Soakaways

[KarenN]

Can any one help me?

I am having a soakaway dug at the moment - the aim is 1.5m x 1.5m x 1.5m & I've learnt all about how to fill it with rubble etc...

My problem is that the hole seems to be all CLAY and the water that keeps filling it at mo (it's currently an open hole) is NOT seeping away at all, the clay just holds it!!! The hole is going deeper & deeper, trying to find some good drainage.....no luck so far, does anyone have any ideas to help?

Thanks Karen

 

[Burnerman]

Its difficult when there's so much clay around...the soakaway will only hold a certain amount of liquid before it overflows.
Can you relocate it, or utilise porous soakaway pipes to extend the drainage area?
John

 

[KarenN]

The area being used is all clay! I'd not thought of porous pipes, but we're talking alot of water off the roof and although anything could help, I don't think it would have enough of an impact! Thanks for the idea though - any others???

 

[Burnerman]

Taking the risk of stating the obvious, you have to find porous ground before the water can get away...my place is all on soakaway but I'm on broken sandstone.
It may be possible to get rid of the water by extending pipework to somewhere where it can't do any harm or flood, or by directing it into the main sewer...in the middle of the night when no ones looking, of course
John

 

[DeltaT]

Can you not just fit a Grey Water system & use the water in your toilets etc. It's free after all!!

 

[Nige F]

you don`t fill them with rubble , asbestos sheets, old milk bottles , plumbers waste etc. Not now - you create a void that`s 99% of the volume with crate like structures or run the pipe near to a foul manhole that just happens to be old and leaking in groundwater anyway If you keep digging down it will be a well- so wear longjohns because there is nowt` colder than a welldiggers arse