Safe and timely emptying
Plan in advance
Make a plan to have the toilet pit emptied before it overflows into your compound and contaminates the community. Keep a calendar to know when to empty and/or do regular spot checks to your pit latrine to ensure it doesn't overflow.
Save money
Put aside some money and invest household funds to maintain hygienic household sanitation. Invest in a healthy community free of diseases. By safely emptying your pit/tank and not throwing trash into pits, you will also save more money by avoiding fines and paying excess for removing solid waste from your latrine.
Call professional services
Use the formal services and supervise their work when emptying your household latrine pit. Make sure they wear protective gear (Gloves, boots, overalls, helmet and goggles) and keep the environment clean and avoid paying fines.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it important to use professional emptiers?
Unlike illegal emptiers, professional emptiers are certified emptiers by the city council who are able to empty your pit/tank in a professional manner which means, the emptying is done according to the laws, using personal protective gear (Gloves, boots, overalls, helmet and goggles) and protecting your family and community from the spread of diseases coming from the emptying activity.
How often do I need to empty my pit or sceptic tank?
Normally, pits and septic tanks take about 3 to 5 years to get full. However, this depends on the number of people using it. To get accurate information on your situation, you can call the support contact on your locality Arusha 0800 110 069 and Shinyanga 0800 711 102 and they will estimate the length and ideal emptying frequency of your pit or septic tank. Once this estimation is done, and you know how long it usually takes, we recommend you to do spot checks the previous months to the actual emptying date to ensure the pit/septic tank does not overflow.
How do you know when to empty your pit/ tank?
The pit/tank should be emptied when there is about 10cm left to get full. To know this, you can call the support contact on your locality Arusha 0800 110 069 and Shinyanga 0800 711 102 and they will estimate the length and ideal emptying periodicity of your pit or septic tank. Once this estimation is done, and you know how long it usually takes, we recommend you to do spot checks from the previous months to the actual emptying date to ensure the pit/septic tank does not overflow.
How much does a professional emptier cost?
Public professional emptiers cost around 65.000 - 95.000 TZS depending on the distance, and private professional emptiers cost around 60.000 - 120.000TZS depending on the distance (house-treatment plant).
How long does the emptying process take from the time I call the professional services?
Once you call a professional emptying service, they come to your household immediately, the waiting time will then depend on where the household is located. Then, once they get to your household, they will take about 30 - 45 minutes to empty your pit/tank.
How can I make sure they empty professionally?
There is a checklist that you can request to the professional emptiers when they come to perform their services. The checklist includes proper use of personal protective gear, cleaning of the environment, professional tools, etc. You can find a copy of the checklist in your ward.
Who should I report to if I notice or see someone emptying illegally?
You can call the support contact on your locality Arusha 0800 110 069 and Shinyanga 0800 711 102 and they will take measures against the person and/or business who are emptying illegally.