Distance of soakaway from buildings

[Tim Watts]

Hi,

How far does a perf pipe soakaway have to be from any buildings?

On an aside - the concrete I shoved down the old bog pipe hasn't visibly shrunk and seems to exhibit no movement when I jump up and down on it :)

Now, leading on from that, having blocked 2 redundant entries to a manhole outside, I am left with one - that is blocked upstream but appears to be for a gutter downpipe nearby.

As it is blocked, said gutter downpipe is doing lord knows what underground.

So it's soakaway conversion time if possible...

As I have 1.5-2.5' earth on top of clay, I'm considering running it out via a 110 bottle trap, into solid pipe, then when far enough from everyone's houses, convert into a perforated pipe sitting about a foot-foot/half down on top of the clay.

This firstly depends on gradients permitting. It also depends on clearences required.

If I don't go far enough I will affect the conservatory I have plans for. If I go too far, I get close to teh neighbour's house.

If it all becomes impractical, I will have to connect to the main drain which is 3ft away - but I'd like to move to soakaways all round and get a reduction in my water-waste bill.

Cheers

Tim

[The Natural Philosopher]

Thats one for the BCO. There are specific regulations. IIRC 2 meters.

But don't take my word fir it. Check.

Ho hum.

Indeed. I wont tell you what my gutters feed..Its *probably* legal, but I wouldn't want to argue it with the BCO..

Pond?

why trap it al all if its rainwater?

Hmm. Clasy itself will seep water. You CAN make a thwacking big leaky chamber and put a lid on it..BCO should advise.

Not sure why pref pipe. A soakaway is first and foremost a large volume of porosity surrounded by less porous stuff so as to maximise the soaking ability of the soil. Can be a pit filled with rubble with a plastic sheet on top.

Doesn't HAVE to be a porous pipe..those are more useful as soil DRAINS than soakaways.

Naturally. But look up what the BCO will accept as a soakaway before you commit to a given solution.

[Bob Minchin]

5 Metres - covered in building regs part H

Bob

[Tim Watts]

Hmm - that will make it quite difficult - almost impossible in fact. I'll do some measuring, but it might end up in the min drain.

[Tim Watts]

To capture the moss, clag and stones/grit that otherwise eventually silt up soakaways :)

[The Natural Philosopher]

Sadly the stuff that eventually clogs, is silt, and silt goes round traps just fine.