Looking for soakaway in Free State? SepticTankCleaning.co.za puts homeowners, smallholders, farms, lodges and businesses in Free State in touch with a drainage contractor who works in towns, plots and farms across Free State. Fill in the job card and you receive a quote directly, free and with no obligation.
Soakaways in Free State
Soakaway work in Free State is mostly booked by owners of plots, farms and older houses where a septic tank is the only option. Share the number of people, the tank size and whether the ground is sandy, clay or rocky, so contractors serving Free State and the rest of Free State can quote accurately.
Want to know more first? Our soakaway guide covers the options, what to check and what affects the price.
Septic tanks and drainage in Free State
Free State towns are largely on sewer, but farms, smallholdings and many older homes outside Bloemfontein, Welkom and Kroonstad run septic tanks and conservancy tanks. Clay soils that swell and shrink often block soakaways, and cold winters slow bacterial action, so tanks fill faster than owners expect. Maize and cattle farms use french drains and tanks at homesteads and worker housing, while schools, clinics and churches in smaller towns depend on scheduled pump-outs. Around Clarens, Bethlehem and Harrismith, guesthouses and weekend lodges add holiday peaks. Sasolburg's industrial sites need bulk waste removal. Honey sucker operators and tank suppliers work from Bloemfontein, Welkom, Sasolburg and Bethlehem.
Typical soakaway requests in the area come from:
- Farms and game farms: building pits at homesteads and worker housing, kept well clear of boreholes and dams
- Houses: a new or rebuilt soakaway for an older house whose pit has clogged or flooded
- Smallholdings and plots: a larger pit or two linked pits on a smallholding with space but heavy clay soil
- Schools, churches and clinics: large pits for schools, clinics and churches, designed for heavy daytime use
- Lodges, guesthouses and venues: larger or multiple pits that cope with peak guest numbers and seasonal overloading
- Factories, mines, sites and events: pits for site offices, depots and ablutions, sized for the number of workers
- Restaurants, shops and offices: pits for rural shops, filling stations and restaurants that are not on a sewer
Local tips for Free State
In Free State, the most common systems are septic tanks and french drains on farms, conservancy tanks for older town properties. Operators and suppliers mostly work from operators based in Bloemfontein, Welkom, Sasolburg and Bethlehem. A useful tip: ask whether the soakaway was tested for clay before it was extended.
Soakaways usually means dig a pit, fill it with stone or fit chambers, for 2 to 3 m across, 1.5 to 2.5 m deep, check yearly, lasts 15 to 25 years. Ground in the area: clay soils that swell and shrink: soakaways clog, and cold slows the tank.
What to include in your request
- Number of people using the system and the tank size in litres
- Whether this is a new soakaway or a repair of an old one
- Soil type and whether a percolation test has been done
- Distance to buildings, boreholes, streams and boundaries
- Stone pit, rubble pit or chamber, if you have a preference
The more detail you give, the more accurate your quote will be.
Service area: Free State and surrounds
Operators, contractors and suppliers on our network work throughout Free State, including Bloemfontein, Welkom, Kroonstad, Bethlehem, Sasolburg, Harrismith, Clarens. For smaller towns and farms, ask what the travel charge is from the nearest base and how far it is to the disposal site.