Can rainwater go into a soakaway?

Can rainwater go into a soakaway?

Can rainwater go into a soakaway?

A rainwater soakaway is designed to drain excess rainwater (this may also be known as surface water runoff). If the ground is not suitable for a surface water soakaway then you can look at alternative solutions like connecting to a surface water sewer.

How deep does a rainwater soakaway need to be?

3 – How Deep Should a Soakaway be? There is no minimum or maximum depth. The amount of water the soakaway can hold and how quickly (or slowly) the water seeps away into the ground are the critical factors, not vertical depth or horizontal spread.

What is a soakaway for rainwater?

Soakaways are a long established way of dealing with rainfall. They are essentially a pit in the ground into which you run your rainwater drainage. They are also used, less frequently, to dispose of the effluent from septic tanks, where they are more commonly known as leaching fields.

Do Soakaways need building regulations?

Building Regulations require you to adequately dispose of stormwater from the building. To try and ensure water is dispersed into the ground evenly and quickly you must consider the use of a soakaway in all cases. You must use a soakaway if design criteria can be met.

What is the best stone 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 water can a soakaway take?

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 far from a building should a soakaway be?

5 metres
Ensure soakaways can be sited at least 5 metres from any buildings.

How far below ground should a soakaway be?

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.

How do you dig a soakaway?

Digging The Trench Your soakaway pipe should be laid to a fall of 1 in 40. So for every 4 meters of pipework the trench should slope down by 100mm. You can dig the soakaway pit and drainage trench by hand, using a shovel, or you can hire a mini digger to do the work for you.

Do I need planning permission for a rainwater soakaway?

Do I need planning permission for a soakaway? If you are installing a replacement Soakaway then you will generally not require planning permission. If you are installing a new foul Soakaway or drainage field you should at least inform your local planning office.

How far should a soakaway be from a building?