Last Updated on 15 July 2025 by Maelle
The sewerage system is essential for the disposal of wastewater because it has a very harmful effect on the environment, and it is almost impossible to discharge it into the wild as is.
Almost all homes are connected to a collective sewerage system called the sewer system, and the homeowner must connect to it. Some homes are located in areas where sewerage doesn’t exist, so the owners of the affected homes must install their own sanitation systems, such as a septic tank.
A septic tank is an individual sewer system that allows owners of homes not connected to the sewer system to dispose of their wastewater. Installing a sewer system requires regular maintenance, as otherwise, there is a risk of serious problems with unpleasant odors and overflows. To prevent all these inevitable problems, there are a number of guidelines to follow and certain types of maintenance to perform on your septic tank.
According to the experts at the Belgian company SD Débouchage, which specializes in septic tank emptying, for a septic tank to function properly, you must ensure that it isn’t overfilled, as this can cause it to overflow and subsequently lead to various problems, including unpleasant odors. So, the question is, what should you do when a septic tank overflows? First of all, regarding compliance standards, sludge that fills more than half of the sewer makes it full, so beyond half, you must start a septic tank emptying program. If the sludge level is significantly higher than half of the tank, there is a strong chance that the septic tank is clogged, so it is necessary to identify the case to determine whether or not it is clogged. In the case of an overflow, the intervention of a specialist professional is inevitable; an appointment is made with a company specializing in sanitation work to remove all excess sludge from the sewer.What is septic tank emptying? Emptying the sewer is a process that must be carried out periodically every year. It is a mandatory maintenance process carried out by a certified specialist with all the necessary tools for this operation, in addition to the skills to successfully carry out this unblocking. How often should a septic tank be emptied?
A septic tank should be emptied on average once every four years. To determine whether it requires this operation, the sludge volume must be checked. A professional will intervene when the sludge level occupies 50% of the septic tank or exceeds it, to prevent unpleasant odors from appearing. However, small wastewater treatment plants perform this emptying system when the sludge volume reaches a third of the septic tank. The cost of this emptying varies between €150 and €300.
More alarming signs that alert you to a possible obstruction in your septic tank:
The appearance of foul odors in your home or at the location of the septic tank in your garden, A blocked toilet,
Slow wastewater drainage
Backflow of dirty water accompanied by unusual noise in the toilet, bathtub, shower, sinks, and basins A septic tank inspection and verification step: After unclogging the drain, the company responsible for emptying it must perform several checks: The first thing to do is to immediately refill the septic tank with water to avoid any soil compression and crushing. The second step is to leave a little sludge in the drain to trap certain bacteria that reactivate water treatment after the septic tank is restarted. At the end of the operation, a certificate must be provided by the company responsible for this; therefore, the professional must prepare a slip including:
The company’s name and the professional’s name.
The approval number and validity date
The contact details of the septic tank’s location
The date of emptying
The type of products used
