here to fill out one of our contact forms

what is a cesspit?

What is a Cesspit?

A Cesspit is one of three common waste management systems which collect water waste from a property rather than being connected to a mains sewer system.

All these waste management systems have small differences in their process of collecting and treating wastewater.

Other alternative types of waste management systems are Septic Tanks and Sewage Treatment Plants.

The Cesspit and septic tank are commonly mistaken for being the same system. However, both systems run very different processes when holding/disposing of wastewater.

A Cesspit waste management system tends to store all wastewater collected in a tank found underground in close proximity to the property which is then emptied on a regular basis. In short, it simply stores waste rather than treats the wastewater like its forerunner, the septic tank.

A septic tank waste management system is a far more complex process because it collects, stores and disposes of the majority of the wastewater it collects. This being said, a septic tank still needs to be emptied or de-sludged 1-2 times annually.

Previous to the introduction of the septic tank it wasn’t uncommon to find households with a Cesspit installed.

The frequency you will need to empty a Cesspit will depend on the size of it as well as the number of people living within the property, but you are likely to have to empty the tank on 8 – 10 a year.

You will commonly find cesspit tanks come in the sizes below:

  • 1000 Gallons / 4500 Litres
  • 2000 Gallons / 9000 Litres
  • 3000 Gallons / 13500 Litres
  • 4000 Gallons / 18000 Litres

Find out our cesspit tank emptying cost estimates here.

If you would like to find out more about our cesspit services please click here and fill out one of our contact forms.

How much does a Cesspit cost to empty?

How to know when your cesspit needs emptying

What is a Septic Tank?

A Septic tank is one of three common waste management systems which collect water waste from a property rather than being connected to a mains drainage system.

All these waste management systems have small differences in their process of collecting and treating wastewater.

Other waste management systems are a Cesspit or Sewage treatment plant.

Not dissimilar to the cesspit, the septic tank also collects wastewater, but it holds a more complex service.

The system usually comprises of two chambers. The first chamber holds all incoming wastewater and all solids are ‘encouraged’ to settle at the bottom of the tank where they will be decomposed by the septic bacteria through anaerobic digestion.

Meanwhile, the liquors (liquid) will drain into the second chamber where any suspended particles are again encouraged to settle at the bottom while the remaining liquors are exited into the soakaway system and into the surrounding environment. All other impurities are trapped and eliminated in the soil.

It is important to understand that there are many regulations which need to be followed which are issued by the Environment Agency if your household has, or is potentially going to have, a septic tank installed.

One regulation which is important to this article is the ‘Consent to Discharge’.

Septic Tanks don’t necessarily require for a full empty, however, they do need to be de-sludged on a regular basis. This process removes the solids (the sludge) from the system while making sure there still remains an effective amount of bacteria-laden water for the system to continue to run at an optimal level. 

A septic tank is commonly known as the most cost-efficient waste management system as you only need to de-sludge the system 1-2 times a year.

The size of your tank will potentially affect how much it costs to empty your septic tank.

See the most common sizes below:

 1000 Gallons / 4500 Litres           

2000 Gallons / 9000 Litres          

3000 Gallons / 13500 Litres        

4000 Gallons / 18000 Litres       

If you would to find out more about our septic tank services, please click here to fill out our contact form. 

How much does a septic tank cost to empty? 

How to know when your septic tank needs emptying 

Drainage and wet waste specialists

Room F1, Captain Superintendents Building, Admiralty Way, The Dockyard, Pembroke Dock SA72 6TD.
01646 629089