How much does it cost to get my cistern cleaned out?

The average residential cistern typically costs between $300 and $400 plus tax and can vary depending on several factors.

Some tanks collect rain water from the roof, which can also bring in debris and bacteria into the tank. The amount of rain collected from different roofs can also vary greatly, leading to varying amounts of sediment in otherwise similar tanks.

The location and size of the tank also factor into the total cost. Many tanks are located beside the driveway for visibility and simplicity for deliveries, but may be located in the garage, basement, under a tool shed, or many other places that may make getting tools and ourselves in and out of the tank more difficult.

The last factor comes down to the frequency of cleanings. The longer the cistern sits between cleanings, the more time debris and bacteria have to build up. We recommend cleaning cisterns every one to two years in accordance to the Niagara Regions recommendation, but we’ve cleaned tanks that have gone over fifty years without a cleaning.

How often should I have my cistern cleaned?

It is generally advised to clean your tank once per year. Every tank is unique and some get dirtier than others due to rain collection, improper lids, and groundwater entering the tank. If a tank is not collecting rain water and is not leaking, some customers go as long as two to three years between cleanings.

How do you clean the tank?

We need two feet (24 inches) of water in the tank to clean it.

We start by setting aside some water for high pressure spraying and “shock” the water supply to disinfect it. We then use a 2 inch gas powered pump to remove any remaining water and debris on the floor. Every surface is then washed, wiped, or scrubbed until visibly clean and the remaining water and dirt is removed. The last step is a light coat of a bleach sanitizer to neutralize any remaining bacteria.

I’m not sure how large my tank is, is there a way to tell?

The best way to be sure of the tanks size is to get measurements from the inside and we are always happy to do that while we are cleaning. Some tanks are as small as 1000 imperial gallons and some are well over 10,000. We come fully equipped to handle tanks of any size.

Is my tank leaking?

Water loss issues can be hard to troubleshoot and sometimes the issue may not even be the cistern itself. We have years of experience in diagnostics and have proven methods of finding and verifying cistern issues, so if you think your tank may be leaking, contact us to investigate.

Can you come and check the tank for leaks without cleaning it?

We offer inspections and are always happy to look at a tank for issues, however if the tank is dirty enough it can prevent us from taking a good look at the floor or other potential cracks. Some issues are large enough to be seen through some debris and some tanks that don’t collect rainwater may be clean enough to inspect but the best way to be sure of the condition of the concrete is to clean it first.