Home › Septic Pumping
Septic Tank Pumping and Maintenance in Massachusetts and New Hampshire
Regular pumping takes out the solids that settle in the tank before they can reach the leach field, and the receipts become part of the house's record. Both states set rules for who may haul septage, and Massachusetts ties pumping records to the Title 5 inspection at sale. Call (978) 486-7980 or send the form. A person reads every request and replies with what happens next.
- Free for homeowners
- Hauler permits checked first
- State rules explained
Ask About Septic Service in Your Area
Tell us when the tank was last pumped, if you know, and what you're noticing. A person reads it and replies with what happens next.
Please add your name, a 10-digit phone number and a valid email.
Your request didn't go through on our end. Please call (978) 486-7980 so it isn't lost.
Too many requests have come from this connection in a short time. Please call (978) 486-7980 and we'll take it from there.
We couldn't finish the spam check. Wait a moment and send it again, or call (978) 486-7980.
Pumping and care
How often, and what helps the system last
How often. MassDEP says to pump at least once every three years, and every year if the house has a garbage disposal (MassDEP: caring for your system). NHDES says tanks should be pumped when necessary, typically every three to five years, and that homeowners should generally have the system inspected every three years by a licensed contractor (NHDES SepticSmart Week). EPA says systems with electrical float switches, pumps or mechanical parts generally need a look once a year (EPA septic care).
What goes down the drain. MassDEP advises avoiding or severely limiting garbage disposals and keeping wipes, including "flushable" ones, grease and chemicals out of the system (MassDEP). NHDES puts it more simply: flush only "pee, poop and paper" (NHDES).
What goes on top of it. Keep trees about 30 feet away, don't drive or park over the system, and send roof drains and other drainage water away from it (MassDEP).
Leave the tank to the crew. Septic tank gases are dangerous, so opening covers and working in or around the tank is a job for the contractor.
Massachusetts
Pumping a Massachusetts septic system
Who may haul. Carrying septage in Massachusetts takes a Septage Hauler Permit issued under M.G.L. c.111 §31 (310 CMR 15.002). MassDEP does not license or certify pumpers itself; it says to contact your local Board of Health to find a licensed hauler (MassDEP consumer tips).
Keep the receipts. A Title 5 inspection stays valid for three years instead of two if the system has been pumped every year and the records are available, and the inspection report must include those pumping records (MassDEP: buying or selling).
Timing around an inspection. The system must not have been pumped within two weeks before a Title 5 inspection (MassDEP inspection guidance).
When pumping becomes a warning sign. On the official inspection form, a system pumped more than four times in the past year fails, unless broken or obstructed pipes caused it, in which case it can be a conditional pass once the pipes are fixed (Title 5 inspection form). Where sewage is breaking out, MassDEP says the Board of Health should act right away, for example by ordering interim pumping by a licensed hauler, while the owner stays responsible for the system (Title 5 repairs FAQ).
New Hampshire
Pumping a New Hampshire septic system
Who may haul. Transporting septage over public roads or waters takes an NHDES septage hauler permit, and the hauler needs a written agreement with a permitted disposal facility. Permits last up to two years and expire January 31; permitted trucks show the hauler's name and phone number and an NHDES permit plate, and their tanks must have been inspected by NHDES within the previous two years (Env-Wq 1600). NHDES advises using an NHDES-licensed septage hauler (NHDES).
Where it goes. Every municipality must give its residents access to an NHDES-approved septage facility, and the state's planning figure assumes an average 1,000-gallon tank pumped every five years (RSA 485-A:5-b).
Your system's file. NHDES says septic system files can be found on OneStop, NHDES's searchable environmental database (NHDES OneStop).
Keep it working. Owners must operate and maintain a system so it doesn't cause a nuisance or health hazard (RSA 485-A:37). NHDES also says to limit or eliminate the garbage disposal and not to park or drive on the drainage field (NHDES).
New Hampshire septic rules and the towns we cover.
Last verified November 2026. New England Septic Pros is a referral service. We don't pump tanks or haul septage.
FAQ
Septic pumping questions
How often should a septic tank be pumped?
MassDEP says at least once every three years, and every year if the house has a garbage disposal. NHDES says tanks should be pumped when necessary, typically every three to five years. EPA adds that systems with electrical float switches, pumps or other mechanical parts generally need attention once a year. The contractor can tell you what your tank needs.
Should I have the tank pumped right before a Title 5 inspection?
No. MassDEP's inspection guidance says the system must not have been pumped within two weeks before the inspection. Talk to the inspector about timing before you book the pump truck.
Do septic additives replace pumping?
MassDEP says to use only additives it has approved. Its advice for keeping a system healthy is regular pumping and keeping grease, wipes and chemicals out of the drains.
How can I tell a septage hauler is permitted?
In Massachusetts, MassDEP says to contact your local Board of Health to find a licensed septage hauler. In New Hampshire, permitted trucks show the hauler's name and phone number and an NHDES permit plate.
What does it cost me to use New England Septic Pros?
Nothing. The request and the referral are free; the contractor prices the work.
Town guides
Local rules for septic pumping by town
Each town page covers who permits septic work there, the town's own septic rules and where public sewer reaches. Towns with a local guide so far: Greater Lowell, MA (Lowell, Chelmsford, Dracut, Tewksbury, Billerica, Westford, Tyngsborough and Pepperell), Andover, Lawrence & Haverhill, MA (Methuen, Lawrence, Andover, North Andover and Haverhill), Woburn, Reading & Melrose, MA (Woburn, Lexington, Burlington, Wilmington, North Reading, Reading, Wakefield, Melrose, Stoneham and Winchester), Nashua Region, NH (Nashua, Hudson and Merrimack), Salem, Derry & Londonderry, NH (Pelham, Salem, Windham, Derry and Londonderry), Manchester & Bedford, NH (Manchester and Bedford) and Portsmouth, Dover & Rochester, NH (Portsmouth, Dover and Rochester). We add towns across New England as we can cover them properly.
Other jobs