Hear From Our Clients
You’re not thinking about your cesspool until something goes wrong. That’s when a $400 pumping becomes a $15,000 emergency replacement—because Suffolk County won’t let you replace a failed cesspool with another cesspool anymore. You’re looking at a full septic system upgrade.
Most Cold Spring Harbor homeowners wait until they notice slow drains, sewage odors, or worse—standing water in the yard. By then, the damage is already happening. Your system is overloaded, the tank walls are compromised, and you’re one heavy rain away from a complete failure.
Regular cesspool pumping every two to three years keeps your system working the way it should. You avoid backups, protect your property value, and keep your family safe from raw sewage exposure. When you stay ahead of it, you’re spending hundreds instead of thousands. When you wait, you’re gambling with one of the most expensive systems in your home.
We’ve been serving Cold Spring Harbor and Suffolk County for over 25 years. We’re a family-owned business, which means you’re not getting a different crew every time or dealing with a call center that doesn’t know your property.
Cold Spring Harbor homes were mostly built in the 1940s and 1960s, and many still rely on the original cesspool systems. We know these systems inside and out. We know how Long Island’s sandy soil affects drainage, how older tanks behave, and what actually needs attention versus what can wait.
We don’t oversell. We don’t make promises we can’t keep. You’ll get honest pricing, clear communication, and documentation of every service—because when you sell your home or pull a permit in Suffolk County, you’ll need proof that your system was maintained properly.
First, we locate and uncover your cesspool access point. Depending on your property, that might be a concrete lid in the yard or a pipe near the foundation. Once we’ve got access, we inspect the tank before we pump—checking the condition of the walls, measuring the sludge and scum levels, and looking for any signs of structural damage or leaks.
Then we pump. Our truck uses a high-powered vacuum to remove all the liquid and solid waste from the tank. This isn’t a quick suck-and-go. We make sure the tank is completely emptied so you’re getting the full benefit of the service and maximizing the time before your next pumping.
After that, we document everything. You’ll get a record of the service including measurements, photos if there are any issues, and our recommendations for future maintenance. If we see cracks, settling, or early signs of failure, we’ll tell you—but we’re not going to push you into work you don’t need yet. You’ll know what’s happening with your system and what to expect down the road.
Ready to get started?
Cesspool pumping in Cold Spring Harbor typically runs between $400 and $700 depending on tank size and access. That includes the full pump-out, inspection, and documentation. If your tank is buried deep, overgrown, or hard to access, there might be additional labor—but we’ll tell you that upfront, not after the work is done.
You’re also paying for speed when it matters. We offer same-day emergency cesspool service in most cases, seven days a week. If your system backs up at 2 a.m. or you’ve got guests coming and your drains just stopped working, we’ll get there fast.
Cold Spring Harbor sits on Long Island’s sole-source aquifer—the same aquifer that supplies 100% of your drinking water. That means cesspool maintenance isn’t just about your property. It’s about protecting the groundwater that serves your entire community. We take that seriously, and we make sure every job is done right—not just fast.
We also offer discounts for military members, first responders, and seniors. If you’ve served the community, we want to serve you back.
Most Cold Spring Harbor homeowners need cesspool pumping every two to three years. That’s the general rule, but your actual schedule depends on a few things: how many people live in your home, how much water you use, and the size of your tank.
If you’ve got a larger household or you’re running laundry and dishwashers daily, you’re filling that tank faster. Smaller tanks also fill up quicker, which means more frequent pumping. If you’re not sure when your system was last serviced, it’s worth getting it inspected now—especially if your home was built in the 1940s or 1960s like most in Cold Spring Harbor.
Waiting too long doesn’t just risk a backup. It puts stress on the tank walls, increases the chance of structural failure, and can lead to contamination of your yard or groundwater. Regular pumping is cheap insurance compared to emergency repairs.
If you skip pumping, the solids in your tank build up until there’s no room left for new waste. That’s when you start seeing slow drains, gurgling toilets, and sewage odors inside or outside your home. Eventually, the system backs up completely—and that’s not just inconvenient, it’s a health hazard.
Raw sewage contains bacteria, viruses, and parasites. If it backs up into your home, you’re looking at contamination of floors, walls, and belongings. Cleanup costs average between $3,000 and $7,000, and most insurance companies won’t cover it because they classify it as a preventable maintenance issue.
Worse, if your cesspool fails structurally, Suffolk County won’t let you replace it with another cesspool. You’ll be required to upgrade to a full septic system, which can cost $15,000 to $25,000 depending on the system type. Some rebates are available, but you’re still looking at a major expense that could’ve been avoided with a $400 pumping every few years.
Technically, you could try—but it’s illegal in New York State, and it’s a bad idea for a lot of reasons. Only licensed cesspool companies can legally pump, inspect, and certify your system. If you hire an unlicensed contractor or attempt it yourself, you’re risking steep fines from the county and the state.
You’re also risking your safety. Cesspools produce toxic gases like methane and hydrogen sulfide, which can cause unconsciousness or death in confined spaces. Professional crews have the training, equipment, and safety protocols to handle that risk. You don’t.
And here’s the part that affects you later: when you go to sell your home or pull a permit for renovations, Suffolk County requires documentation of cesspool maintenance. If you don’t have records from a licensed company, you could delay your sale or face additional inspections. It’s not worth the risk to save a few bucks.
The most common signs are slow drains, toilets that won’t flush properly, and sewage odors in your home or yard. You might also notice wet spots or unusually green patches of grass over your cesspool—that’s a sign that wastewater is surfacing instead of draining into the soil.
If you see any of those symptoms, don’t wait. A failing cesspool can create sinkholes, contaminate your property, and expose your family to dangerous pathogens. The longer you wait, the more damage occurs—and the more expensive the fix becomes.
Cold Spring Harbor’s older homes often have original cesspool systems that are 60 to 80 years old. These tanks weren’t built to last forever, and many are already showing signs of wear. If you haven’t had your system inspected recently, now’s the time. We can tell you whether you’re looking at routine maintenance or something more serious.
A cesspool is basically a large underground tank with porous walls that allow wastewater to seep directly into the surrounding soil. It’s a simple system, but it doesn’t treat the waste—it just disperses it. That’s why cesspools are being phased out across Long Island.
A septic system is more advanced. It separates solids from liquids, treats the wastewater through bacterial action, and then distributes the treated effluent into a drain field. Newer systems also include nitrogen-reducing technology to protect Long Island’s aquifer from contamination.
If your cesspool fails, Suffolk County requires you to upgrade to a septic system—you can’t replace it with another cesspool. That’s a bigger investment upfront, but it’s also better for your property value and the environment. The county offers rebates up to $30,000 for qualifying systems, which can offset most or all of the cost if you meet the requirements.
Yes. We’re available seven days a week, and we offer same-day emergency cesspool service in most cases. If your system backs up in the middle of the night or over the weekend, we’ll get someone out to you as quickly as possible.
Emergency calls get priority because we know how disruptive and unsanitary a sewage backup can be. You can’t use your plumbing, you’re dealing with odors and potential contamination, and every hour that passes makes the situation worse.
If you’re already a customer, response time is even faster—because we already know your property, your system, and your service history. That’s one reason it makes sense to establish a relationship with a local cesspool company before you need emergency help. When the crisis hits, you’re not scrambling to find someone you can trust.
Local Resources
Useful Links
Other Services we provide in Cold Spring Harbor
