Septic tank pumping and cleaning in Little Rock and nearby towns

A septic tank is a settling basin. Heavy solids sink and turn into sludge, grease and light material float up as scum, and the clearer water in between flows out to the drain lines. Bacteria in the tank break down part of those solids, but never all of them, so the leftover material keeps building until someone pumps it out. "Septic tank cleaning" and "septic tank pumping" describe the same job: a licensed truck vacuums the tank down to the floor so the cycle starts over with room to spare.

How to tell it is time

EPA's rule of thumb for a household tank is a pump-out every three to five years. The real number for your house depends on four things EPA lists: how many people live there, how much wastewater they produce, how much solid material goes down the drains, and how big the tank is. Measuring beats guessing. EPA says a tank is due when any one of these is true:

• the underside of the floating scum layer has come within 6 inches of the bottom of the outlet;
• the top of the sludge has risen to within 12 inches of the outlet;
• sludge and scum together fill more than a quarter of the liquid depth.

Ask whoever pumps the tank to write those levels on the ticket. Two or three visits' worth of measurements tells you your own household's interval far better than any chart can.

Some situations call for pumping no matter what the calendar says: a house about to change hands, drains that have started to slow, a repair that needs the tank empty, or a tank being taken out of service. ADH rules require a tank that is being abandoned to be pumped by a licensed cleaner, then collapsed and filled with clean material.

What size tank is probably in the yard

Arkansas sizes household tanks by bedroom count. Appendix C of the ADH onsite rules sets a minimum of 1,000 gallons for houses with up to three bedrooms and 1,250 gallons for four, then adds 250 gallons for each bedroom beyond that. Older homes may sit on smaller tanks put in under earlier rules. The original permit, which the county health unit can copy for you, records the system design.

What happens on the visit

1. Finding the lids. Newer systems have risers that come up to the surface; the ADH rules call for risers at least 12 inches across over the tank openings, brought up to finished grade. Older tanks may be buried, and the crew has to probe and dig. Knowing where the lids are, or having the as-built drawing, saves time and often money.
2. Emptying the tank. The crew runs a hose from the truck, breaks up the sludge so it lifts out with the liquid, and draws the tank down. Pump trucks in Arkansas must carry a tank holding at least 1,000 gallons.
3. Looking inside. An empty tank is the best chance to check the inlet and outlet tees, rinse the outlet filter if there is one, and look for cracks or root intrusion in the walls.
4. Paperwork. The receipt should carry the company's ADH license number. Keep it with your house records; EPA recommends holding on to every maintenance record.

What comes out of your tank leaves on the truck. Under the state's septic tank cleaner rules it has to go to a permitted sewage treatment plant the hauler has a contract with, or to a land application site the department has approved.

What it costs

Each contractor sets its own pumping price, and it moves with tank size, how hard the lids are to reach, driving distance and whether digging is involved. EPA's 2017 homebuyer guide put routine septic maintenance at roughly $250 to $500 based on nationwide industry estimates; rates around Little Rock today can be different. Get the price, and what it covers (digging, filter cleaning, disposal), before the truck starts.

Stretching the time between pump-outs

• Only toilet paper and human waste go in the toilets. EPA's do-not-flush list includes wipes, diapers, cat litter, dental floss, paper towels and cooking grease.
• Spread laundry across the week instead of running every load on one morning, and fix running toilets and dripping taps. EPA estimates indoor use in a single-family home can reach 70 gallons per person per day.
• Go easy on the garbage disposal. EPA says a disposal means more frequent pumping, and the ADH rules say grinders are not recommended for standard systems.

Questions people ask

Do septic additives mean I can pump less often?

EPA advises against them for household systems: the tank already holds plenty of microorganisms, and additive products can be ineffective or even harm the system. Sludge that settles on the floor only leaves by pumping.

How can I tell a pump truck is licensed in Arkansas?

The septic tank cleaner rules require the firm name, license number and tank capacity on each side of the tank in letters at least 4 inches tall, plus a decal issued by the Department of Health next to them. The license number also belongs on your receipt.

Should I be home when the tank is pumped?

Not always. If the lids are exposed and the truck can get close, many crews can do the job without you. Ask when you book, and mention any gates, dogs or soft ground the driver should know about.