Rainwater drainage system access

[LouGib]

My gravel 'driveway' (I use that term loosly, it's basically some chips down on clay soil which the previous owners laid) slopes down towards the house, the lowest point being about a metre away from the front of the house under my kitchen window. Under the window there are two rows of slabs which meet the driveway. The previous owners had put in a linear drain where the driveway and patio meet, but unfortunately it is not connected to any drain - it was left open ended so that any water in the channel soaks into the earth below the slabs which run at both ends of the channel. Result being a flooded linear drain and a swimming pool under my kitchen window.

I thought I would be able to simply connect one end of the channel to an existing surface rainwater drainage system to carry the water away but have been unable to locate any such system.

My house is a 1975 semi. We have no downpipe for the front roof, the guttering joins our neighbours guttering then runs down a downpipe on the far end of his property which disappears directly underground (I'm assuming to the main surface water drainage system) under his mono blocked drive. Therefore I'm wondering how I could possibly connect up to any drainage system as I don't seem to have any branches to the main system in my garden.

With our heavy claggy soil, I'm not thinking any type of soakaway is going to be of any use but am at a loss to work out where I can run all this rainwater off to. Have been looking at other few semi-detatched houses on our estate but their gardens tend to run the other direction, or are pretty flat. The Council/Building Control, who I thought might be able to access the original plans to the house and Scottish Water all said 'sorry can't help'.

If anyone has any suggestions on how to get rid of my swimming pool i would be very grateful! Apologies for the long winded post....

[seanandruby]

Have you a storm drain onspection chamber around the back you can run it to. Each house should have a downpipe going in to an IC. Other option is ask your neighbour if you can run a pipe into his IC or manhole.

[LouGib]

Thanks for your reply. I have a manhole cover in the front garden for the sewerage system but nothing I can find for surface water. Neighbours IC is in his mono blocked driveway so I'm not sure I could connect to any of the systems on his side as I wouldn't be able to get a pipe under his drive. The rear of my house has a downpipe disappearing underground (no sign of any IC) which, according to the plan I have for the back, says 'to soakaway'. Unfortunately due to being a semi that then had a garage built on the side, I cannot walk round the side of the house otherwise I would have considered a long pipe to pipe the water to the back. If I was a good tunneller I could solve all my problems!! :laugh:

Thanks again

[rxbren]

If you have a soakaway in the back garden that works then the chances are if you dig one out the front it will work too

[seanandruby]

Haven't you got a channel at the garage threshold either?

[LouGib]

No grate in front of garage unfortunately. Garage sits a couple of inches higher than slabs thankfully but only drainage is a primitive gap between the slabs, which if rodded every now and again eventually lets the water dissipate.

Someone has also installed an outside tap on the side of the house which is a foot in front of the garage. It also has no grate or drain underneath it so it's fine for filling a bucket or attaching a hose, but if u you use it to rinse anything, the garage does get flooded.... If I could somehow get into the main rainwater drainage system I could fix all the problems - was surprised to think that only one house out of two semis would have a branch of the surface water system leading to or should I say away from it. Maybe if I keep digging about I may find something!

[seanandruby]

Have you done a perculation test on your soil to see if it drains away?

[LouGib]

I haven't no. Will Google it and give it a go.....!

[seanandruby]

Hopefully you will be able to install some storm crates if soil drains well.

[LouGib]

Yes, hopefully. Will try and do the percolation test once our forecast heavy rain this week is away.

Thanks for the replies