Any ground workers or experts in soakaways?

[gixer1]

I need some advice on a soakaway so was just wondering if anyone had any in-depth knowledge of them that may be able to assist?

Regards,
Gixer

 

[bobt]

er yes
Im a BCO what do you need?

 

[Camdig]

Aye fire away, existing soakaway? New?

 

[gixer1]

So, the below photo shows yellow outline of the existing soakaway which is overwhelmed during heavy rain, the blue is an option for extending it and making it larger but to me if I did a serrated/fingers/wavy approach (red outline) the surface area for the water to soak away to would be larger as we suspect the issue is the clay content of the ground around the edge of the soakaway cannot take the water fast enough.



Regards,
Gixer

 

[bobt]

you need to create voids for the water to sit in during high flow peaks, then it can get away over a period,
herringbone /fingers as you call them will work better for the same amount of digging/stone,
most new soakaways are build as a void area using plastic cages, known as milkcrates locally,

 

[Camdig]

What's the type of sub soil? Is it rain water or septic soakaway?
A herring bone pattern extended from existing would be better

 

[gixer1]

What's the type of sub soil? Is it rain water or septic soakaway?
A herring bone pattern extended from existing would be better

It’s septic tank soak away….

Can you draw the pattern you mean on the photo please? Just to make sure I understand…

And thank you all for the input so far - very helpful and appreciated!

 

[gixer1]

Also, I have services about 3 meters from the current soakaway, electric and water - can a soakaway go across these?

 

[bobt]

just think of a fishbone, one long run with branches off,

herringbone drainage system - Google Search

 

[Camdig]

It’s septic tank soak away….

Can you draw the pattern you mean on the photo please? Just to make sure I understand…

And thank you all for the input so far - very helpful and appreciated!

You will need to renew the whole soakaway as it will be past its best, all gravels and surrounding ground will be black and gunged up.
Life span of soakaway with good draining ground 8-12 years
Will reply with picks shortly

 

[gixer1]

You will need to renew the whole soakaway as it will be past its best, all gravels and surrounding ground will be black and gunged up.
Will reply with picks shortly

The soakaway is clean as a whistle, dug it all out 2 years ago….

 

[gixer1]

The stone the last time it was dug out - like new!

 

[Camdig]

This is herring bone style, gather the pipe at end and extend down grass area.
Plenty 20/40mm gravel round pipe, the more gravel you have the bigger the holding capacity you will have.
The herring bone style can be as long as you like
Edit can't get pic to upload

 

[gixer1]

With the inlet pipe from the septic onion…after digging out the clean stone to look at it.

 

[Camdig]

Screen shot, do not scale

 

[gixer1]

Screen shot, do not scale

Yup, I get it….so kinda what my red line showed but go further on the “fingers”?

And can a soakaway cross service’s?

 

[Camdig]

Length is more important than depth, going under services especially water supply is more favourable, I would make it 15-18m long in a 750mm trench with 2-3m spurs off, smaller stone and possibly a geotex membrane containing it all in ground

 

[Bo Diddley]

Is your septic tank the old Cesspit style or a modern treatment plant? If it's the former and you're staying put and own the property think of fitting a treatment plant, it's not difficult, then you can apply for a discharge permit to put the treated water into a suitable ditch if you have one, it's job done then, if no ditch just a huge crate soakaway.

 

[gixer1]

Is your septic tank the old Cesspit style or a modern treatment plant? If it's the former and you're staying put and own the property think of fitting a treatment plant, it's not difficult, then you can apply for a discharge permit to put the treated water into a suitable ditch if you have one, it's job done then, if no ditch just a huge crate soakaway.

It’s an onion type septic tank, and unfortunately no ditch nearby, closest storm drain is 75m away…across two tarred roads so major operation to tie into…

 

[downwind]

Closed link/loop systems are what I installed for the last 15 years before I retired from ground works. Local Building control would not accept herringbone systems unless all the ends were connected and on a level stone base of at least 200mm depth. All connecting pipework need to be level in order to get even distribution of soakaway discharge. All pipework would then be covered by 50mm clean stone/gravel with a Terram/geotex membrane on top.