Septic Tank Pumping near Bismarck, ND

How often a country home needs pumping

North Dakota DEQ advises a septic inspection about every three years and a pump-out every three to five years for a typical household, and it says to use only a pumper on the state's licensed list. Heavier use, a garbage disposal or a bigger family pushes you toward the short end of that range.

NDSU Extension adds a seasonal tip that suits this region well: pump before winter, not after the ground locks up.

Tank sizes in your two counties

Western Plains Public Health, which permits septic systems in Morton County, sizes new tanks by bedroom. One to three bedrooms gets a 1,000-gallon tank, or 1,500 with a garbage disposal. Four or five bedrooms gets 1,500 gallons, or 2,250 with a disposal. Six or seven bedrooms gets 2,000, or 3,000 with a disposal.

Bigger tanks take longer to pump and cost more, so tell the pumper your bedroom count and whether you have a disposal when you call.

What a pump-out visit looks like

The pumper finds and opens the lids, vacuums out sludge and scum, and checks the inlet and outlet baffles. If the lids are buried, expect to pay for digging them out, which is why many owners add risers.

Hauled septage in North Dakota has to go to a permitted treatment plant or be land-applied under state setbacks, so a legitimate pumper will always be able to say where your load goes.

Where we offer septic tank pumping

Lincoln–Fort Rice area · Hay Creek Township · Apple Creek Township · Gibbs Township · Burnt Creek–Riverview · East Morton & Mandan area · West Morton: New Salem, Glen Ullin & Hebron

Frequently asked questions