Soakaways and Soakaway Replacement

Soakaway layout drawing

What are soakaways?

Soakaways are deep holes in the ground usually filled with gravel or rubble. Rainwater runs into the Soakaway and fills the cavities between the infill material, this water is then gradually absorbed into the surrounding ground.

For the Soakaway to work efficiently and over a prolonged period of time, the water going in should be clean and free of debris such as leaves and moss which cause restriction and blockages and can result in the soakaway having to be dug out and renewed. It is possible to fit a filter to the rainwater system to prevent the entry of debris.


 A wastewater soakaway is the section of a drainage system that follows from a septic tank or sewage treatment plant. The purpose of a soakaway is to allow the liquid waste that has left the septic tank to percolate through the soils surrounding the pipework – the soakaway pipework is often perforated or slotted to enable this to happen.  The process of the liquid waste percolating through the particles in the soil provides a form of treatment of the waste, and it is then safely dispersed into the surrounding sub soils.

Drainage pipe in trench

Potential problems with soakaways.

The purpose of a filter is that it stops all debris going into soakaways, therefore keeping the soakaway clean. If a filter is not used, leaves and moss can enter the soakaway and it can become blocked. The soakaway will then have to be dug out and renewed.

Drain transmitter and locator

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If soakaways are  restricted or blocked, excessive rainfall can lead to


  • overflowing gullies         
  • damp walls
  • Localised flooding to drives and patios.
  • Flooded cellars.   


One of the main problems with investigating a suspected failed soakaway is finding it, we have known people guess and dig for days, with just backache to show for it, a far quicker way is with the use of electronic drain tracing.                                                  

Call us today.

Call us today to discuss your soakaway replacement requirements.      

01902 762274  

01384 732001

John direct 07768 297435

Areas Covered

  Ashmore Park, Bilston, Blakenhall, Bradmore, Bunker's Hill, Bushbury, Castlecroft, Cinder Hill, Compton, Deepfields, Dunstall Hill, Ettingshall, Ettingshall Park, Fallings Park, Fordhouses, Goldthorn Fields, Goldthorn, Park Green, Lanes Hall Green, Heath Town, Lanesfield, Lower Bradley, The Lunt, Merridale, Merry Hill, Monmore Green, Moseley, Wolverhampton, Neachell, Newbolds, Newbridge, New Cross, Old Fallings, Oxley, Palmer's Cross, Park Dale, Parkfield, Park Village, Pendeford, Penn, Penn Fields, Portobello, Priestfield, Scotlands, Springfield, Spring Hill, Spring Vale, Stockwell End, Stow Heath, Stow Lawn, Tettenhall, Tettenhall Wood, Wednesfield, Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, Woodcross, Wood End. Baptist End, Brierley Hill, Brockmoor, Bromley, Buckpool, Cradley, Coseley, Cotwall End,Darby End, Dixon's Green, Dudley, Dudley Wood, Eve Hill, Gornal Wood, Hasbury, Hayley Green, Holly Hall, Hurst Green, Hurst Hill,Kate's Hill, Kingswinford, Illey Lapal, London Fields, Lower Gornal, Lutley, Lye, Netherton, Norton, Pedmore, Pensnett, Primrose Hill, Quarry Bank, Roseville, Russell's Hall, Sedgley, Upper Gornal, Wallbrook, Wall Heath, Woodsetton, Woodside, Wren's Nest Estate.Aldridge, Ashmore Lake, Barr Common, Bentley, Besco,tBirchills, Blakenall Heath, Bloxwich,Brownhills,Brownhills Common, Brownhills West Butcroft, Caldmore, Catshill, Chuckery, Clayhanger, CoalPool, County ,Bridge,Daisy Bank,Darlaston, Darlaston Green, Daw End, The Delves, Druid's Heath, Dudley's Fields,Fallings Heath, Fishley,Fullbrook, Gillity Village, Goscote, Harden,Hardwick, Heath End, Highbridge, High Heath, Holly BankKing's Hill Lane Head, Leamore Leighswood, Little Bloxwich,Little London,Moxley, New Invention, New Town, Old Moxley,Paddock, Palfrey, Park Hall, Pelsall, Pelsall Wood, Pheasey, Pleck, Pool Green,, Rough Hay, Rushall, Ryecroft, Shelfield, Shepwell Green, Shire Oak,,Short Heath, Spring Bank, Streetly, Stubbers Green, Vigo, Wallington ,Heath, Walsall, Walsall Wood, Willenhall, Woods Bank.