We install sealed holding tanks for private houses and summer houses in Riga and the Riga region, with anchoring and easy access for the vacuum tanker. A 2 m³ tank costs from €800; we give the installation price in an estimate.
When a holding tank is the right choice
- In an area where a mains sewer is planned but not yet built: this is exactly where the building code allows sealed holding tanks emptied by tanker for seasonal and individual residential houses.
- In a summer house or garden house used a few months a year: water consumption is low, and pumping is infrequent.
- If the plot is too small for a drain field, there is no outlet point in clay soil, or the groundwater is close to the surface.
- As a temporary solution for a new build, until the connection to the mains network is built.
LBN 223-15 (Cabinet Regulation No. 327), point 152: in municipal development areas where a mains sewer is to be installed but has not been installed, sealed wastewater holding tanks emptied by tanker may be built for seasonally used residential buildings, individual residential buildings and production buildings where no more than 15 people work per shift. Cabinet Regulation No. 384, point 4.5: a holding tank is sealed and is emptied regularly. Sources: likumi.lv, checked on 30 October 2026.
When a holding tank does not pay off
A holding tank is cheap to install but expensive to run, because all the water you use has to be taken away. An example using the assumption in Mārupe Municipality's regulations (3 m³ of water per person per month): a family of three uses 108 m³ a year, so a 6 m³ tank has to be pumped out 18 times a year. That is 18 call-outs a year, each from €90. A septic tank with a drain field needs pumping once a year for the same family.
That is why a holding tank is chosen for a permanently occupied house only if there is no other option. Read the comparison on the page holding tank or septic tank.
Mārupe Municipality Binding Regulations No. 13/2023, point 31.2: without a water meter, the calculation assumes 3 m³ per month per declared resident. Riga City Council Binding Regulations No. 66, point 26: sludge is removed from a septic tank at least once a year. Sources: likumi.lv, checked on 30 October 2026.
How to choose the holding tank volume
A larger tank means fewer call-outs, and at the published prices they cost less per cubic metre: a single pump-out of up to 10 m³ costs from €110, while the same volume in two trips of up to 6 m³ costs from €90 each time. It is a good idea to choose a volume that matches one tanker trip.
| Occupancy | What to consider |
|---|---|
| Summer house, weekends | A smaller tank is enough; pump it out in autumn before winter |
| Permanently occupied house | As large a tank as possible, up to 10 m³ for one trip |
| Small business or workshop | Based on the number of staff and water consumption; a regular schedule |
What to plan for when installing a holding tank
- A sealed, seamless tank: a factory-made plastic or fibreglass tank. Concrete rings are hard to make watertight.
- Anchoring if the groundwater reaches the tank depth in spring or the soil is clayey: a holding tank is emptied completely, and when empty it floats up most easily.
- A level alarm that warns you when the tank is nearly full. It prevents overflowing.
- A location next to the access road: the regulations require free access for the vacuum tanker.
- A cover above ground level, securely closed, and an insulated neck if it is shallow.
- Ventilation through the house's soil stack.
How a holding tank is installed
- Site visit and estimate We decide the location, the depth based on the house outlet pipe, vehicle access and whether anchoring is needed.
- Documents The scope of documents is set by the municipal building authority, so confirm it before work starts.
- Installation Pit, base or anchor slab, tank, connection pipe from the house, backfilling with sand while filling the tank with water at the same time.
- Registration The holding tank is registered in the municipality's decentralised sewage system register; in Riga, this must be done within a month of installation.
Cabinet Regulation No. 253, point 94.2: construction of a holding tank emptied by tanker may be carried out by a builder without independent practice rights. Cabinet Regulation No. 384, point 9.3: free access for the pumping contractor's vehicle. Riga City Council Binding Regulations No. 66, point 4.2: registration within a month of construction or commissioning. Sources: likumi.lv, checked on 30 October 2026.
How much holding tank installation costs
We calculate the installation price for a holding tank in an estimate, as it depends mainly on the tank volume. As a guide: a 2 m³ tank costs from €800; larger tanks cost more. A septic tank including the tank and installation costs from €2,200; a holding tank has no drain field, but the tank is usually larger and often has to be anchored. The connection pipe from the house costs from €25/m. The price depends on the tank volume, anchoring, digging depth and access for machinery.