"Ether Jones" wrote in message oups.com...

Just dug up the septic tank to get it pumped and I cannot lift the
concrete access cover. It is "frozen" in place (more like "chemically
bonded" I would say).

The tank is concrete and the access cover is concrete. The access
cover is rectangular in shape, about 12"x18". It has an iron handle
cast into the center. The sides of the cover are slightly angled so
that the cover fits snugly down into the access hole (like a stopper in
a utility sink).

I tried prying the cover up with a bar thru the iron handle. It
doesn't want to budge. Any more force and I'm sure I would break the
iron handle. I tried prying the cover up around the edges with a crow
bar but it just chips the concrete.

What are the recommended ways of dealing with this situation? Should I
use acid or some other chemical to try to break the "bond" that has
formed between the cover and the hole?

The tank is 11 years old, and I don't think the cover has been removed
since the tank was buried (cover is about 8" below ground surface
level).

I'd try washing out the gap between tank and lid with a strong hose blast or pressure washer.

Bob