Before a portable unit is pumped in Baltimore, ask who pumps it, which disposal site receives the load, how each visit is recorded and who answers a fault call. Maryland's septage rules were not confirmed for this guide, so it states the questions to ask and gives no Maryland rule or number.
Key takeaways
- Ask who pumps the unit and carries the load until it reaches a disposal site.
- Ask which disposal site receives the load and whether it holds the permit that applies.
- Ask how each visit is recorded and whether the record can be given to the organizer.
- Ask who answers a fault or a leak and how quickly a visit can be made.
- Ask for the permits and registrations the hauler holds for its work, and which office issues them.
- Maryland's specific septage rules were not confirmed here, so this guide does not state them.
Who pumps the unit and carries the load
The hauler who pumps the unit carries the duty for the load under the rules that apply, and the customer should know the name of the operator and the company that stands behind the work.
A good answer names the operator who will arrive and the business that carries the load. The customer should not have to guess who is responsible for the waste once it leaves the unit. A hauler who cannot say who the operator is has not finished its own planning.
The duty does not end when the truck drives away. It continues until the load reaches a site the hauler is entitled to use and the delivery is recorded. Ask the hauler to say where that is.
Where the load goes
The load goes to a disposal site the hauler is permitted to use, and the name of that site should be given before the booking, because it is part of the compliance question.
Ask for the name of the site. A reputable hauler will give it without difficulty, and will say whether the site holds a permit to receive septage. A hauler that will not name the site should not be booked for work that a venue or an office may later check.
The site named on the visit record is the strongest evidence of where the waste went. Ask that it be written on each record, not just on the first one.
- The name of the disposal site
- Confirmation that the site holds a permit to receive septage
- The site named on each visit record
- A written answer if the site changes
How each visit is recorded
Each pump-out should leave a record with the date, the unit, the work done and the disposal site, and the customer should be able to get a copy on request.
A record is the simplest way to show that a visit happened. For an event with a permit file, the record can be attached to the file. For a venue that asks, the record shows the unit was serviced on the day it was due.
Ask whether the record is kept electronically or on paper, how long it is kept and how a copy is obtained. A hauler with a clear answer is one that expects to be asked.
Faults, leaks and the response time
A fault, a leak or a full unit needs a named contact and a stated response, and the customer should know what happens out of hours, since a unit can fail at night.
Ask who answers a call about a leak, a blockage or a smell, and whether that person can authorise a visit the same day. Ask whether the phone is answered at any hour, which matters for an event that runs into the night.
A fault should be reported to the office in writing as well as by phone, so the record shows when it was raised and how it was answered.
Permits, registrations and the office that issues them
Ask the hauler for the permits and registrations it holds for its work and the office that issues each one, since the hauler carries the duty to hold what the work requires.
Maryland's septage rules were not confirmed for this guide, and this guide does not name a permit or a fee. The hauler is the party that knows which of its permits apply, and it should be able to say which office issued each one.
Ask to see the paperwork, or at least the name and number of the permit and the office that holds the record. A written answer is better than a verbal one.
Scheduling the pump-outs
The pump-out schedule is set at booking from the number of users, the length of the job and the size of the tank, so the visit is planned before the tank is full.
A busy event fills a tank faster than a quiet one, and a hot day fills it faster than a cool one. Ask how the schedule was set, and whether the hauler will adjust it if the crowd is larger than expected.
For a long job the schedule is fixed for the length of the job and reviewed when the crew changes.
What a good answer sounds like
A good answer names the operator, the disposal site, the record and the contact, and it does so without hesitation and in writing.
A hauler that answers each question in a sentence, names the site, offers a record and gives a contact for faults has done the work. A hauler that answers vaguely, delays the answer or refuses to put it in writing should be treated with caution.
The customer keeps the answers with the booking. If a question arises later, the written answers are the reference, and the customer does not have to rely on memory.
What this guide does not tell you
This guide does not state a Maryland rule, a fee, a permit number or a deadline for septage, because those were not confirmed and a wrong one would be worse than none.
A 2009 bill analysis describes a proposed state push for septage transport standards and a manifest system, but whether it became law, and what applies now, was not confirmed. This guide does not present it as current.
The Maryland Department of the Environment is the place to check the current rules for septage and hauling. The hauler should be able to point to the rules it follows.
Keeping the paperwork together
The booking, the schedule, the visit records and the hauler's answers are kept together, so any question from the customer, the venue or an office can be answered from one place.
A single folder for each job holds the booking, the schedule, each visit record, the disposal site named for each load and the hauler's written answers. The folder is the reference for the job and can be given to an office on request.
A missing record is the most common gap, and a visit that was made but not recorded is hard to prove later, so the folder is checked at the end of each visit.
Events, venues and the organizer's duty
An organizer who books a hauler remains responsible for the event, so the hauler's answers are checked against the event's needs before the booking is confirmed.
The organizer's own duty is to the event: the units must be serviced, the waste must be taken away and the venue's requirements must be met. The hauler's answers are part of how the organizer meets those duties.
A venue may ask for the hauler's name and the site, and the organizer should have both to hand before the event starts.
When the hauler changes
If the hauler changes during a job, the new hauler's answers to the same questions are obtained before the first visit, and the disposal site named on the record is updated.
A change of hauler in the middle of a long job is a point where the waste trail can break. The new hauler is asked the same questions, and its disposal site and permits are recorded before its first pump-out.
The change is noted on the schedule and the folder, so the record shows which hauler carried each load.
Keeping the customer's own records
A customer keeps the booking, the answers and the visit records in one place, so any later question can be answered without relying on a phone call.
The customer's own copy of the booking and the written answers is the strongest record of what was agreed. A visit record that arrives after each pump-out is filed with them.
If a question arises after the job, the customer can show the record, the disposal site and the operator's answers without asking anyone to reconstruct them.
Common mistakes a customer can avoid
Most problems with pumping come from a late booking, a missing record or an unnamed site, and each of those is avoided by asking the right question early.
A late booking leaves a full unit on a busy day with no truck available. A missing record means the visit cannot be shown later. An unnamed site means the waste trail stops at the hauler's door, which is the weakest point of the job.
Ask early, get the answers in writing and keep them with the booking. Those three habits avoid most of the problems that customers later report.
When the job is finished the customer asks for the final record, which shows the last pump-out before collection and the disposal site it went to. Keeping that final record with the booking closes the trail from the first visit to the last load, and it is the document a venue or an office is most likely to ask to see.
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for the waste from a portable toilet?
The hauler who pumps the unit carries the duty for the load under the rules that apply, until it reaches a disposal site the hauler is entitled to use and the delivery is recorded.
Does Maryland require a particular permit for pumping?
This guide does not state one, because the Maryland rules were not confirmed. Ask the hauler which permits its work requires and which office issues them.
What should the visit record show?
The date, the unit, the work done and the disposal site, and the record should be available to the customer on request.
How often does a unit need pumping?
That depends on the number of users, the length of the event and the tank size. The schedule is set at booking and reviewed if the crowd changes.
What if the hauler will not name the disposal site?
Do not book it for work a venue or permit office may check. Ask in writing and keep the reply.
Is there a fee figure in this guide?
No. Fees were not confirmed for this guide, and the price is confirmed with the quote for the job.
Where can I check the current Maryland rules?
With the Maryland Department of the Environment, which is the state office for these rules, and with the hauler, who should know which apply.
Should I ask for a copy of the disposal site's permit?
Ask the hauler to confirm that the site holds a permit that applies. A copy or a reference is a reasonable request for a permit file.
What if the hauler changes its disposal site?
The change is recorded on the visit record, and the new site's permit is confirmed before the next load.
Sources
This guide is general information for Baltimore City homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.