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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 4:23 pm
by Millse
My garden has been flooding quite regularly in the bottom NE corner until the main patio was excavated. Now I have completed the main patio paving the flooding is back (surprise surprise) 
. The area of flooding has a small patio within it of 3m2 built by the previous occupants on building sand and floods to a depth of around 6". The drainage systems from the house are separate and I have easy access to the plastic surface water inspection chamber, which has a depth of at least 1m and will allow sufficient fall. The land behind my fence is a cul-de-sac grass/road turning circle, which is council adopted land.
Can I:-
1) Install a herringbone drain of approx 5-6m in the lawn and the above patio and connect directly to the inspection chamber?
2) If so, does the connection have to be at the base level on one of the spare ports or can I insert a mid section for example or cut in to the existing chambers plastic wall?
3) I suspect regs may be involved, if so what are they?
4) Herringbone under the fence to the wasteland/field/cul-de-sac?
5) Find a more porous strata to drain into than the clay thats on top and the best method for doing so?
Advice sincerely appreciated thanks 
.
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 7:29 am
by seanandruby
go to the chamber, quicker and cheaper, install a silt trap or p trap.
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 11:37 pm
by Tony McC
1 - yes, but option 5 would be preferable. Alternatively, any SuDS compliant option, such as a soakaway or rain garden would be preferred to dumping surface water into a sewer. Also, the IC really ought to be SW and not FW
2 - you could use a backdrop, but why go to all that additional work when a simple invert-level entry is so straightforward.
3 - Building Regs Part H. They used to be downloadable from the web, but the link seems to have been removed since they unnecessarily re-juggled the government departments for the umpteenth time. They were on the ODPM (Office of Deputy Prime Minister) site, but since jowly Prescott was seen off, that establishment seems to have been expunged form the record.
4 - Oh no! You CANNOT drain your property onto someone else's property.
5 - This would be the preferred option.
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 9:57 am
by Millse
Thanks for the replies.
1) The IC in question takes the rainwater from the property not the foul is this ok?
2) Can you clarify a backdrop and the invert level... I assume I can connect to the IC at a suitable midpoint with a P-trap as Sean suggests without digging to the bottom of the IC?
3) Part H can be found here!! http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england....82.html
4) Was a suggestion from persons to remain nameless, I won't be doing that.
5) I will dig a small area and see how far the clay extends and may be get a pro to report on the strata levels for this solution.
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:55 pm
by Millse
Since posting this thread and being an honest sort of chap, wanting to do things correctly I rightly or wrongly (depending on your point of view) contacted the local Water Authority recently to connect the drainage to the IC for surface water. They have refused permission and state land drainage should not be connected into SW IC's. Good job I haven't even started then(I take my time!!!) ??? . The Water Authority say even if their term contractor did the work (expensive) they would refuse to do it?! Is this correct or does it vary up and down the country with different Water Authorities?
The area of flooding is relatively small and I don't want to reverse the problem. Soakways don't work in clay . I have seen a solution on local tv where a buried water butt/tank was used to recycle the excess water for the garden. Is this viable? I have read a bore hole to more porous strata could be rather costly too. Any other suggestions/advice greatly received, as the refusal appears to exclude SUDS options? Thanks in advance.
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 5:09 pm
by lutonlagerlout
this seems to be the prevalent attitude amongst the water folk
the fact that you keep getting flooded is not their concern
its the devil or the deep blue sea now millse
LLL
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 7:36 pm
by flowjoe
The water butt (Water Harvesting) is an option but you need an overflow into a drainage system so when the tank fills to a level it doesn't flood the garden, otherwise you will be pumping water onto your already flooded garden for the sake of it and getting nowhere fast.
A bore hole would seem your only option so speak to some local structural/ground engineers to see if they have an idea of the sub-soil in your area, might be worth getting a hand auger and going down 4/5mtrs to see if it can be done on the cheap.
Other than that its a dead of night connection into the existing drainage system, some soft lighting to create a water feature or a paddy field enterprise
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:46 pm
by Millse
Great I know a good overflow...the SW IC!!!
I will look into my few options..... or alternatively move to China so I can look at their sodden paddy fields instead of mine!!! 
Does Uncle Bens plant well? :laugh: Already have a water feature :;): Thanks for replies.
