Septic Tank Pumping in Collegedale, TN
Collegedale has the newest housing of any city in Hamilton County and a small sewer system of its own. We connect Collegedale homeowners and landlords with independent local septic pumping, inspection and repair companies for free, no-obligation quotes.
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A university town with 2000s subdivisions
Collegedale was founded in 1916 as the site of what is now Southern Adventist University, incorporated in 1968, and has been home to McKee Foods and Little Debbie since 1956. Ooltewah sits as an enclave inside the city, and Wolftever Creek cuts through White Oak Mountain at Collegedale Gap.
The ACS 2024 5-year survey counts 11,330 residents and 4,304 occupied homes. The median year built is 2005, 60.1% of units date from 2000 or later and only 0.6% predate 1940. Unusually for the county, 56.0% of households rent, a reflection of the university’s 3,008 undergraduates in fall 2025, so many septic questions here come from landlords rather than owner-occupants.
Sewer, soils and growth in Collegedale
Collegedale is one of three jurisdictions WWTA does not serve. The city’s Public Works department runs 32.2 miles of gravity sewer, about 842 manholes and three pump stations under TDEC permit SOP-89136; flow enters Chattanooga’s interceptor at the Collegedale Pump Station and is treated at Moccasin Bend. The city reports about 1,200 customer accounts against 4,304 occupied homes. Those numbers do not convert into a septic share, since university and apartment buildings may sit on single accounts, but they do say the system is compact, and the roads toward Tallant Road, Edgmon Road and the Apison side were developed on septic. Water comes from Eastside Utility District.
The soil under Collegedale carries its name. The NRCS Collegedale series has its type location 1.5 miles northeast of town on Tallant Road: clay or silty clay weathered from limestone, moderately slow permeability, and, in the official description, “a fairly large acreage has been used for urban development” in Hamilton County. Nearby Talbott soils reach rock in 20 to 40 inches. Growth keeps coming: TDOT’s $93.1 million widening of Apison Pike (SR-317) runs through the city.
Services Collegedale homeowners and landlords ask about most
- First and second pump-outs. A 2005 system is well into its service life. See septic tank pumping; a 1,000-gallon tank typically runs $225–$400.
- Septic inspection on a sale or new lease. A septic inspection (typically $100–$200; $250–$1,175 with a camera) gives a landlord a baseline. State law bars marketing a new home with more bedrooms than its septic permit allows (TCA 47-18-104(b)(41)), so pull the permit.
- Effluent filters, risers and lids. Newer tanks often have an outlet filter; cleaning typically costs $100–$200, a riser $300–$600. See septic repair.
- Grease traps at food-service buildings on septic, typically $200–$500 per visit: grease trap pumping.
Typical national ranges from Fixr (2025) and HomeAdvisor (2026) — estimates, not quotes. See the cost guide.
Ask any company serving Collegedale for its TDEC Septic Tank Pumping Contractor permit (Rule 0400-48-01-.20) and Hamilton County pumper license. Repairs need a TDEC installer permit (Rule .19) plus a county installer license, and the owner pulls a $40 repair permit from Hamilton County Groundwater Protection. Verify on the TDEC DataViewer or the county’s 2026 list. This is general information, not legal advice.
Collegedale septic questions
Is Collegedale on WWTA sewer?
No. Collegedale runs its own collection system, 32.2 miles of gravity sewer and three pump stations, which feeds Chattanooga’s interceptor and is treated at Moccasin Bend. WWTA states it is not responsible for Collegedale. The city reports about 1,200 customer accounts; because accounts are not households, ask Collegedale Public Works whether a line reaches your lot rather than guessing from the numbers.
Who pays for septic pumping on a Collegedale rental?
Tennessee’s TDEC rule makes maintaining the system the property owner’s responsibility (Rule 0400-48-01-.13), and the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, which applies in Hamilton County, requires landlords to keep premises fit and habitable (TCA 66-28-304), with tenant remedies in 66-28-502. A lease can assign specific tasks in good faith. Check the current statute or ask a tenant-rights attorney; this is general information, not legal advice.
My Collegedale house was built in 2010. Does the tank really need pumping already?
Probably. The EPA guideline is every three to five years, so a 2010 system is on its third to fifth cycle. Many newer tanks also have an effluent filter at the outlet that needs cleaning (typically $100–$200) when the tank is pumped; if never serviced, it may be why drains are slow. The permit on file with Hamilton County shows the tank size and design bedroom count.
Nearby areas
Slow drains or a soggy yard? Get a clear quote first.
Free, no-pressure quotes across Chattanooga, Ooltewah, Soddy-Daisy, Signal Mountain and Hamilton County.