At many homes around Grevena, especially outside the villages, there is no sewer network and the cesspool does the job. A cesspool does not remind you it exists until it is full, and then it needs emptying soon. We explain how often it is needed in our article on emptying frequency; here you will see what to have ready so the job goes without delay.
Signs that it is full
- All the drains in the house are slow, not just one.
- A smell around the lid or the yard.
- The ground above or next to the cesspool is wet, or the grass there is greener than around it.
- Water comes up through a floor drain or the toilet.
What to have ready
- Find and uncover the cesspool lid. If it is under soil, grass or snow, note roughly where it is.
- Think about whether the tanker can get close to the lid. A dirt track, a steep slope, or snow and mud in winter change the approach, so say so from the start.
- Move cars, plants or objects that block access.
- If the house is a holiday home or closed up, arrange for someone to be there or for the gate to be opened.
What to say on the phone
- Which village or location the property is in and how to get there.
- What you notice (slow water, smell, overflow) and since when.
- When it was last emptied, if you remember.
- Whether you need anything else, for example manhole cleaning or a camera check of the pipes. That way it is arranged on the same trip, without a second journey.
A licensed tanker
Emptying and transporting sewage is done with a licensed tanker, as the law requires. Illegal dumping of sewage pollutes soil and water, and it is worth always asking whether whoever takes on the emptying holds a licence.
Ma.Ster OE serves Grevena and the surrounding villages from its base in Ptolemaida. If you are not sure your cesspool is full, a phone call describing what you see is enough for us to judge whether it needs emptying or a check.