- Since 1986in business (BBB)
- 4.4 ★rating on Google
- Aerobic& conventional systems
- Mon–Fri8 AM to 6 PM
What we do
Full-service septic, top to bottom.
From a routine pump-out to an aerobic system that won’t stop alarming, one company handles it. Each service sits in its own layer, like the ground it’s buried in.
All servicesSeptic tank pumping & cleaning
Pumping the tank, checking baffles and levels, and telling you what we found.
Aerobic system service
Aerators, chlorinators, spray heads, alarms and the inspections Texas requires.
Septic repair & service
Slow drains, alarms, backups and soggy yards traced to the cause.
Full-service septic systems
From the permit paperwork to a finished, working system.
Commercial waste systems
Septic and waste pumping for businesses, churches and rural properties.
Aerobic systems, explained
What’s in the box under your yard.
Most newer homes out here run on an aerobic treatment unit. Here’s what each part does, and what we check when we service it.
Trash tank
Solids settle and scum floats. Everything that won’t break down waits here for the pump truck.
Aeration chamber
An air pump bubbles oxygen through the water so bacteria can do far more work than in a plain tank.
Pump tank & chlorinator
Clear water settles out, passes calcium hypochlorite tablets and waits for the timer or float.
Spray heads
Treated water is sprayed onto the lawn, usually at night or early morning. Keep the heads clear and off-limits.
Chlorine: calcium hypochlorite tablets made for septic chlorinators only. Never pool tablets, and never mix the two.
How Kennon works
Plain work, plainly explained.
Since 1986
Kennon Septic has been doing septic work in this part of East Texas since 1986. That is a lot of tanks, lids and drain fields in sand and red clay.
Full service
Pumping, repair, aerobic service and commercial waste systems from one company and one phone number.
Straight answers
You’ll hear what we found, what it means and what it costs before work begins. No scare talk.
Local ground
Sand on the ridge. Clay in the bottom.
East Texas soil changes fast. One lot near Ben Wheeler can have deep fine sand on the high side and Woodtell loam over heavy clay at the low end. Around LaRue it’s much the same story. That is why your neighbor has a drain field and you have spray heads.
The Neches River rises in eastern Van Zandt County, and the creeks that feed it keep low ground wet through winter and spring. Pine, oak and sweetgum roots go looking for every damp pipe joint. All of it shapes what a system needs and how often it needs us.
Soil & water questionsWho permits septic here
- Van Zandt County
- County Fire Marshal’s Office, Canton. TCEQ Designated Representatives review OSSF applications.
- Henderson County
- County OSSF program in Athens, for property outside city sewer.
- Statewide
- TCEQ licenses installers, maintenance providers and site evaluators, and sets the aerobic rules.
Where we work
Henderson & Van Zandt counties.
Getting service
Four steps. One phone call.
Call (903) 275-3748, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM. Tell us what’s going on and where you are.
(903) 275-3748Call (903) 275-3748
Tell us what’s happening: alarm, backup, wet yard, routine pumping or a new place.
Find the lids
If you know where the tank lids are, great. If not, tell us what you do know and we’ll start there.
Do the work
Pump, repair or service the system and walk you through what we saw.
Keep it running
We’ll tell you when it should be looked at again, and what to keep out of the drains.
Straight answers
Septic questions, answered.
33 answers on aerobic rules, pumping, East Texas soils, alarms, permits and more.
All 33 answersWhat is an aerobic septic system?
An aerobic treatment unit adds air to the wastewater so oxygen-loving bacteria break it down far more completely than a plain septic tank, then disinfects it with chlorine before it is sprayed or dripped onto the yard.
Who issues septic permits in Van Zandt County?
The Van Zandt County Fire Marshal’s Office in Canton handles on-site sewage facility (OSSF) permits through its TCEQ Designated Representatives, at 24634 State Highway 64, (903) 567-6026.
Why do some East Texas homes have drain fields and others have spray systems?
It comes down to the soil and the water table. A drain field needs enough permeable soil above clay, rock or groundwater to finish treating the effluent. Where there isn’t enough, Texas rules call for more treatment, often an aerobic unit with surface spray.
How often should a septic tank be pumped?
TCEQ recommends pumping a conventional septic tank every three to five years. Aerobic units are pumped when the sludge reaches the level the manufacturer and your maintenance provider set.
What are the signs my septic system is failing?
Slow drains throughout the house, gurgling pipes, sewage odor in the yard or house, wet or unusually green spots over the field, and sewage backing up into tubs or floor drains.
Does Kennon Septic Systems handle commercial septic and waste systems?
Yes. Commercial waste systems are one of the company’s listed services, along with septic cleaning, repair and aerobic service.