When liquid waste, sludge or wastewater needs to be removed from a commercial or industrial site, drainage tankering can help manage the job in a controlled way. Clear information about the waste, access and site requirements helps a plumbing business understand what is involved before work is arranged.
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Find the right plumbing business for drainage tankering
Liquid waste can affect day-to-day operations, access to work areas and the management of drainage assets. Drainage tankering is used where waste held in a tank, pit, sump, separator or similar storage point needs to be pumped out and removed from a commercial or industrial site.
It sits within commercial and industrial drainage work, where wastewater, trade waste, stormwater and surface water may move through drains, pits, pump wells and other site infrastructure. The practical priority is to identify the waste involved, the point it must be removed from and the conditions needed to manage removal appropriately.
When drainage tankering may be needed
Tankering may be relevant when a site has liquid waste or accumulated material that cannot remain in a drainage-related asset. Depending on the site and system, this may involve a planned pump-out, cleaning activity, sludge removal or a response to an overflow.
Examples of assets and waste points that may be involved include:
grease arrestors;
septic tanks and aerobic treatment unit sludge;
oily water separators;
wash bay pits and interceptors;
pump wells, pump stations and sumps;
sludge pits and wastewater tanks; and
trade waste pits or other liquid waste storage systems.
Waste may be grease, sewage, oily water, chemical-affected liquid, sludge, silt, stormwater or liquid trade waste. The nature of the material matters because it informs the removal and disposal pathway.
How the tankering process is approached
A liquid waste tanker is commonly a vacuum truck or tanker truck fitted with hoses, pumps and holding tanks. The waste is removed from site in a controlled way and transported to an approved disposal facility.
Identify the waste point: confirm the relevant tank, pit, sump, separator or drainage asset.
Clarify the waste: describe what is held in the asset and any information available about its classification.
Plan access: consider vehicle parking, hose reach, site access and any traffic or induction requirements.
Manage removal: arrange pump-out and removal with the site conditions and controls understood.
Confirm the disposal pathway: ensure the waste is directed to an approved disposal facility.
Information to have ready
Good site information helps a plumbing business understand access, equipment needs and operational constraints. Before making contact, gather what you can without delaying an urgent response to an overflow or other issue.
the waste type, such as grease, sewage, oily water, sludge, stormwater or trade waste;
the tank or pit location and, if known, its size;
safe vehicle access, parking arrangements and approximate hose distance;
the last clean-out date and available service history;
the business activity and any liquids, products or cleaning chemicals that may enter drainage;
trade waste permit details or existing approval conditions, where applicable;
site induction, traffic control, confined-space or other access controls; and
the person authorised to approve disposal costs.
For facilities with asset registers or maintenance records, an asset ID, site plan, previous report or plant location reference can also make the initial discussion more efficient.
Tankering and broader drainage work
Tankering addresses the removal of liquid waste from site. It may be one part of a wider drainage matter, particularly where there are recurring overflows, odours, slow drainage, blockages or concerns about a pit, grate, floor waste, sewer line, trade waste line or stormwater system.
Service focus
What it may address
Drainage tankering
Pump-out, removal and disposal of liquid waste, sludge or accumulated material from a relevant asset.
Drainage cleaning or jetting
Cleaning or clearing work associated with drainage lines and related assets.
CCTV services
Inspection of drainage conditions where an issue needs further investigation.
Drainage repairs and maintenance
Work relating to drainage assets where condition, damage or recurring problems need attention.
The right combination depends on the site, the asset involved and the information available about the drainage issue.
Managing commercial and industrial site conditions
Commercial and industrial sites can have higher access, continuity and operational requirements than smaller properties. A facility manager, maintenance coordinator, asset manager or site representative may need to coordinate plant locations, permitted working hours, shutdown restrictions, site inductions and the person authorised to approve work.
Industrial sites may also need to account for process impacts, environmental controls, safety permits, isolation requirements, confined-space risks or critical production impacts. Clear communication about these conditions allows the plumbing business to understand the site before attending.
Brands and organisations customers may encounter
Customers arranging liquid waste work may encounter names associated with tankering, waste handling, drainage assets or disposal pathways. Examples include Cleanaway, Water Corporation, AAA Liquid Waste, Advanced Liquid Waste, Byford Liquid Waste, Chittering Septic Service, Cleanflow Environmental Service, Great Southern Liquid Waste and Halgan Liquid Waste.
These names are examples customers may see in service records, site documentation, waste arrangements or existing equipment references. Their appearance does not indicate that every plumbing business works with, recommends or services those entities or products.
Choosing a plumbing business for drainage tankering
Start with a clear description of the asset, waste and site conditions. Ask whether the plumbing business can consider the information you have available and whether other drainage work may need to be considered alongside tankering.
Find a Master Plumber connects customers with Master Plumbers and plumbing businesses associated with the Master Plumbers and Gasfitters Association of Western Australia. Choosing a Master Plumber helps consumers make a more informed choice of plumbing business for their property or project.
Where tankering is connected to a broader drainage issue, related drainage services may also be useful to discuss.
Drainage tankering relates to pumping, removing and lawfully disposing of liquid waste from commercial, industrial, food, workshop, wastewater, treatment or drainage systems.
What can be removed by a liquid waste tanker?
Depending on the site, liquid waste tankering may involve grease arrestors, septic tanks, oily water separators, pump wells, sumps, wash bay pits, interceptors, sludge pits, wastewater tanks and trade waste pits.
What details should I provide before arranging a pump-out?
Provide the waste type, location of the tank or pit, access details, hose distance, service history, last clean-out date, site requirements and the person authorised to approve disposal costs where available.
Why does the type of waste matter?
The waste type helps determine the appropriate removal and disposal pathway. Some liquid wastes in WA are regulated as controlled waste and may require a licensed or authorised carrier, driver and vehicle for that waste type.
Can tankering be part of a drainage investigation?
It can be relevant where liquid waste has accumulated in a drainage-related asset. If a site also has recurring blockages, overflows, odours or slow drainage, other drainage work may need to be considered.
Find a Master Plumber is backed by the Master Plumbers and Gasfitters Association of Western Australia. Use the directory to choose a plumbing business for commercial and industrial drainage tankering requirements.
