We build the connection pipe to the control manhole, pump out and decommission the old tank, and for those who don't have a connection yet, we pump out septic tanks and holding tanks.
Bišumuiža: detached houses next to warehouses
Bišumuiža is a neighbourhood on the left bank of the Daugava where detached houses and low-rise buildings alternate with industrial and warehouse sites and a few apartment buildings. The main access is via Bauskas iela, and the Southern Bridge (Dienvidu tilts) links the neighbourhood with the right bank.
Being close to the Daugava means that in lower-lying spots groundwater can be close to the surface in spring. We take this into account when a trench has to be dug for a connection pipe or an old tank removed: the pit can fill with water, and then the work is planned for a drier period.
Connecting to the new network and co-financing
Bišumuiža was one of the neighbourhoods where the network was built in phase 4 of the Cohesion Fund project. The separate support programme for this phase has ended. Riga's general programme for residential houses now applies to connections to phase 4 branches completed after 31 December 2025:
| Connection pipe length | Co-financing |
|---|---|
| up to 5 m | €1,000 |
| 5–20 m | €1,500 |
| over 20 m | €2,000 |
The application is submitted to Rīgas ūdens (Riga's water utility) within three years of building the connection, and the money is paid out after the work is completed, as long as there are funds in the year's budget. One of the conditions: at least one person is declared at the property. The €1,800 programme, on the other hand, applies only to phase 5 and 6 networks, for example next door in Ziepniekkalns, but not in Bišumuiža.
In the experience of Rīgas ūdens, approvals take about 4–6 months, so it is worth sorting out the documents in winter so that digging can happen in the warm season. Our part is building the connection pipe (from €25/m) and, if the house is lower than the network, a pump station. All the steps: connecting to the mains sewer.
What to prepare before the connection pipe is built
- technical conditions from Rīgas ūdens, issued after you submit the application form;
- a utility connection location plan or an explanatory memorandum, submitted to the Construction Information System (BIS) and approved by a building specialist;
- an agreement with the contractor on the route, depth and inspection chambers;
- an as-built survey before the trench is backfilled, and a statement of readiness from Rīgas ūdens;
- a contract with Rīgas ūdens, followed by the application for co-financing.
Keep the invoices, the as-built survey plan and the contract together, because they are needed for the co-financing application. We build the connection pipe itself and coordinate the work with your building specialist, but the documentation is prepared by them.
Before digging, we find out where other utilities run: the gas pipe, electricity cable and water main. Around Bauskas iela near the industrial areas, this is worth checking especially carefully, because a trench may cross several networks.
If the house is lower than the street network
Some houses may sit lower than the sewer main, or so far from it that a gravity pipe doesn't have enough fall. Then a pump station with a pressure pipe is included in the connection: the wastewater collects in an underground tank and the pump lifts it to the control manhole. A station costs from €1,650, and it needs a power supply and an alarm in the house.
Before making an offer, we check the levels and the distance, because if a fall can be created, a gravity solution is cheaper and needs no maintenance.
What to do with the old septic tank after connecting
- Pumping We pump out the entire contents one last time, including the sediment from the bottom.
- Rinsing We rinse the tank so that no wastewater or smell remains in it.
- Backfilling or removal A concrete tank is usually backfilled with sand; a plastic tank can be dug out and taken away. The outlet to the drain field is sealed.
- Notifying the register Within a month, notify the Housing and Environment Department that the decentralised system is no longer in use.
Pumping out the old septic tank is charged at the normal price list: from €75 for a 4 m³ tank, from €90 for a 6 m³ tank.
Until you have a connection
If there is no network in your street yet or you are putting off connecting, the septic tank must stay in order. In Riga its sludge must be removed at least once a year, a holding tank as often as the water consumption calculation requires, and the work may only be done by a pumping contractor on the department's list. Keep the certificate for at least two years.
In the meantime it is not worth investing in a major septic tank rebuild if a connection is close. If the septic tank is damaged now, we assess whether a repair is enough: septic tank repair. Pumping: septic tank pumping in Bišumuiža.
Sources (checked 30 October 2026): Riga City Council Binding Regulations No. RD-23-207-sn, points 7 and 11 (likumi.lv/ta/id/343520); RD-25-22-sn (likumi.lv/ta/id/365384); Rīgas ūdens announcement on the phase 4 neighbourhoods on LV portāls, 06.05.2026; Riga City Council Binding Regulations No. 66, points 6 and 26 (likumi.lv/ta/id/304471).
Production sites, warehouses and neighbouring areas
Bišumuiža's industrial areas may need holding tank pumping for staff facilities, grease separator cleaning in canteens and cleaning of stormwater gullies on paved yards. We issue a business with a certificate after each pumping; more detail: pumping for businesses.
In Katlakalns the network was built in the same phase 4, so the same conditions apply to connections there. Also nearby are Torņakalns and Krasta rajons; all places: where we work.