What do I have, soakaway, stormdrain or other?

Phil3822

Hi all

Recently moved into a 1950's ex council house. I'm currently paying for surface water drainage with anglian water however believe my surface water goes elsewhere.

Behind my house is a concrete surface which has a drain cover, lifting that drain cover reveals a large brick built pit which has a level amount of water in all the time. Further inspection reveals what looks to be some outlet type pipes going out into the direction of the garden. I'm certain my guttering and drains lead into this pit and therefore believe I shouldn't be paying for surface water drainage.

Is what I described a soakaway, stormdrain or something else? Have I got it completly wrong.

Thanks.

Cardew

A soakaway is normally a big pit filled with builders rubble buried under a garden.

The best way to check is to locate the sewer 'downstream' from your house and then pour some coloured water on to guttering and see if it appears in the sewer. If it doesn't, then you probably have a soakaway.

Anyway why not simply claim for relief from SWD and let the water company prove that you don't have a soakaway. If they ask for a sketch showing where the soakaway is situated, simply put an X on the sketch indicating where the 'man down the pub' told you it was situated.;)

Phil3822

Thanks for the advice. I'll try that and let them do the work.

mumslave

Hi there, hubby does some work with drains (he is a builder/landscape gardener, does soakaways etc) so I thought i would phone him and just see if he had any advise for you. He said it doesnt really sound like a soak away, because normally they are sunk in the ground and buried as such, you dont have an access point for them, also it depends on how it is built, if its brick and mortar, it is not likely to be a soak away, if its brick without morter it could be.

He also said it would help to try to find out what drains into your pit, its not sewage at all is it, along with your rain water?

Phil3822

Thanks mumslave. No, certainly not sewage. My drain pipes go directly into the ground and into this pit. Once upon a time these pits were used for pumping water out like a well. The pit is about 8ft deep. Even more confused now...

mumslave

well hubs is home in about 15 mins so I will get him to have a look at your post see if he can be of any help, he wanted to know if there was any sewage, as there shouldnt be basically, to help him narrow down what your pit is

theviking51

We are 3 terrace houses and i live in the middle. I have guttering but no down pipes at all, as my rain water goes to my neighbours down pipes.
There is a normal drain cover out back which carries waste water and toilet from next door through mine and other neighbour.
Does this class as a soak away? When i does rain heavy it takes awhile for it to go into ground.

Cardew

theviking51 wrote: »

We are 3 terrace houses and i live in the middle. I have guttering but no down pipes at all, as my rain water goes to my neighbours down pipes.
There is a normal drain cover out back which carries waste water and toilet from next door through mine and other neighbour.
Does this class as a soak away? When i does rain heavy it takes awhile for it to go into ground.

Make the claim that you have a soakaway and let them prove you haven't!!

They might not even bother to check!