Sand Pit Pumping - Looking for ways to minimize the cost

[SteveT]

With the tighter economy, I am looking for ways to save expense money without sacrificing customer satisfaction. I spend $1k per year having sand pits pumped at my SS. Does anyone know of a clever way to minimize or eliminate this cost? THANK YOU...

 

[soapy]

Depending on state regulations you could do a few things. In California if the pit dirt is dry you can dump it in the dumpster. With a handi-clam you could scoop out a few buckets full each day and drop them in the dumpster when dry. might save a few bucks but would be back breaking work.

 

[Louise]

I hired a teenager and bought some waders. He climbed in and scooped everything out. We placed it behind the dumpster to let it dry out and then he came back again to shovel it into the dumpster> Saved me at least $1200 this year and he was happy to earn the extra money.

 

[Jason Studer]

Stop the sand before it goes in the pits, cut a short and narrow trench infront of each pit, put a grate over it and clean it out when needed, daily or when ever it gets half full or so.

Here in Minnesota we can dump sand or mud in the dumpster if it is not taken out off the pits. What is the difference? How does it become hazardous waste once it hits the pit?

 

[raisetheprice]

If you really stop and think about it...it's 99% topsoil, you could haul it to a drying area, then sell it as top soil once it drys out. Have you ever seen how green the grass is that grows out of this 'hazardous material'?

 

[MEP001]

Per the EPA, you can let the pit mud dry on a non-permeable surface with any run-off allowed to go to a sewer drain, and once it's dry you can dispose of it in your dumpster or landfill. I used to shovel the mud onto the bay floor and let it dry overnight and wheel it to the dumpster the next day, but the smell was too bad.

We had one pit filling up twice as fast as the rest, so I covered the whole grate with steel, with only a 4" hole cut in the center. Whenever there's a heavy mess I place a pail over the hole and rinse everything onto the steel, then move the pail and allow the water to drain. After about 5 minutes I can pick up almost all the mud quickly and easily with a shovel, which I put straight into the dumpster.

 

[dricke63@]

I bought a used ring o matic dipper, clean mine when they get full and then haul it to the local land fill. They take it no charge because I told them it is recyable

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I am thinking that I will just dig them out by hand. It won't be a real fun job, but it will be better than handing $1500 over to a company to pump them out.

Do local rent-all companies carry anything that could possibly be used to make cleaning them out a little easier and cost effective?

 

[MEP001]

I am thinking that I will just dig them out by hand. It won't be a real fun job, but it will be better than handing $1500 over to a company to pump them out.

We pay $3,500 to get ours cleaned once a year.

Do local rent-all companies carry anything that could possibly be used to make cleaning them out a little easier and cost effective?

There are slurry pumps that can handle the mud, plus someone mentioned using a post hole digger to stir the mud and make it more easily pumped. You could build some sort of frame to support the auger while you pump the mud into something.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

How many pits do you have to clean out? I have eight that get cleaned out and that is plenty. I would have to come up with something that could hold the contents of the pit for transport. Good ideas though.

 

[MEP001]

How many pits do you have to clean out? I have eight that get cleaned out and that is plenty.

Seven, plus two silt/oil traps. The traps don't hold much, but each bay is 4 x 8 feet, 4 deep.

 

[Gabriel]

My front end loader rig has now paid for itself and still looks brand new. Some of you probably remember seeing it several years ago. I still use it for other things and maintain a new trailer park with it as well. It was paid for totally from the savings on pit and road cleaning. We have made one small change--we clean the pits all at once and put the dirt in a large dump trailer. The hauler charges us $50 to haul it all away at one time. 4 X 6 pits are cleaned 3 or 4 times a year. Still drinking coffee and smiling.

 

[Elliott]

^ Now that is the way to go. A small bobcat would work great if you had a trench style pits. Load it in a dump trailer and take off.