soak well installation

**MrFixIt** · 26th September 2005, 08:08 PM

Hi christmas bonus

Sorry about the long reply, trying to cover all aspects for you

so please, can anybody tell me what the rules are for Perth for soakwell distances from stuff, or tell me where to look it up?

I don't know if there are regulations for soakwells installed in Perth (WA). If there are I expect it would vary from council to council

I have put in quite a few soakwells over the years. I have never inquired about regulations, I just thought it was more or less common sense. There are various circumstances that control the *obvious* location eg tree, driveway's, HOUSE

, fences etc, etc.

None of the soakwells I have installed have ever overflowed or caused problems with the surrounding environment. I have *repaired* several that have been put in by *supposed* professionals. In MOST cases these repairs have required the emptying of sand that has flowed INTO the soakwell.

Unless otherwise restricted, I always use (as a minimum) a 900mm x 900mm CONCRETE soakwell, with a concrete lid of course. This way I can be sure it will NOT collapse or deform and I can even drive over it!

My soakwell installations *ALWAYS* include a 100mm base of 20-25mm aggregate and a 100mm "wall" of the same aggregate surrounds the soakwell TOP to BOTTOM. The use of aggregate improves the drainage by a huge factor. If you place the s/w directly into sand the water can only soak out through the immediately surrounding sand. The aggregate allows the water to "pour" out of the soakwell and spread right through the full surrounding area of sand. The sand can now no longer flow into the soakwell as the aggregate prevents this.

I have usually placed my soakwells approximately 1m away from the house. This has never been measured, more or less been a "about here looks good". This may well have been 1.5m. I don't recall ever installing a s/w 2m away from the house. This is (to me) inconvenient. One of the untold benefits

of a soakwell is the water made available to plants next to the house and generally under the eves. The sometimes lack of water such plants may sustain can be offset by the water from the s/w.

Installing a s/w the way I suggest - with the aggregate - will prevent potential erosion of the sand near the house - besides, the footings SHOULD be self supporting over such small distance. Hmmm? the cheap way the build houses these days, maybe it is a worry !

Anyway 3.6m is a huge distance (IMHO) I would NOT have any problem installing one or more 900mm s/w in that area / space

If you are not sure, you could choose 2 x 600mm (concrete of course) s/w.

FWIW in the property I am currently renovating, I had a dingo (small bobcat type vehicle) with a 1m auger "drill" two s/w holes in the centre of approx 2.5m house to fence setback. In the (sometimes) torrential rain we have had in winter there was absolutely NO sign of the s/w overflowing and the (then) fresh covering sand (over the s/w) has NOT budged! The other s/w placed in the back garden approx 1.5m from the house has been driven over many times with my Range Rover and a full trailer load of bricks. It is still working as expected.

Obviously you can't necessarily dig away too close to the house if the sand in which you are digging is completely dry an keeps falling in! When digging the hole, it is wothwhile obtaining and using a couple of scaffolding planks about 3m long and use these to get in and out of the hole, this helps prevent you collapsing the surounding sand - you have enough to dig out anyway : D

Good luck

**christmas bonus** · 27th September 2005, 12:53 PM

hi everyone, thanks for your replies and feedback.

fwiw i have been to ask the council and the short answer is they dont care where they are or what they look like. According to the bloke there you can put them right next to your footings if you want. Unbelievably the BCA doesnt cover drainage at all, so therefore the council doesnt care. you dont even have to refer to the drainage at all on your building drawings.

This means for a refreshing change you have to fall back on common sense as peter suggests. for me this will be using the same as for any other service pipes - draw a line from the bottom of the footing outwards at a ratio of 2 out for every one down, and dont put anything under that line. this would mean a 900mm soakwell with 300mm cover above would need to be approx 1.7m away from the building, although you could probably get away with a 1:1 ratio

me, i'm just going with the deck idea

**corbs** · 27th September 2005, 02:44 PM

I thought the insurance companies required at least 1.5m from footings of house?? I have concrete in high traffic areas and plastic in others, all work fine if you prepare it right.

corbs

**el mondo** · 23rd December 2006, 09:32 PM

Hi Guys,

Sorry to bump a year old thread but I've got a soakwell question...

We've got four whacking great concrete tanks buried in our backyard, two are the septic system and two are stormwater soakwells. All 4 sit next to each other (2x2) and are about 1.5 - 2m across the tops but I've no idea what's under em (the builders/site workers put them in when they built the place.)

Anyway, I was thinking, since I've already got the house rain water being collected in the two soakwells is it possible to get them lined or something to actually collect the rainwater for watering the garden? Or would it be cheaper just to site a new tank next to them and divert the plumbing from the house? Flame me for thinking it, but with the cheap cost of scheme water, should I bother at all?

I should mention we're in the hills just outside Perth if that makes a difference.

Thanks

Les

**jade** · 20th June 2007, 07:27 PM

Hi guys. I've been browsing around on soakwells and reached this forum. My family has been in the building trade for more than 30 years now and we have kept to building only. However, we built a couple of homes with perth builders and realised that they charge an arm and a leg for soakwells!
We knew it costs only a fraction of the price they were charging us, so we have decided to provide a soakwell installation service in perth as builders seem to be ripping everyone off.

You are welcome to visit www.soakwells.com . Give us a ring and we can provide professional advice regarding soakwell installations in Perth.

**Damon_11** · 10th July 2007, 02:50 AM

Hi Everyone,

yes this is an old thread, but a goodie.

I'm looking for the name of / informaiton about soak wells that are HDPE (I think) blue in colour, come in two flat pieces and bend with clips to form the cylindrical soakwell. Does anyone know what the name of this product is or where it is sourced from??

Cheers...DC

**BestBuilder** · 19th January 2008, 04:07 PM

Can anyone confirm whether you need a soakwell or not?

Is it up to the council? Does if vary by state?

Has anyone not got a soakwell?

**Smurf** · 19th January 2008, 10:50 PM

Originally Posted by BestBuilder

Can anyone confirm whether you need a soakwell or not?

Is it up to the council? Does if vary by state?

Has anyone not got a soakwell?

It varies between states.

In WA they seem to be pretty normal and there doesn't seem to be much alternative.

In Tasmania the local council normally provides (in urban areas) separate sewage and storm water pipes and where they are provided you must use them for all your sewage and storm water unless you've got a council approved alternative (eg grey water reuse etc). In some cases they will require you to discharge storm water to the street gutter instead of a separate pipe. Which one depends on the location etc.

Not sure about the other states. Some states have a separate water / sewage authority. In other places it's done by the local council. Ask the council if in doubt about what you should do.

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