A rubble soakaway is quite simply a hole dug into the ground and – as the name suggests – filled with rubble and stone. This allows a gradual filtration of the surface water, back into the earth. A pipe will run from the area where there is excess water into the soakaway.
What is the best material for a soakaway?
Geotextile membrane
Non-woven geotextiles are best for drainage or filtration and are easy to fit. Simply wrap each side of your soakaway crate in the geotextile fabric and fit into place with staples or strong tape.
What size gravel do you use for a soakaway?
There should be at least 150mm of 10-75mm granular material used to backfill around the soakaway, and units having larger diameter weepholes are usually shrouded with a geo-membrane to prevent the backfill material falling into the chamber.
How do you make a simple soakaway?
To construct a basic stand alone soak away or one to use as a dispersal point for a French drain system where the water will gradually seep away into the surrounding soil. Dig a large hole in the ground, line the sides with heavy-duty landscaping fabric, to keep the earth from over time clogging up the gravel.
Can I use rubble in a soakaway? – Related Questions
What is the normal depth of a soakaway?
Usually the choice of alternative soakaway types in figures 1 and 2 is self-evident in that conventional soakaways can be constructed generally to a depth of up to 7 metres below ground level (mBGL) although the deeper the chambers are the more difficult and potentially more dangerous they will be to construct and
What is the minimum depth for a soakaway?
How deep should a soakaway be? The Perforated pipe should be laid at a minimum depth of 200mm and a maximum depth of 700mm. This enables aerobic contact between the effluent and the drainage stone and soil particles. This leads to aerobic digestion and effectively treats the effluent.
Does a soakaway need emptying?
How long does a soakaway last? Septic tanks need regular maintenance to keep them running efficiently. Maintenance includes emptying a septic tank of the sludge that builds up so the wastewater disposal system, including the soakaway, can still function. Septic tanks need to be emptied and serviced every 12 months.
Is there an alternative to a soakaway?
If a soakaway is impossible to achieve, you may be able to discharge the water into a local watercourse if you live next to one. If that isn’t possible, you can discharge the rainwater into a sewer, although you will need to get permission from the water company first and they will charge you a yearly fee.
How big does a soak hole need to be?
ALL MANHOLES ARE TO BE 1050mm DIA UNLESS NOTED OTHERWISE.
How wide should a soakaway be?
What Size Should My Soakaway Be? The most common size of soakaway for residential use is 1 Cubic Metre (1m³), as this is what most Local Authorities seem to specify. As a broad brush a Soakaway Size of 1m³ is sufficient to drain a roof area of approximately 50 square metres under normal conditions.
How deep should a soakaway trench be?
Overall depths of excavation will be typically 1.5 to 2.5 m for permeable areas up to 100m2 draining to the soakaway.
Where does the water from a soakaway go?
A soakaway is a buried drainage feature which seeks to manage surface water on the site and infiltrate into the ground, rather than discharging to an offsite location such as a watercourse or sewer.
What are the requirements for a soakaway?
Soakaway Regulations
- Soakaway should not be within 2 metres of a neighbouring boundary.
- It must be at least 10 metres away from any watercourse.
- Must be 15 metres away from any house or building.
- It must be at least 50 metres away from any water source (such as a reservoir or well)
How is a soakaway constructed?
Simply put, when you dig a hole in the ground which is then filled with rubble and coarse stone; you have created a soakaway drainage field. These stones allow surface water to percolate back into the earth close to where it falls.
What is the difference between drainage and soakaway?
What is the difference between a drainage field and a soakaway? To summarise the difference between the two, a drainage field is designed to add additional treatment to the water. Whereas a soakaway is designed to store a large volume of water allowing time for it to release into the ground (i. e. in a heavy downpour).
Do you need a membrane in soakaway?
A soakaway without membrane will quickly fill up with soil, silt and debris and in time become useless as there is no void for the water to soak into.
Can you put a soakaway in clay soil?
DON’T install a soakaway in heavy clay soil, the water cannot drain through this so it won’t work if this is in your garden. DON’T install a soakaway if you live in a polluted area prone to smog. Soakaways are no appropriate for polluted rainwater.