Septic Pumping in Lumberton, NC: How Often and Who Can Do It

No deadline, but a rule

Some places require a pump-out on a fixed cycle. North Carolina doesn't, as far as the state and county sources we checked show, and we found no Robeson County schedule either. Instead, the owner-maintenance rule in 15A NCAC 18E Rule .1303 has owners pump the septic tank when the sludge and scum reach one-third of its liquid depth. The same rule asks owners to maintain any effluent filter, keep grass or other cover growing over the field, keep activities that disturb or compact the soil off it, and turn the valve on alternating dual fields each year.

How often NCDHHS says to pump

The state health department's homeowner page puts it plainly: "Most tanks should be pumped every three to five years." Its SepticSmart Week post repeats the three-to-five-year advice and adds, "Have your septic system inspected every three years by a qualified professional." The same post notes that about half of the homes in North Carolina use septic systems. For a sense of scale, This Old House's trade guidance says most 1,000-gallon tanks serving a family of four need pumping every three to five years.

The real answer for your house depends on the tank's size, how many people live there, and how fast solids build up, which is why the one-third rule is the one that counts. A pumper who measures the layers each visit can tell you whether your interval is about right.

What to ask while the lids are off

• Pump both sides. NCDHHS suggests asking the pumper to check both sides of the tank.
• Pump the pump tank too. If the system has a separate pump tank, NCDHHS says it may need pumping, too.
• Look at the baffle and filter. Ask about the condition of the baffles and whether an effluent filter needs cleaning.
• Write it down. Note the date, the company and what they found. A certified inspector doing a sale inspection records the date the tank was last pumped, if it's known.

Who can pump: a state septage permit

Pump-out companies in North Carolina answer to the Department of Environmental Quality, not the county. State law says "No septage management firm shall commence or continue operation" without a permit from the department, and each truck has to be listed by the firm on its permit. The septage has to go to a wastewater system or site the department has approved or permitted. The program sits in DEQ's Division of Waste Management, Solid Waste Section, under rules 15A NCAC 13B .0800 to .0846.

To check a company, use DEQ's Find a Permitted Firm list. We found no source saying a routine pump-out needs a county permit; the state's on-site rules bring up pumping and hauling as a step the health department orders while a malfunctioning system waits for repair.

When pumping becomes the problem

A tank that needs emptying over and over is telling you something. Under Rule .1303, a system is malfunctioning if the tank has to be pumped more often than once a month to keep sewage from backing up, surfacing, or rising near the grade over the trenches. At that point, pumping is holding off a repair rather than maintaining the system. If the health department issues a notice of violation, it will require pumping and hauling until the repair is done where that's needed to protect public health, and the repair itself goes through the county's Repair Application. See drain field repair.

What a pump-out costs

None of these are Robeson County prices. Each pump-out company sets its own, and the written quote is the number to go by.

Who this page isn't for

If sewage is already backing into the house, start with septic backing up. If water is standing in the yard after a storm, don't call for a pump-out yet; read septic after a flood first. And homes on town sewer have no tank to pump.

Pumping questions

Does Robeson County require a pump-out every few years?

We found no county or state rule that sets a pump-out schedule. The state's maintenance rule ties pumping to the tank reaching one-third sludge and scum, and NCDHHS recommends every three to five years for most tanks.

Does a pump-out need a permit?

We found no source saying a routine pump-out needs a county permit. The pump-out company itself must hold a septage permit from NCDEQ.

How do I check that a pumper is permitted?

Use NCDEQ's Find a Permitted Firm list, linked above. The firm's trucks are supposed to be listed on its permit.

Should I pump the tank before a hurricane?

No. NCDHHS says not to fully pump a tank before a flood, since an empty tank can float out of the ground.

How the referral works

If a pump-out turned up something worrying, or the tank keeps filling too fast, your request is passed to a single independent septic contractor serving Robeson County, who quotes their own price. You pay nothing for the referral.