Pumping floodwater uphill to drains - Sumps, pumps and back entry gullys

Foul and surface water, private drains and public sewers, land drains and soakaways, filter drains and any other ways of getting rid of water.
Post Reply
Johno12345
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:44 pm
Location: Chesterfield

Post: # 29418Post Johno12345

Hi,

My front garden floods like a goodun at the first hint of rain as it is clay, lower than the neighbours and road and back garden. This results in a flooded garden and drive.

I need to add drainage however the drains are around the back and are only inches deep so I am unable to get any fall from the front to the back.

I, however, have a cunning plan....

I was thinking of digging a sump, using something like a plastic IC, running some land drains into it from the worst affected areas, installing a sump pump on a float switch. Then having the outlet pumped uphill to the back and connecting it into a back-inlet gully which I would install in place of a standard yard gully. I would install the pump above the base so as to avoid silt.

Can anyone see any problems with this, legal, waterboard or otherwise? It seems like an excellent solution in my mind anyway :D


Thanks

seanandruby
Site Admin
Posts: 4713
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 11:01 am
Location: eastbourne

Post: # 29424Post seanandruby

Why not just channel your water round the back? you can lay your drain to a minimal fall.
sean

Dave_L
Site Admin
Posts: 4732
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:47 pm
Location: Somerset
Contact:

Post: # 29428Post Dave_L

As Sean says - your plan sounds over-complicated!

Sump pump and float switches - are often just a source of irritation when they fail or trip out for some reasons!
RW Gale Ltd - Civils & Surfacing Contractors based in Somerset

See what we get up to Our Facebook page

Johno12345
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:44 pm
Location: Chesterfield

Post: # 29431Post Johno12345

If i laid drainage round to the back it would have to run uphill! The drains in the back are literally inches below the surface. in the IC, the pipes entering the IC have the IC lid resting on them.

The drain gets deeper as it runs away from the house but I would have to dig a trench across numerous gardens to meet up with it. I also cant make a new connection to the main sewer out front as there isnt one there!

Thanks for replying :)

flowjoe
Posts: 1136
Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 9:25 am
Location: North West

Post: # 29440Post flowjoe

Sounds like a plan Johno.

As long as you a pumping into a storm water system you will be OK, if its combined storm and foul you should speak to building control or your local water authority but thats up to you. If its just a foul system then its a non-starter.

Install a good sized chamber so the pump doesn`t have to work flat out to often, keep the pump raised from the base so that the silt settles and can be cleaned out.

Always a good idea to get a spark to do the dangerous bit, installing some kind of circuit breaker in the process.
http://draindomain.com

Many paths can lead to riches, few in sunlight, some in ditches

Johno12345
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:44 pm
Location: Chesterfield

Post: # 29441Post Johno12345

Thanks :), its a combined foul and storm sewer, I suspect the water board will not allow me to connect so i probably wont ask :)

Just need to find a suitable container, I was thinking of a plastic IC but I would have to fashion connections at a higher level and it seems a bit bodgified now.

Goes without saying that the sump pump would have its own circuit protected by a RCBO.

Thanks for the advice :)

seanandruby
Site Admin
Posts: 4713
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 11:01 am
Location: eastbourne

Post: # 29444Post seanandruby

Sounds like thats your only option then. you could build a manhole in 9 inch brickwork and make sure it is well sealed.
sean

Johno12345
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:44 pm
Location: Chesterfield

Post: # 29777Post Johno12345

Hi again, I have worked out what I need/want for this project but I am a little stuck at the sump construction.

I dont fancy building one from brick as the ground is so sloppy.

Does anyone know of a preformed sump, preferably plastic that I can bury in the ground?

Thanks for your help so far :)

digerjones
Posts: 889
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:32 pm
Location: cheshire

Post: # 29779Post digerjones

hi i came across the problem.someone had installed a septic tank too low and the over flow was below the water table. i made a chamber out of small concrete manhole sectcions about 450mm by 600mm 300 deep. i put a pump in like you want to. this was 6 years ago , the customer has had no probs yeti i used plastic waste pipe 40mm and glued the joints. good look diggerjones
dylan

Dave_L
Site Admin
Posts: 4732
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:47 pm
Location: Somerset
Contact:

Post: # 29780Post Dave_L

Can you not just dump a load of concrete into the bottom of the hole, form it to level and then plop a couple of Milton rings in?
RW Gale Ltd - Civils & Surfacing Contractors based in Somerset

See what we get up to Our Facebook page

Dave_L
Site Admin
Posts: 4732
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:47 pm
Location: Somerset
Contact:

Post: # 29781Post Dave_L

Along the lines of this....

Image
RW Gale Ltd - Civils & Surfacing Contractors based in Somerset

See what we get up to Our Facebook page

Johno12345
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:44 pm
Location: Chesterfield

Post: # 29782Post Johno12345

Thats exactly what I need! Now I know the name, I can set about finding them.

Got flooded today in the rain, its alarming when you can see the water level rising by the second!

Thanks :)

seanandruby
Site Admin
Posts: 4713
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 11:01 am
Location: eastbourne

Post: # 29785Post seanandruby

......They are heavy and need lifting in with a machine.
sean

Johno12345
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:44 pm
Location: Chesterfield

Post: # 29790Post Johno12345

I was looking for one that was about 450mm dia but I have been advised that they come in plastic so I am going to Travis Perkins later to see what they have on offer.

Anyway, Im off to sort the drainage problems at work now :)

darrenba
Posts: 77
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2008 6:47 pm
Location: Dorset, UK
Contact:

Post: # 29796Post darrenba

B&Q sell a Marley Deep Inspection Chamber Riser which is 450mm wide and 450mm high and you can join them together. I've just bought a couple to make a small soakaway (going to drill holes in the sides and wrap in geotextile.)

Marley Deep Inspection Chamber Riser

Post Reply