Need a septic or conservancy tank emptied in Centurion? Send your suburb and describe the problem. A vetted local septic operator in your area calls you to confirm the price and a time. Centurion falls under the City of Tshwane, whose by-laws leave tank emptying to the owner and a private operator.
Need a tank emptied in Centurion?
Tell us your suburb, the type of property and what's going on: a routine pump-out, a smell, slow drains or sewage backing up. We pass your request on. A vetted local septic operator in your area calls you to confirm the price and a time.
Requests are taken from plots, smallholdings and older properties across Centurion, including Raslouw, Mnandi, Monavoni, Irene and Olievenhoutbosch.
For a sense of price before the call, the septic tank emptying costs page lists published ranges with their sources. Your quote depends on tank size and access. What happens on the day is on the pump-out guide, and if something smells or backs up, start with septic tank problems.
Who sets the rules for septic tanks in Centurion?
Centurion falls in the City of Tshwane's Region 4. The Capital City Business Chamber describes the region as taking in "Centurion and Irene in the east, Olievenhoutbosch in the south and the Rhens Nature Reserve in the west".
That means Tshwane's Sanitation By-laws of 2014 apply to your tank. Four parts matter most to a Centurion homeowner:
| What the by-law says | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| No septic tank may be built, installed or operated "without the prior written consent of the Municipality" (s7) | A new or replacement tank needs approval before anyone digs |
| French drains are allowed at the City's discretion, based on the effluent and the soil (s8) | Not every plot qualifies for a French drain |
| The Engineer sets a conservancy tank's capacity and level, and no rainwater may go into it (s10) | Ask the plans office for the size before buying a tank |
| Running and maintenance costs are the owner's, and the City "will not, under normal circumstances" provide them (s38) | You book and pay a private operator |
If the sewer reaches your property later, Tshwane's building by-laws say the old tank must be disconnected and removed or filled in. On request, the City then issues a certificate confirming the disconnection.
Is your Centurion property on a tank?
A tank is only needed where a property isn't on the municipal sewer, and the suburb name alone won't tell you which system you have. An estate and the plot across the road can be on completely different systems, so check your own property.
Tshwane's 2026 ward list names several smallholding pockets in Region 4: Raslou AH and the Deltoidia smallholdings, the "surrounding farms and smallholdings" around Monavoni, Knoppieslaagte AH near Olievenhoutbos, Gerardsville AH and Monrick AH.
Not sure what you have? Look for a manhole cover in the garden. The previous owner, the estate manager or your building plans will also tell you.
Access and practical notes
A vacuum truck is big and heavy, and it needs to get close. Plan for these before the operator arrives:
- Hose reach. One operator serving Pretoria and Centurion asks for access to the manhole within 30 metres of the truck, and its suction hoses work up to 35 metres away. That's one operator's access condition; other trucks differ.
- Road and gate width. For conservancy tanks, Tshwane's by-laws ask for a hardened roadway at least 3.5 metres wide, strong enough for a 4-ton wheel load in all weather. Gates must be at least 3.5 metres wide too.
- Gravel driveways. Long dirt or gravel driveways on plots can turn soft after a summer storm. If yours does, mention it when the operator calls.
- Estate rules. Many estates control when heavy vehicles may enter and need a gate booking. Check with your estate office before you agree a time.
- Locate the access cover. Find it and clear loose items around it before the truck arrives, and lock the dogs away. Leave lifting the cover and opening the tank to the operator.
- Stay off the drain. Keep the truck off the French drain area. The US EPA advises against parking or driving on it.
What to ask the operator who calls you
- "How do you price it?" Per load or per litre, and what happens if the tank is bigger than you think. Your quote depends on tank size and access.
- "Where does the sludge go?" Tshwane's by-laws require anyone carting sewage to offload it only at a facility authorised to accept it.
- "Will the slip show the litres?" Keep it. If the volume is well above what your tank holds, ask how it was measured, and note any disagreement on the slip.
- "Can you check the French drain too?" Refilling after a pump-out is normal, because a working tank sits full to its outlet level. If drains keep backing up or effluent surfaces, ask for the outlet and drain to be checked. See our French drains guide.
Sources for the figures on this page
- Region 4 takes in "Centurion and Irene in the east, Olievenhoutbosch in the south and the Rhens Nature Reserve in the west" www.ccbc.co.za
- Septic tank needs "prior written consent" (s7(1)); French drains at the City's discretion (s8); Engineer sets conservancy tank capacity and level (s10(1)); no rainwater or stormwater (s10(2)); 3.5 m hardened roadway, 4 t wheel load, 3.5 m gates (s10(5)); offload only at an authorised facility (s11(4)); owner bears operation and maintenance, City "will not, under normal circumstances" provide it (s38) archive.opengazettes.org.za
- Disused tank disconnected, removed or filled; certificate on request www.tshwane.gov.za
- Region 4 ward lists: Ward 48 Monavoni "surrounding farms and smallholdings"; Ward 61 Gerardsville AH; Ward 66 Monrick AH; Ward 70 "Raslou AH, Deltoidia smallholdings"; Ward 106 Olievenhoutbos and Knoppieslaagte AH www.gauteng.net
- Manhole access within 30 m; suction hoses up to 35 m; serves Pretoria and Centurion suckaseptic.co.za
- Don't park or drive on the drain field www.epa.gov