Septic Tank
Pumping

Pumping is the routine maintenance that keeps a septic system working. Solids sink to the bottom of the tank as sludge, grease and lighter material float to the top as scum, and the liquid in between flows out to the leach lines or seepage pit. Pump the tank before those layers get too thick, and the solids stay in the tank where they belong.

Valley Drilling Co has been a family-owned, C-42 licensed septic contractor since 1950. We handle routine and emergency pump-outs seven days a week. Call (909) 795-6164. A real person answers from 8 AM to 8 PM every day, and after-hours emergency calls are answered too.

How Often Should You Pump a Septic Tank?

The EPA's general guidance is every three to five years for a typical household. How often your tank needs it comes down to its size and how many people use it: often every 2–3 years for a busy household, 3–5 for smaller ones. A 1,000-gallon tank serving a family of four usually falls in the 2–3 year range.

A garbage disposal, a lot of laundry, frequent guests or an ADU sharing the tank all shorten the interval. Our pump-out frequency calculator gives you a starting point, and after every pump-out we'll tell you when it makes sense to call again.

What Are the Signs Your Tank Is Overdue?

• Drains slow down, especially the lowest tub or shower
• Toilets or drains gurgle after you run the washer
• Sewage smell in the yard or near the tank
• Wet, soft or extra-green grass over the tank or leach lines
• Water backing up into a floor drain or shower
• Nobody remembers when it was last pumped

What Happens on a Pump-Out Visit?

1. You call. Tell us what's going on and, if you know, when the tank was last pumped.
2. We find the tank. A lot of lids are buried. We locate and uncover them.
3. We pump it out and check the sludge and scum levels.
4. We tell you what we saw, in plain English, along with an honest answer on when to pump next.

Before we arrive, make sure we can get through any gates, and keep pets inside. If you know where the lid is, mark it.

Emergency Pumping and After-Hours Calls

If sewage is backing up into the house or coming up in the yard, stop using water. No showers, laundry or flushing. Then call (909) 795-6164. Emergency calls are answered after hours as well as during the day.

A backup doesn't always mean the tank is full. A clogged line, a failed baffle or a drain field that has stopped draining can look the same from inside the house. If the tank fills up again soon after a pump-out, the problem is further down the line. Our leach line repair and seepage pit pages explain what that can mean.

Selling a Home on Septic?

Buyers and lenders often ask for a septic inspection before close of escrow, and pumping is often part of it. If you're selling, mention it when you call so we can set up an escrow inspection and certification.

Towns Where We Pump

These towns have their own pages, and we pump tanks well beyond them across the five counties we serve.

San Bernardino County

Riverside County

County service areas

Septic Pumping Questions

How often should I pump my septic tank?

Often every 2–3 years for a busy household, and 3–5 years for smaller ones. The EPA's general guidance is every three to five years, but tank size, the number of people and habits like heavy laundry or a garbage disposal all change it. We'll give you an honest interval after each pump-out.

Can you pump my tank if I don't know where it is?

Yes. Many tanks have buried lids, and finding and uncovering them is part of the job. If you have an old permit drawing or remember roughly where the tank is, that helps, but it isn't required.

Will pumping fix a backup?

If the tank is simply full, pumping relieves the backup. If the tank fills up again soon after, the problem is likely a clogged line, a failed baffle, or a leach field or seepage pit that has stopped draining, and that needs a closer look.

Do you pump septic tanks on weekends?

Yes. We handle routine and emergency pump-outs seven days a week. Phones are answered from 8 AM to 8 PM every day, and after-hours emergency calls are answered too.

More answers on our Septic FAQ, or read about our company.