Soakaway
Would you like to have a new one added to your premises? For any job, big or small, there is one team you can always rely on – The Drain Team. We’re on call night and day for emergency callouts. And we’re always happy to provide FREE advice as well as assist with installation services. And no matter the request, you can count on our fair pricing structure to keep your costs down.
What is a Soakaway?
Covered under our drainage services in Dorset, a soakaway is designed to disperse septic effluent (sewage without a high concentration of solids) into the subsoil. Soakaways come in various sizes, determined by factors, such as:
- Porosity of the Subsoil Material
- Size of the Property/Number of Residents
- Type of Treatment System (i.e. septic tank or a sewage treatment plant)
Common septic tank soakaways are constructed via long trench lines filled with clean stone and have a slotted or holed distribution pipe. These trenches can be interconnected (a looped system), a simple long trench, a herringbone layout, or a large filled pit.
Porosity
When considering and planning a new soakaway, it’s important to factor in the subsoil permeability as soakaways are very much dependent on this. Many issues can often be attributed to incorrect porosity. A test can be carried out to determine the size of the soakaway required. The lower the subsoil permeability, the bigger/longer a soakaway system needs to be.
Water Table
The next important factor to consider for the successful operation of a soakaway is the level of the natural water table in the subsoil. A greatly reduced function results whenever the base of the soakaway is lower than the water table. An effluent pump is used in such circumstances, and these can be accommodated inside some treatment plants or added separately to the outlet side of a septic tank.
Rainwater Soakaways
A rainwater soakaway is not the same as a septic tank variant. Septic tank variants disperse slow flows over a 24-hour period. Conversely, rainwater variants disperse high flows over short periods, e.g. during heavy downpours. Rainwater soakaways tend to be large pits filled with open stone. A typical rainwater soakaway from one domestic house would be about 1.0m3 in capacity. Overflowing or leaking rainwater soakaways can indicate that a blockage is present or that the soakaway is no longer effective.
Our Service
At The Drain Team, we’re ready and able to assist in fixing damaged or blocked soakaways. We’re available 24/7, so whenever you need an assist, our team are always on call. We can provide you with free advice and will carry out a survey to determine the cause of the issue. Then we’ll get the problem fixed in rapid-fast time.
If we find that during our work the soakaway needs replacing outright, we’ll advise you accordingly. With The Drain Team by your side, no problem is insurmountable.
Want to find out more? To request a quotation, free advice, or simply request our assistance with an emergency callout, call The Drain Team on 07787 153 733.