All wastewater systems including sewage treatment plants, septic tanks and pumping stations require regular emptying or desludging. The emptying of the sewage treatment plant ensures optimum performance and maintains the legal quality of discharge. There have been new law changes put in place since January 2020. These mean that septic tanks are not allowed to discharge directly to surface water such as a Ditch, Stream or River. If your tank drains via a soakaway or drainage field this should not be a problem. If not, you may need to upgrade to a sewage treatment plant or install a soakaway/drainage field.