Septic Tank Surveys · Somerset
Septic Tank & Drainage Surveys in Somerset
We match buyers, sellers and homeowners across Somerset with an independent local specialist, covering Taunton, Wells, Glastonbury, Yeovil and the surrounding villages. It costs you nothing, and there's no obligation to proceed. Tell us your postcode and what's going on, and we'll point you to someone who can help.
What Somerset homeowners should know
The Levels and Moors are low-lying, wet and prone to flooding, which affects drainage fields differently than it would on higher ground — a field that's already waterlogged has nowhere to disperse wastewater, and in severe cases flooding can push waste back into the tank. Flood pumping helps manage water levels across the area through the year, but it doesn't remove the risk entirely for a drainage field on particularly low ground.
Many older properties on the Levels have systems that outlet to a drainage ditch or rhyne rather than a conventional drainage field, which is worth flagging to a specialist before a survey.
Mendip, the Quantocks and part of Exmoor National Park bring steeper, more varied ground to the county, along with their own planning considerations where protected landscapes apply.
Wherever you are in Somerset, a septic tank discharging straight into a stream or watercourse isn't allowed under the General Binding Rules — a survey will confirm whether that applies to your system.
What a survey covers
A septic tank survey typically includes locating the tank, checking its condition and capacity, confirming where it discharges to, and assessing whether the system meets the General Binding Rules. A thorough survey will also look at access for emptying and maintenance, and whether the system is reasonably sized for the property. You'll get a written report you can pass to solicitors or buyers.
When you need one
Here's when people usually get in touch:
- Buying a property with a septic tank, cesspit or treatment plant
- Selling one, and need to tell the buyer what you have
- Told by a surveyor, buyer or neighbour that your system may not comply
- Inherited a system and don't know its history
Typical cost
Costs vary by specialist, the size of the system and how easy it is to reach. You'll get a clear quote before any work starts.
Somerset questions
Does the tank need emptying before the survey? + −
Often, yes. Many specialists need the tank empty to inspect it properly, and some can arrange emptying as part of the visit for an extra cost. If you know roughly how full it is, mention this when you get in touch.
What do I tell a buyer? + −
By law you need to tell a buyer in writing what the system is, where it is, and how it's maintained. A survey gives you something concrete to base that on, and who pays for any upgrade is then something you and the buyer agree between you.
Can flooding push waste back into a septic tank? + −
Yes — on low-lying ground, rising water can prevent a tank from draining normally, and in severe cases push wastewater back the way it came. If a property is on the Levels and Moors or near a known flood area, it's worth mentioning this to the specialist.
Does living on the Somerset Levels affect how a system is surveyed? + −
It can, since drainage fields on low, flat, wet ground tend to fail in different ways than ones on higher ground. A specialist familiar with the area will know what to look for on a Levels property specifically.
How it works
- Tell us your postcode and what you need — a survey, a repair, or just advice.
- We match you with one independent specialist who covers your area, not a list of several chasing you for the work.
- You deal with them directly from there to arrange and pay for the work.
How we choose specialists
We introduce you to an independent specialist operating in your area who covers the type of work you need. You're under no obligation to use them, and it costs you nothing. See how we make money.