Do I need permission for a soakaway?

Do I need permission for a 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 big should a soakaway be for a septic tank?

The minimum size a soakaway should be constructed to is 30m. Pipes should be laid on a 300mm layer of shingle or medium of up to 50mm. The trenches must be filled 50mm above perforated pipe and covered with a membrane and then filled in with soil.

Can you put a soakaway under a patio?

A soakaway is a hole dug into the ground and filled with plastic crates; this creates a void where rainwater can be stored until it seeps into the ground. The rainwater from roof gutters, patios and driveways should ideally be directed towards a soakaway within the boundary of the property.

Do Soakaways need maintenance?

This may sound like an obvious statement to make but a correctly specified and installed soakaway constructed from modern crates should last for many years with the need for only a minimal amount of maintenance. Use the right type of soakaway crate.

How deep should you dig a soakaway?

A simpler approach is to excavate the trial pit to establish whether a soakaway is likely to work or not, rather than determine just how effectively it will actually work. For this, dig a hole at least 1.2 metres deep. Remember, any excavation deeper than 1.2m MUST be supported to eliminate risk of bank collapse.

Is there an alternative to a soakaway?

Septic tanks should be emptied once per year to avoid failure of the soakaway system. Package treatment plants are the modern alternative to septic tanks that produce a clear effluent suitable for discharge into a watercourse if one is available. The effluent is typically 20 times cleaner than that from a septic tank.

Do all septic tanks have a soakaway?

The most significant change to the General Binding Rules, in this case, stated that all septic tanks must not drain to a soakaway but to a drainage field, or drainage fields, definitely not to a local ditch or watercourse.

Why do soakaways fail?

Damage to the dip pipes or baffle within a septic tank can cause a soakaway to become blocked. Failure or problems with your Septic Tank or Sewerage Treatment plant which allow untreated waste to enter the system. With a Septic Tank system, this is less problematic but will cause permanent damage in the long run.

Can you unblock a soakaway?

If you have a blocked soakaway there is no way it can be fixed except through complete replacement. This is due to the fact that most problems arising from blocked soakaways are a result of poor installation.

What to fill a soakaway with?

Lay some gravel across the bottom of this freshly dug ground to level out the surface, and you’re ready to fill the soakaway with rubble. These broken stones should surround the drainpipe and finish around 100mm above it. Alternatively, if you prefer to use a more modern alternative, you could pick up a soakaway crate.

Why do Soakaways fail?

How big a soakaway for a septic tank or sewage treatment plant?

If you are installing a septic tank and some times a sewage treatment plant you will have to also construct a soakaway for the waste water to discharge to. Fill the 300mm square hole to at least the 300mm mark and allow to soakaway over night.

What do you need to know about a soakaway?

A soakaway is an efficient and low-environmental impact way of dealing with either foul or excess surface water in your drainage system.

When do you need a new drainage field soakaway?

If you need to install a new drainage field soakaway for your septic tank or sewage treatment plant, either because it is blocked or damaged beyond repair, please contact us today. This task is one which is best handled by the professionals, as your entire system may also need replacing as well.

Can a soakaway drain be used as a sump?

In cases such as this, a soakaway is just not going to work: think about it – to where will all the additional water you’re planning to send to the soakway drain? There is nowhere for it to go. The ‘soakaway’ in this situation is not a soakaway at all; it’s a hole full of water, otherwise known as a sump.