What is a Soakaway?
Soakaways are an essential component of residential drainage systems that facilitate the controlled infiltration of surface water into the ground. These systems help prevent waterlogging, soil erosion, and potential damage to your property's foundation. An efficient soakaway will prevent waterlogging and disperse excess water into the ground. It’s a sustainable solution, promoting natural water infiltration and contributing to sustainable drainage practices, reducing the impact on local water systems. Some of the key features of soakaways are:- Versatility - soakaways are designed to accommodate various soil types and drainage needs.
- Environmental Benefits - by allowing water to naturally infiltrate the soil, soakaways contribute to sustainable water management and reduce the burden on traditional drainage systems.
- Cost-Effective – soakaways are a cost-effective solution for managing surface water on your property, requiring minimal maintenance once installed.
Factors for a Successful Soakaway Process.
Soakaways work well for patio drainage and driveways, where the water table or saturation line (the upper level of groundwater that is naturally held within the soil, sub-soil, or bedrock) is of a lesser volume. If the affected site has an exceptionally high water table near the surface, then soakaways will be rendered useless. In instances where the water table may be higher, possibly due to a layer of impermeable clay overlaying deeper strata, this can be dug through and the porous sub-strata reached, which will, in turn, make your soakaway feasible. Site Requirements. There are other site requirements that come into play when looking for suitable patio drainage solutions such as a soakaway, which are:- The site of the soakaway must be permanently above the water table.
- Be sited in a spot lower than the area being drained.
- It must be situated so that it will not saturate the foundations of any structure.
- Be at least 5 metres away from any building (BS 8301).
- Not be situated near risks of contamination from pollutants.
- Must not be sited near another infiltration device so as not to impair the ground or the capacity of the other devices.