Here is what you can do straight away to stop the damage from growing, and what to put in your request so we can act without extra back-and-forth. You can send a request online at any time, and we will contact you within 5 minutes of receiving it.
What to do right now
- Stop using water Don't run the washing machine or the dishwasher, don't shower and don't fill the bath. Every litre goes straight into a tank that is already full. Tell everyone else in the house as well.
- Check where the problem is Open the tank lid, but don't put your head into the opening. If the level is at the inlet pipe or higher, the tank is full and needs pumping. If there is room in the tank but water won't drain from the house, the pipe between the house and the tank is blocked.
- Keep everyone safe Don't climb into the tank or a chamber, because toxic and flammable gases collect inside. Don't smoke near an open lid, keep children and animals away, and cover the opening if you leave it.
- Prepare access Unlock the gate, move your car off the driveway and clear the snow from the lid. The vacuum tanker needs a clear route to the tank.
- If sewage is in the basement If the water reaches sockets or appliances, switch off the basement power at the distribution board. For pumping water out of a basement, see basement pumping.
What to put in your request
In an emergency, most of the time goes on clarifying details. If your request already has this information, we can choose the truck and the route straight away:
- The exact address; in a garden community, give its name and the plot number or the cadastral number.
- What is happening: the tank is overflowing onto the ground, sewage is coming into the house, or water is simply not draining.
- The tank type and approximate volume: septic tank, holding tank, biological treatment plant, dry toilet.
- The distance in metres from where the truck can park to the lid.
- Access restrictions: a gate with a code, a narrow street, a soft lawn, weight limits.
- A phone number we can reach you on (it is a field in the form).
What pumping doesn't fix
Not every overflow means a full tank. Before you wait for a pumping contractor, make sure the problem really is in the tank.
- A blockage in the pipe between the house and the tank: the tank isn't full, but water backs up. You need the pipe cleaned, not the tank pumped.
- A frozen pipe or tank in winter: pumping only helps if the contents haven't frozen. See frozen septic tank.
- A biological treatment plant alarm: the cause is often a compressor or pump that has stopped, not a full tank. See biological treatment plant repair.
- A septic tank with a clogged drain field: after pumping, it fills up again within a few days because the water has nowhere to go. Pumping buys time, but the field has to be restored. See drain field.
Why the tank overfilled and how to prevent it
For a holding tank, overflowing is a direct breach of the rules: it must be emptied often enough that sewage does not leak out or soak into the ground. There are three common reasons: there is no pumping schedule, the tank is too small for the household's increased water use, or rainwater or drainage water is getting into it. After pumping, work out how often the tank needs emptying and book the next visit in advance. That is cheaper and calmer than an emergency call-out. A worked example is on the holding tank pumping page.
Cabinet Regulation No. 384, point 4.5: a holding tank is watertight and is emptied often enough to prevent wastewater from leaking, flowing out or soaking into the soil layers, and to prevent odour; point 9.3: the owner agrees the time and gives the vacuum tanker clear access. Mārupe Municipality Binding Regulations No. 13/2023, point 15.2: discharging untreated wastewater into the ground, ditches or drainage is prohibited. Sources: likumi.lv, checked on 30 October 2026.
How much emergency pumping costs
The base prices are the same as in the price list: up to 4 m³ from €75, up to 6 m³ from €90, up to 10 m³ from €110. Outside Riga we add a travel charge of about €1 per kilometre. With an overfilled tank, sewage that has spilled onto the ground or into the basement can mean extra work. We tell you the price and the time when we contact you after your request, before the truck sets off.