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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 1:57 am
by Grumbler
I think (actually I know) I have a serious problem with a soakaway and I've no idea what to expect.
In the recent heavy rains I noticed an unpleasant waterfall effect from my side gutter and started to investigate it today.
The problem is root ingress at 2 plastic joints on the clay pipework and the degree of root growth in the pipes is truly astounding.
I started chasing the pipework back with a view to replacing it but for a starter I have absolutley no idea whatsoever how big a soakaway might be.
I know it depends on the roof area which I can measure tomorrow but it's the guttering for a compound roof for one side of a double garage plus entrance hall going 90 degrees to the main bungalow. I've added a sketch below.
Why it doesn't drain to foul I just don't know as the pipe to the soakaway is on an intercept course with the foul drain but a camera survey at the time of purchasing the property proves there are no joints. So far I've dug as far as "x" on the plan and will continue as soon as I can spare a few more hours.
Very approximately how big might a soakaway be and if the roots are well into the soakaway itself does it need digging right out and starting afresh? Also how deep might it be? I know every situation is different but can I expect the pipework to turn downwards and go deep?
I'm almost wondering whether (if practical) to joint into the foul and scrap the soakaway but until I've exposed both at the intersecton I don't know what levels they are in relation to each other. I suppose I would need to retrench it from the downpipe to join at an acute angle to the flow as the current angle would try to send the surface water up the foul main. I have plenty of room for this as the boundary would be at approximately the last flow direction arrow.
I think I'd prefer to reinstate the soakaway but needs must and my situation is desperate.
All advice greatly appreciated.
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 1:41 pm
by Grumbler
UPDATE:
I'm still digging and think I must be well past the foul main now but not having found the next downstream manhole I can't do line of site. I think the foul drain is very deep looking at my own two manholes (only one on the plan, I know).
I've looked at the soakaway page on this site (very informative) and obviously I have no idea if I have a brick pit type or a pre-fabricated hollow one. If the former I don't fancy the mamoth task of emptying it and starting again.
I do however know it must be less than 5 metres from the property as I only have exactly 5 metres to my front boundary.
The site my property is on has a natural fall front to back and left to right as you look at my plan. This means the soakaway effectively falls under the property but again, I suppose it's a question of depth.
Would I be as well to trench along the side of the garage and run into the manhole on my plan? It is plenty deep enough to allow for the fall, the gully is nearly 1 metre down from ground level.
The pipe sections I have removed so far are solid root, amazing it's only just become a visible problem at the gutters.
Also, do I need to notify building regs of any of this work?
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 3:00 pm
by confuzatron
Sorry if I misunderstand, but isn't the routing of rainwater into the foul drainage system verboten?
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 3:20 pm
by Grumbler
I'm been using some wrong terminology here.
I should have been referring to sewage manhole obviously.
It would be surface water direct to the manhole and not combined with foul along the way.
Sorry for mixing surface, foul and sewage and not clarifying it.
Or am I totally up the wrong tree (or down the wrong drain) and surface water can't go to sewage? If that's the case I'll reinstate what's been good for 30 years and put it back how it was minus the roots.
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 4:27 pm
by confuzatron
Yes it's my understanding that you're not supposed to direct rainwater into drains these days, to prevent overloading of the system.
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 5:45 pm
by dig dug dan
Have you uncovered the soakaway? (usually a pit filled with hardcore)
If so, is it functioning or is it full of roots and silt?
If it is, then lay fresh piping back into it.
If not, you will need to dig a new one or possibly dig the old one out and replace.
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:40 pm
by Grumbler
All I've exposed is a small chamber a bit bigger than a shoe box lined with old slates, that appears to be my soakaway.
There doesn't appear to be any form of soakaway pit.
The roots were all eminating from the downpipe end and it's not too bad at the soakaway end, they finished where the pipe finished.
I'll stick the hose in it later and see how well in drains along with tipping a couple of 10 gallon buckets in it.
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 10:05 pm
by dig dug dan
Thats the idea. If it works, re-use it, then all should be ok!
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 10:54 pm
by lutonlagerlout
it is very, very, naughty to put rain water into foul systems
if your soakaway is not working ,you need to re-excavate and build a new one using aquacell crates and terram
not cheap (about £200 for the stuff) but will work a lot better
cheers LLL 
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:56 am
by Grumbler
lutonlagerlout wrote:it is very, very, naughty to put rain water into foul systems
I was under the impression it was just a case of informing Anglian Water I am no longer draining 100% to soakaway and paying an extra £32 per year on my water bill to drain to the sewer instead.
http://www.anglianwater.co.uk/index.php?sectionid=35&contentid=65
The other thing is that my soakaway is only about 2.5 metres from the property, is that a big issue?
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:18 am
by Rich H
Not necessarily, but it doesn't sound like a soakaway as we'd know it. As dan says, run a hose into it for a while and see what happens. If you can just replace the pipe and refill in the trench so much the better. I rebuilt a soakaway for a client last year. It started as a re-turfing job but one side of the garden was very mossy. Turned out there was about 3m of packed root fibres leading from a break in the soakaway pipe right up into the downpipe. Got the digger in, dug out a nice big hole, replaced the pipework, filled with hardcore and shingle, topped off with membrane, refilled over with the soil. Just been back there for some other work and lawn looks lovely.
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 3:49 am
by lutonlagerlout
Grumbler wrote:lutonlagerlout wrote:it is very, very, naughty to put rain water into foul systems
I was under the impression it was just a case of informing Anglian Water I am no longer draining 100% to soakaway and paying an extra £32 per year on my water bill to drain to the sewer instead.
http://www.anglianwater.co.uk/index.php?sectionid=35&contentid=65
The other thing is that my soakaway is only about 2.5 metres from the property, is that a big issue?
it is wrong ethically and morally and if the BCO catches you he will make you do a soakaway
putting rainwater into foul drains messes up the eco system,plus it can cause sewers to flood
cheers LLL
PS never heard of this £32 thingy b4 ???
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 9:01 am
by Grumbler
I see where you're coming from LLL but I seem to be the odd one out where I am as most people here drain surface water direct to the sewer. None of my neighbours have soakaways apart from 3 new builds further up.
As far as my soakaway goes I slowly poured about 20 gallons in it last night and it was draining 5 gallons in about 4 minutes but then it slowed right down and stood a drop of water which did drain over the next 30 minues or so.
This soakaway serves just this single down pipe, I have a surface drain in the drive and three other downpipes but they go elsewhere. I have no idea if it's a soakaway each or a bigger one somewhere else.
At the back of my property is a gulley/brook (dry in the summer months) that runs flood water down the hill. In winter it can often run at 400 mm deep and in heavy rain much more (including the recent heavy rains). Would I be able to send my surface water to that?
As I am so far up the hill with zero flood risk and I presume an extremely low water table does this mean my soakaways may have been constructed on the minimal side?
The property is around 30 years old so I presume building regs covered soakaways and their construction at that time.
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 4:10 pm
by Dave_L
It says on my water/sewage bill that I get a rebate/discount if all my surface water goes to a soakaway.......
