Soakaways and Soakaway Replacement
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.
Potential problems with soakaways.
The purpose of a filter is that it stops all debris going into the soakaway, 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.
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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.