Drain to Nowhere

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
Owen Ireland
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2003 4:20 pm
Location: Reading, Berks

Post: # 1689Post Owen Ireland

I have a house on a slide gradient facing the road, the road being lower than the house and garden. At the back of the house is a patio with a patio drain than runs under the adjoining garage and comes out at the bottom of the driveway, just next to the pavement into what looks like a normal roadway drain. However, this drain doesn't lead anywhere - it's plastic, about 1m deep and the only exit/entrance is the pipe from the patio drain.

Is this a wierd sort of soakaway, (or evaporate away), or did the builder's forget to join it to the road drain (it was built 7 yrs ago).

Thanks!
Owen

I have a house on a slide gradient facing the road, the road being lower than the house and garden. At the back of the house is a patio with a patio drain than runs under the adjoining garage and comes out at the bottom of the driveway, just next to the pavement into what looks like a normal roadway drain. However, this drain doesn't lead anywhere - it's plastic, about 1m deep and the only exit/entrance is the pipe from the patio drain.

Is this a wierd sort of soakaway, (or evaporate away), or did the builder's forget to join it to the road drain?!

Thanks!
Owen

84-1093879891

Post: # 1693Post 84-1093879891

Is there an echo in here? ;)

If the mystery drain is on a public highway, then it will be connected up to some form of approved drainage system, rather than be a direct soakaway. However, if this is on your own property (I can't tell form reading your message), then I suppose it could be a small soakaway access point.

Do you have a photo or a fuller description?

Owen Ireland
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2003 4:20 pm
Location: Reading, Berks

Post: # 1695Post Owen Ireland

Thanks - it's on my property - just at the end of the drive. I guess for the amount of water that comes through, it could just be allowed to evaporate, but it seems a bit odd!

84-1093879891

Post: # 1706Post 84-1093879891

It won't evaporate from a gully, or, at least, it won't evaporate sufficiently to control the water level.

Think about the road gullies on any public highway - we've had next to no rain for a few weeks, yet there's still water in the gullies. They may have lost 20mm or so due to evaporation, and, if left for long enough with no topping-up, then they will eventually be dry, but it'd take a long time!

I wonder if what you have is a little sand drain, which is, essentially, a deep, thin hole (think of it as a vertical pipe) filled with sand and/or gravel that allows the water to percolate to to lower levels and more permeable layers of the sub-strata.

68-1093879161

Post: # 1722Post 68-1093879161

"we've had next to no rain for a few weeks, yet there's still water in the gullies"

Tony - You spoke too soon - We got drenched Thursday and Friday down here. And I mean drenched.....

84-1093879891

Post: # 1723Post 84-1093879891

The gullies were getting empty and in danger of proving me wrong, so I had to order up a moderate downpour to top them up! ;)


68-1093879161

Post: # 1725Post 68-1093879161

LOL - the rain is fine with me now.....sat at home with a beer!

It can rain as much as it wants until 0700hrs Monday in my books.

Owen Ireland
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2003 4:20 pm
Location: Reading, Berks

Post: # 1748Post Owen Ireland

Tony
Thanks for the reply. However, this is plastic, about a foot wide and 3 feet deep, and you're right it doesn't evaporate very fast at all!
Owen

Post Reply