Septic in this part of Riverside County is a mixed bag. Newer subdivisions are mostly on sewer. Older homes on bigger lots often never connected, and out toward Winchester, Valle Vista, Homeland and Romoland there's a lot of rural property where septic is the only option. If your home is on a tank, you want someone who'll pump it, fix it when something goes wrong, and tell you straight what it needs.
Valley Drilling Co is a family-owned, C-42 licensed septic contractor, in business since 1950. Call (909) 795-6164. A real person answers 7 days a week from 8 AM to 8 PM, and after-hours emergency calls are answered too.
Septic Pumping
On older properties the lid is often buried under years of landscaping, a patio or a planter. We find it and uncover it, pump the tank and check the sludge and scum layers. You get an honest read on when to pump next, based on what we actually found in your tank.
Don't know when it was last pumped? That's common after a home changes hands. It's a good reason to call now rather than wait for a slow drain. Our pumping guide lists the signs that a tank is overdue.
Repairs on Older Systems
A lot of septic systems around Hemet and San Jacinto have been in the ground a long time. Age shows up as cracked or settled lines, baffles that have rotted away, roots from mature trees, and leach fields that slowly stop draining.
We look before we recommend anything. When a section of leach line or a seepage pit can be repaired instead of replaced, we'll say so. When a system really is at the end, we'll explain why and plan the replacement with you.
Buying or Selling? Escrow Inspections
An older home on a big lot can look great and still have a tank nobody has opened in years. Buyers and lenders often ask for a septic inspection before close of escrow, and it's better for everyone to know what's in the ground before the deal closes. We pump the tank, check its condition and the disposal area, and report back. See our page on escrow inspections and certification.
New Systems, Replacements and ADUs
Building on a rural lot or replacing a failed system starts with PERC testing. The results show how the soil handles water and what kind of system the county will approve for the lot.
Hemet, San Jacinto and Menifee are incorporated cities, so for properties inside city limits the permit path runs through the city or county, depending on the property. Outside city limits, septic permits go through the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health. We coordinate the design and the permits, and when the county requires stamped plans, an outside licensed engineer stamps them.
Thinking about adding a granny unit behind the house? An ADU on a septic property means checking whether the existing tank and leach field can take the extra flow. Our ADU septic page explains what that check involves.
Areas We Cover
Hemet, San Jacinto & Menifee Septic Questions
Is my Hemet home on septic or sewer?
Check your water bill first. If it doesn't include a sewer charge, you're probably on septic. Property records, the seller's disclosures or a lid or cleanout in the yard can confirm it. If you still can't tell, call us and we'll help you find out.
Who handles septic permits in Hemet, San Jacinto and Menifee?
Outside city limits, it's the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health. Inside Hemet, San Jacinto or Menifee, it's the city or county, depending on the property. When a repair or new system needs a permit, we take care of the paperwork.
My older system backs up every few months. Does it need replacing?
Not always. Repeated backups can come from a clogged line, a failed baffle or roots, and those are repairs. If the leach field or seepage pit has stopped draining, part of it may need work. We find the cause first and tell you whether a repair will do it.
Do you answer septic calls on weekends?
Yes. Phones are answered 7 days a week from 8 AM to 8 PM, and after-hours emergency calls are answered too. If sewage is backing up, stop using water and call (909) 795-6164.
Septic help in Hemet, San Jacinto or Menifee?
Call (909) 795-6164. We answer 7 days, 8 AM–8 PM, and after-hours emergencies are answered too.
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Nearby
South of here we cover Temecula and Murrieta, and to the north we're in Beaumont and Banning. Our Riverside County septic page covers the rest of the county. For specific services, see septic tank pumping, leach line repair, seepage pits, escrow inspections, PERC testing and septic for ADUs.
More answers on our Septic FAQ, or read about our company.