What is a Soakaway? A soakaway is simply a hole dug into the ground, filled with rubble and coarse stone which allows surface water to percolate back into the earth close to where it falls.
Can I use gravel for a soakaway?
Materials needed to construct a soakaway
Constructing a basic soak away is fairly simple you dig a hole in the ground and fill the hole with gravel available from most builders merchants. (The 20m flint gravel from amazon is Ideal).
How much gravel do I need 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 deep should you dig a soakaway?
The depth depends upon the location – if it’s under the garden or patio etc. it only needs to be 1310mm deep, but if its under your driveway it should be 1510mm deep to allow for a little more top fill. If you don’t want to dig that deep, check out our shallow dig soakaway options.
What is a gravel soakaway? – Related Questions
Does rainwater have to go to a soakaway?
Soakaway Regulations relating to foul drainage state that a soakaway is no longer an acceptable method of discharge. Instead, a Drainage Field must be used. For Rainwater, a soakaway is still acceptable. Please see the next section for the difference between a Soakaway and a Drainage Field.
How many years does a soakaway last?
Soakaways should last the life of the house, at least 100 years but only if installed and maintained correctly.
How far should a soakaway be from a septic tank?
The trenches must be filled 50mm above perforated pipe and covered with a membrane and then filled in with soil. The trenches for the soakaway should be between 300mm and 900mm wide with a distance of 2m between trenches.
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.
How do you calculate the size of a soakaway?
Where ground has good soakage (such as sand/gravel) then the size/volume of a crate type soakaway can be calculated as follows: Volume = Roof area being drained x (50mm rainfall rate per hr/3000). These soakaways are normally filled with clean brick/block/concrete pieces no larger than 150mm.
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.
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.
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.
Can I dig my own soakaway?
Digging The Trench
The soakaway pit and drainage trench can be dug by hand with a shovel, or you can hire a mini digger to make the work easier for you. We recommend the second option or hiring our professionals at Coastal Drains if DIY isn’t for you.
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.
Can you have a soakaway without a septic tank?
A soakaway is not usually needed with a sewage treatment plant, but it is required with a septic tank.
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).
What should a soakaway look like?
They look like a series of perforated pipes laid in trenches in an area of land around your property, usually your garden or a field. The area around these pipes will then be covered over, usually with stones or gravel and turf, with the treated foul water being discharged into this land.
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.