Get in touch to book a Free Quote or just to talk through your project design. Steps to apply for building control compliance: Step 1: Check if you need it. On 2017-01-18 by (mod) re: maximum distance from house to septic tank depends on these factors: Ray You ask a fair and common question: the maximum distance from house to septic tank is not, by anything I've read, specified by codes or standards but. SD 8-2-307 Rev 9 Surface Water Land Drain and Soakaway Details: Rev 9 12/Apr/2022 01:11 PM SD 8-2-308 Rev 8 Foul Sewer – Pipe Bedding Details – Flexible Pipes : Rev 8. 00 ISBN 978-1-4064-2338-9Many houses have the roof downpipes connected to soakaways. Refill the hole and time how long the water takes to seep away from the 75% point to the 25% point (this is 150mm). flameport said: You cannot build a soakaway next to your house. flameport said: You cannot build a soakaway next to your house. A Sewage Treatment Plant can discharge directly to a drainage ditch, watercourse or river. In this guide, we will look at what a soakaway is and how it relates to a septic tank. In order store, the Wastage or sewage for 10-30 Days Septic tank is constructed and the same is designed. They are more suitable for houses with larger front gardens as they require space and need to be located a suitable distance from buildings. Soakaways should be: built on land lower than, or sloping away from, buildings. Country. The Building. 6 = 37. Having had a look at the…According to new regulations passed in 2015, if your septic tank discharges to surface water such as a ditch, stream, canal or river, you will have to upgrade your system to a sewage treatment plant or install a soakaway system by 1 January 2020. Part of. Septic tank and soakaway: An in-house full flush-toilet connected via pipe and plumbing fixtures to an underground watertight settling chamber (the ‘digester’) with a liquids outlet to a subsoil drainage/soakaway system. On 2022-01-31 by Tyler . However, most tanks are placed even farther, commonly around 10 feet away in most cases and the leach fields are placed at around twenty feet away from the home. 5 1. Sizing of the soakaway will depend on how much rainwater it will have to take - however many councils will have a standard size that they are happy with. If you don't find the pipe, come in 1. 10 metres away from the watercourse or stream. see specifications for pipe bedding and pipe surround materials. First published in 1991 as a replacement for the old BRE 151, BRE 365 has become the standard methodology for soakaway design in the UK. Building, planning and design. Your sewage treatment plant has to be 5 metres away from trees, fences and hedges, 10 metres away from a watercourse or stream, and 50 metres away from any lake or foreshore. Soakaway/Septic Tank Cleaning & Evacuation Costs – N70,000 -N105,000. . This clear distance will be increased if the sewer is greater than 3m deep or greater than 375mm in diameter (C of P section 6). Rainwater goes to separate soakaway and toilets, showers, sinks, machine etc to septic tank. Before installing the soakaway, you have to dig a test pit, fill it with water and time how long it takes to drain away. Soak Pit – Need and Functions. The trenches for the soakaway should be between 300mm and 900mm wide with a distance of 2m between trenches. a Single Dwelling House and the 2000 EPA Wastewater Treatment Manuals: Treatment Systems for Single Houses. 3m deep and 1m x 1m. House Plans India; Free House Plans PDF USA Style; 20*50 House Plan | 1000 sq ft House Plan. The Building Standards technical handbooks provide guidance on achieving the standards set in the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 and are available in two volumes, domestic buildings and non-domestic buildings. Had to pay for the. septic tank distance from house How far should a septic tank be from a house? How far should a soakaway be from a building? How far should the soakaway be from a well,. They. They look like land drains to me. I did wonder about the soakaway issue which is why I want to trace the drain run. First, decide the size of the pit as per your requirements, usually, the size with (1 x 1 x 1. 3 flats with one septic tank, the other flat with one Septic Tank. Th next day it rained and the whole completely filled with water and ha overflowed into the garden. 1. Pit should be at least 2mts deep by at least 1mt square. Little monitoring of soakaway performance is done, but this could be most informative about changes in soil infiltration rate and in warning of soakaway blockage in the long term. Figure 1 – Connection of condensate discharge pipe to internal soil and vent stack. On 2016-11-09 by (mod) - How far can I put the septic tank from the house? Distance from house to septic tank is limited by your site size, dimensions, local setback laws, and by the slope or relative elevations of the land (or use of a septic pump). road construction (see note 17) frl. Quantity of Soak Pit; Soak Pit Design: An open pit is dug in the ground and lined with porous material or left unlined and filled with gravel and coarse rocks. Soak Pit Design. Select a soakaway filter. Step 5 – Add Gravel and Complete the Soakaway. This publication is available in html and also in. Using this formula we can quickly calculate the size of the soakaway that needs to be installed. A septic tank soakaway is a series of relatively shallow (a minimum of 200mm. This should also include 15 metres of distances from other habitable buildings if the water is going to a drainage field. These are used to hook up the crates to prevent movement while the side-filling materials are added. Residential building codes in the US state that a driveway should be a minimum of 10 feet in width, with a smooth transition to the sidewalk or street. As new wastewater enters the septic tank, it displaces the water that's already there. You could potentially do away with gutters and have dispersal straight from the roof edge. (d) A soakaway pit or trench should be located sufficiently far away from building foundations, watercourses and wells, in order to safeguard public health and maintain the structural integrity of nearby buildings. A percolation test can be conducted by taking the following steps: Dig a 300mm square hole to a depth of 300mm below the proposed invert level of the drainage field. The discharge point shall be more than 10m from habitable property. The average lifespan of a septic system is estimated at 15 to 40 years, but it may last longer if properly maintained. If the discharge is to a soak away a sampling point must be provided before the soak away. You should recieve some clips or ties with the crates. 15 Nov 2016. These septic component clearance distance tables below give distance requirements between septic components and wells, streams, trees, property boundaries, lakes, etc. #1. 5 and 4 m deep, but as a rule of thumb, never less than 2 m above the groundwater table. Buried since the house was built in mid 90's. On mine you can work it out by looking at the pipe outlets to it. In our first spring season, we noticed the garden was very waterlogged and pestered the builder who eventually installed a soakaway in the garden approx 1 metre from the back of the house. #1. septic tank distance from house How far should a septic tank be from a house? How far should a soakaway be from a building? How far should the soakaway be from a well,. It’s also recommended that your septic tank be located within 30 metres of an access point to allow for your tank to be easily emptied when required. 26This can save you 50% of your water bill as well as solving your soakaway problem. near. If the soil is solid clay however, a soakaway is of little use. The width of the trenches is prescribed, between 300mm and 900mm at a maximum. 0 3. T H E E V A L U A T IO N O F A S O A K A W A Y 'S C A P A C IT Y 26 6. Question: OSSF Clearance Distance for Septic in Texas . The drain must deepen a good deal from there as it runs under an upwardly sloping drive for about 20 yds. Building, planning and design. Septic soakaway bed / drainfield shape & layout guidelines:. It allows water to filter through it, and literally soak into the ground ( away ). Try a trench drain. Created Date: 1/5/2005 7:46:36 AMInstalling a channel drain starts with a narrow trench cut into the concrete or asphalt. 5 metres is just from the building in any direction, it doestn have to be away from the sides. 00 3. We do this for two reasons. New posts. Soakaway capacity to hold maximum daily rainfall (taken as 40mm) Storage depth minimum 1. Devon. A 1,000-gallon tank is sufficient for a three-bedroom house. 5. Soakaway Pit Design. For more complex designs, soakaways can take up to two days to install and therefore are likely to cost around £2,500. 5 3. Soakaways are a traditional surface water drainage system for buildings that are far away from a public sewer or watercourse, and are usually suitable for areas of less than 100 square meters. If it is disposed of in open it not only creates unhygienic. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Where deep drains are necessary, the hole should conform to this shape at the bottom, but may be enlarged above the 300mm level to enable safe excavation to be carried out. 2 = 40m2. After about two metres distance from the bungalow the pipe descended a lot more rapidly, and, so I now had to dig a constant path to follow it. They are also referred to as dry wells, soak wells or soak pits in other countries, but in the UK are known as soakaways. roughly 2m x 1m, x 1. Soakaways manage surface water at its source instead of draining it away via a stream or sewer system. It is important to check with the relevant. This is one of. south australian health commission code v contents foreword iii table of figures viii glossary of terms ix 1 introduction 1 2 information & enquiries 2The soakaway would be sited about 11-13 metres from the house (end of our very small garden) and there is a large leylandii in the neighbours garden to the rear of ours - probably within 5 metres from where I plan the soakaway. The minimum size a soakaway should be constructed to is 30m. Little monitoring of soakaway performance is done, but this could be most informative about changes in soil infiltration rate and in warning of soakaway blockage in the long term. Condensate Soakaway Code: SOAK1GR 500mm minimum 300mm Hole width 200mm CODE: SOAK1GR Hole and SOAK1GR filled with 10mm Limestone Chippings Holes in SOAK1GR to face away from wall Hole depth 400mm Ground Level Maximum Possible Gradient Side Connection Top Connection 2 300mm 1 3 Ø110mm Ø100mm 5 4. To increase the drainage in extremely waterlogged gardens, dig a trench wide enough for a drainage pipe running from the area that needs draining towards the soakaway. M. hi guys!!!!! ive noticed water in my cellar it seems level with area where the soakaway leaves the house. Note – Check manufacturer’s instructions to see if an air break is required. #4. 78m3; Using 1. Soakaways can be blocked by rainwater, which can quickly turn into an expensive issue. For deeper excavations please seek specialist advice. This closes the pores and fissures at the excavation interface leading to. Skip to content TastingBritain. #4. " As for the soakaway/drainage field this should be as follows. Does this mean I can site my soakaway much closer to the boundary (2-3 m) than Building Regs require. 5 3. . This is to prevent any negative effects from the infiltrating water on the house foundations. If possible try to position it approx 10 metres away. Hopefully your ground is not clay. 040) Example 1. This means, in total, your soakaway is 1600mm or 1. A simpler approach is to excavate the trial pit to establish whether a soakaway is likely to work or not, rather than determine just how effectively it will actually work. Rain water goes. Unfortunately, in my case that's quite far from the back of the house so it would involve extensive pipework, including under my driveway, and be very expensive. The excavation can proceed in a similar manner to any deep drainage excavation. In order to carry the flow and to avoid blockages, the drain or sewer that you intend to connect to generally needs to be at least 0. POSITIONS. Five metres is the accepted distance, but this also depends on the calculated size of the soakaway. ALL parts of the soakaway drainage field are required to be a minimum of: 10m from a watercourse or ditch. Lift the cover and pour water down the the downspout hole. 5 to 3 yrs. This is to prevent any negative effects from the infiltrating water on the house foundations. You must drain into a soakaway unless it is impracticable to do so ie the existing ground conditions will not allow a soakaway to work or you do not have the space to build one (they need to be min 5m away from any buildings). DISTANCE TO SEPTIC TANK gives details of making a septic location sketch. 50 metres of a chalk river or aquatic local wildlife site. 3m. So if I have a soakaway 1m x 1m as close to the corner of a plot as possible that means that I need a minimum of (5m + 1m + 2. it is more often than not related to the soak-away system rather than the septic tank itself. Carefully lower the tank into the hole, using the recommended lifting system, while checking that the inlet and outlet orientation is correct and ensuring the tank is level. 100x1. 4 weeks later the whole is still full o water and shows no signs of percolating. The location of a latrine at a safe distance from water sources is 40m (minimum) Figure 3. Full Drainage Design Suite. 13 Aug 2013. e. 4m deep (hit rock) As you can see from the pictures, it looks like clay and certainly acts like clay. Within 5m of a building or road, 2. you have not changed the volume of the discharge or, if you have, it’s not more than 2 cubic metres (2,000 litres) to ground. There should be no access roads, driveways, walks, buildings, or other structures inside the drainfield area. kingandy2nd. Table 2 Soakaway Area Requirements at. At least 2. Septic Absorption field Septic drain field, leachfield, soakaway beds, absorption beds: 100 ft. Flat roof 3m x 6. Step 2: If you do, apply online (you can do this if you have started or even finished the work on your property) Step 3: Book an inspection. Hi. How sewage treatment works: The plants basically work through 4 operations: within the tank, solid waste is broken down by bacteria and. If you don't find the pipe, come in 1. Edge of soakaway 2. The gravel should be sufficiently large to allow water to seep through to the bottom of the structure. For example, if your soakaway is to be placed at the bottom of the garden and your garden is 30m long, the pipe will be 300mm deeper when it gets to the soakaway. Soak away distance away from house and the correct size please and how many is needed. 4m3 per crate) £57. Before they filled the large hole with stone chippings, they got the building Inspector to 'inspect' it. Step 6 – Replace any ground that was removed. A retaining wall in your back yard is unlikely to have any waterproofing. You need to ensure its far enough from the structure to prevent damage u2014 5 metres is the accepted distance, but this also depends on the calculated size of the soakaway. 5 and 4 m deep, but as a rule of thumb, never less than 2 m above the groundwater table. The fitter assured us that it was all done correctly and that it has been fitted into a soakaway. Fill the hole with water and allow it to seep away overnight. After, we discharged the Septic Tank. Soak away next to house. Also, to the front of my proposed house is a road surface water drain. In the range of septic tanks we sell, there's a 2,700L 4-person capacity, a 2,800L 4-person capacity, or a 2,800L 5-person capacity tank. Summary: This Standard gives design guidance on how soakaways shall be incorporated into systems used to treat and. The pipe end entering the soakaway must be at a depth of 25mm minimum and the end of the pipe cut at 45°Septic Tank – distance from house in England & Wales. 2. They are: Soakaway should not be within 2 metres of a neighbouring boundary. 00 3. Place the tank. For deeper excavations please seek specialist advice. N. FAQs about clearances for septic tank, drainfield, soakaway bed, & wells:. It has oil central heating, can anyone give me an idea of running costs? It's a good size Victorian farmhouse. Martin’s House, Waterloo Road, Dublin 4 Tel: +353 1 660 2511 Fax +353 1 668 0009. 50m from water abstraction points, boreholes, springs. 5m from any building ie wall. Published in Soakaway Design – Groundwater Level. Then out a layer of your landscaping fabric across the surface. A soakaway is a hole dug into the ground that is filled with coarse stone and rubble or plastic crates. ianmcd said: yes it should be a min of 500mm away and yes you can buy the soak away container but there is no regulation that I am aware of that says you have to use such a container, the lime chips just neautralise the acid in the condensate discharge. Requirements vary from one area to another, but the normal minimum distance from the house is 10 feet. Soakaway Crates: Polystorm 61 tonne Polypipe Soakaway Crate - 1m x 0. Surrey. And one central Soakaway and we channeled the bathroom and kitchen water to the Soakaway. 26 (£30. 5 metres from the boundary. 3. 13 Aug 2013. 331m3 with 20% void = 0. The excavation for the soakaway is usually done by mechanical diggers. Soakaway sizing: Size the soakaway based on the required storage volume, considering factors such as available space, excavation depth, and required setback distances from nearby structures or utilities. Soils with a clay content of more than 20% are generally unsuitable for infiltration. 5 3. g. See more of Soakaway crates on Facebook. It depends on what the water table level is like where you live. Mostly they were laid by contractors, who came in with a wacking great machine to cut the trench, then the clay pipes were dropped in by hand. No need to compact the bottom. South. Home | BC HousingSt. It must be at least 50 metres away from any water. A rainwater soakaway is a drainage trench that is dug from surrounding soil in order to manage surface water through a septic tank or and alternative drainage route. When rainwater exits your downpipe, it should enter a gully. Steps: To build a basic stand-alone soakaway, dig a pit in your soft turf no less than 1m2 and 1. If the pipe starts in a trench 300mm deep the bottom of the pipe will be 600mm below the ground when it gets to the soakaway. What a cesspool does. When it comes to soakaways, the distance between your property and soakaway is a little more complex. #2. Permeable pavement with infiltration close to house foundations The key elements of the Part H rules are that the soakaway must be 5 meters from a building or road. however I would try and use this to gently persuade your neighbour to move it the 5 metre distance, before bringing in the big guns! Good luck. The main provisions of these regulations are: The Sewage Treatment Plant must be sited more than 7m from habitable property. The soakaway itself does not need to. Wonder if I can get a discount. After this, add the remaining rubble so that it surrounds the drainage pipe entering the pit. 040 = 0. 5 meters from any building and any boundary. So for a three bedroom house with a maximum occupancy of five people, using the above example of VP 18: 18 x 5 x 0. Whittaker House, Whittaker Avenue, Richmond-Upon-Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom, TW9 1EH. F – Distance From House Wall. This is called a percolation test. Soakaway Blocked- Who is Responsible (semi-detached) Hello, I live in a semi detached house built in 1968 and have just had my soffits and fascias totally replaced with UPVC along with the guttering. To calculate the actual length of trench, divide the result above by the width of the trench required eg for a 600mm/ 0. Soakaway Drainfields. The soakaway must not be in an area of unstable ground or where the lowest point of the soakaway meets the water table at any point of the year. A soakaway must be located far from the house. soakaway. 0 3. 1 March 2017. Soak Pit The Soak Pit which is also called the soakaway or soakage pit is a closed rectangular or. or St. Is there some formula to work out whether a small soakaway would be more than adequate? My only concern about the soakaway (after readng a few sites, ie . Fill the test hole with water to a depth of at least 300mm (12in). If we can run a 22mm pipe back across to the main drain then that sounds a lot less expensive than a foul pipe over the same distance. distance required for septic tanks and soakways 600x600 c. 7m 11. Soak pit construction procedure. To calculate the size of the soakaway, use this formula: Area = P x V x. You may require a larger soakaway for a house. This leads to aerobic digestion and effectively treats the effluent. 100x1. This leads to aerobic digestion and effectively treats the effluent. Country. If you are installing under a driveway make sure the concrete slab extends past the void itself by 500mm on each side. 6m trench: 22. BIODIGESTER SYSTEM SOAKAWAY. Ratings: +42,529. 5m x 0. A inspection chamber must be installed between the septic tank and the soakaway. A drain field is made of solid perforated pipes (NOT 'Flexicoil' land drainage pipe!), a minimum of 2 metres apart and a maximum of 700mm. A soakaway has to let the water soak away if it is to be successful. Refill the hole with water to a depth of 150mm and observe the time, in minutes, for water to seep completely away. Help What is a Soakaway? A soakaway is simply a hole dug into the ground, filled with rubble and coarse stone which allows surface water to percolate back into the earth. The price varies depending on the size of the septic tank and the time it will take to both empty and clean it. 2019/11/10 Kristina Daddio . reservoir/well) A soakaway must not be near any driveways, access roads. It’s also recommended that your septic tank be located within 30 metres of an access point to allow for your tank to be easily emptied when required. There has been no amendment to the requirements in Part H of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 2010. 9. Help What is a Soakaway? A soakaway is simply a hole dug into the ground, filled with rubble and coarse stone which allows surface water to percolate back into the earth close to where it falls. If it goes to main drainage, somewhere near there will be an inspection. 1 For disposal of non-domestic wastewater, the setback distance shall be determined by a hydrogeological study in accordance with Section 17(b) of Chapter 3, but shall not be less than the distances shown in Table 4. On 2018. Beyond that and the minimum clearance distance is that we have already given above on this page, distance is going to be determined by the site and the available space. Also, carry out routine maintenance to ensure debris doesn’t clog up the drainage system. 5. 5m from any boundary. Step 5 – Cover the crates. septic tank distance from house How far should a septic tank be from a house? How far should a soakaway be from a building?. In addition, they must be built at least 50 metres away from water sources. In contrast, the discharge from modern small sewage treatment plants has been processed in more stages, so shouldn’t need a soakaway. Soakaway distance(m) to Soakaway Soakaway Soakaway Soakaway Sampling one (1) two (2) three (3) four (4) Locations TARGET 8. . Collapsed or displaced pipes in the soakaway. This allows for a 150mm base layer of sharp sand, 150mm of sand or gravel sidefill all around the outside of the crates. 5 metres away from surface water soakaway. 10 Mar 2020. e. How far should a soakaway be from the house? You need to ensure it is far enough from the structure to prevent damage. 29 Nov 2009. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a National Inspection Plan to help identify domestic waste water treatment systems that are not meeting the expected standard. Submitted soakaway design details shall include infiltration test results. Septic tanks or fields need to be placed at least five feet away from your home. Assume. Calculate: A sp (area of base of soak pit) = 5. The Soak Pit should be kept away from high-traffic areas so that the soil above and around it is not. If you cannot slope the slabs away you may wish to consider acho type drainage channels against the property which may be connected. This includes the distance of at least 1m from the bottom of the construction to the top of the groundwater level, at any time of year, to avoid exceeding the ground’s soakage capacity. As assessment of the property will also need to take place to calculate the distance of the drainage field from obstructions, ditches, surrounding buildings and water abstraction points such as such as surface water and groundwater. These are used to hook up the crates to prevent movement while the side-filling materials are added. These can absorb 5 litres per m2 per day. However, the builders built a soakaway at the required distance from the building. Typically these will be 1 in 60/70 between the house and tank, and a maximum of 1 in 200 for a drainage field. Most homes in the UK send water from a gutter drain to a sewer system operated by a water company. 1,250-gallon septic tanks can support a 4-bedroom home. If you have or are planning to start a discharge to surface water in or near a protected. The key elements of the Part H rules are. 2. The size of your soakaway for your driveway will depend on the rainfall in your area, your soil's water retention as well as the size of your driveway. Knowing where it should go on your own will allow you to know where it should be placed and how far. Let us know if you still have further questions. 3,385. This has to be assumed for initial calculation purposes. Ideally you prefer a soakaway rate of 1 x 10-5m/s in order to achieve the half emptying time. 5m of a boundary or in an area of unstable land in ground where the water table reaches the bottom of the soakaway at any time of the year. 19 July 2009 at 4:39PM. Dig a trench that runs from your rainwater pipes on the side of your house to the soakaway pit. The septic tank for this property should have a minimum capacity of 2,750L. The bigger the better. groundwater and the constraints these may place on soakaway design and. All soakaways must be sited at least 5m from any building or road and preferably at least 2. This can be caused by natural movements in the soil or say by driving a heavy car etc over the drainage field. Last but not least, it has to be 7 metres away from your housing and 4 metres apart from a wall or a building. Should be fairly obvious if you get to a soakaway dead end. The soak pit should be between 1. It drew on extensive research by Trinity College Dublin and the National University of Ireland Galway under the national environmental research programmes administered by the EPA: Environmental Monitoring, R&D sub-programme. They are typically formed from square, or circular, pits filled with rubble or lined with dry jointed masonry or perforated concrete ring units. Jan 20, 2015. This is set away from the septic tank and wastewater is released into it and diffused through the rocks, slowly escaping into the ground. Soakaway and Septic tanks with very long distance kilometers to the discharge points can also affects how much it will cost to clean and evacuate the Septic Tank contents. Log In. Limestone or fissured rock allows pathogens to travel much further. Beyond that and the minimum clearance distance is that we have already given above on this page, distance is going to be determined by the site and the available space. 5 metres (that is halfway between the house and the 'lack of pipe'). 5m2 divided by 0. Calculate your soakaway size. This should be taken into consideration in the early stages of soakaway design. Whats the minimum distance you would want to place your drain field from your septic tankA Soak Pit, also known as a soakaway or leach pit, is a covered, porous-walled chamber set in the ground that allows water to slowly percolate. This can be caused by natural movements in the soil or say by driving a heavy car etc over the drainage field. This is nearly always level with the ground. Designing a house is hugely exciting, but knowing where to start can also feel daunting. The principles are the same whether you are building a small domestic garden soakaway or driveway soakaway, or if you are building a large surface water drainage soakaway to. I do advise that the slabs slope away from the house which may help minimise the need for drainage. We are happy to help, call us on 0800 3101092 or via our contact form. There doesn’t seem to be a definitive guide online for minimum distances for soakaways, but what I’ve gleaned is: - Minimum 5m from the property / structure - Minimum 5m from the road (which I assume. Reaction score. You can adopt this best and costly technique to divert rainwater away from the house. BRE Digest 365 is one of the most regularly used design guidance reports issued by the Building Research Establishment. despite what the building regs say' would be much use as a defence in a court case if your neighbour's house started making it's way towards your. This is to avoid any issue or possible interaction with either your property or. When wastewater is discharged into a soak-pit, it slowly soaks into the ground. 2 Drainage and waste disposal Approved Document H PAGE Design and construction 32 Constructed wetlands/reed beds 33 Marking 35 Packaged treatment works 35 Siting 35How deep should a garden soakaway be? How deep should a soakaway be? The Perforated pipe should be laid at a minimum depth of 200mm and a maximum depth of 700mm. 6m 8. A soakaway is an efficient and low-environmental impact way of dealing with either foul or excess surface water in your drainage system. Must be 15 metres away from any house or building. In unsuitable areas a mound soakaway should be used so that there is at least 2m of soil between the bottom of the soakaways and the water table. 68mm downpipes are simply connected to the top inlet. ACO Water Management 's Oliver Collins. If you’re unsure of what requirements your property has, please consult with the Binding. The position is your choice. This. For this reason homogenous clays are generally unsuited to soakaways as they can have very low infiltration rates. V p = Percolation value. #4. The water samples for the relationship between the bacteriological quality of obtained from the five locations, were taken to the Cross River borehole water and its relative distance to soakaway point. 5. Within 6 months. Hole 300mm square to depth of 300mm below where pipe will go into the soakaway. In other places, where they still do not have this resource at their disposal, it is used as a sewage treatment system for the black well, also known as the blind well. below the ground) underground perforated pipes laid in gravel trenches that allow septic tank effluent to soak away over a large area.