Understanding Soakwells
To better understand soakwells, you need to know why they are installed:
The Problem
When it is raining, rain is usually evenly distributed; however, when a structure is built on a particular piece of land, it means that you have altered the way rain was being distributed.
Rain falls on the roof of the built structure and slides down to the ground either directly or through gutters. The flow is usually in the form of a stream which causes soil erosion when it comes into contact with the ground.
Think of it this way; what happens when you direct a hosepipe to the ground surface? The water pushes soil away or forward thus displacing it. If you have landscaping features, such displacement can destroy them over time, leaving your landscaped property looking aesthetically unpleasing.
Sometimes, especially on concrete or cement floors, for example, pavements, the water can pool and become too much to be effectively absorbed. This causes the soil underneath to hold too much water in a way that it cannot absorb any more. The pavement above the soil starts to sag or sink and you can even notice depressions on your pavements. The same can also happen to foundations of structures, meaning that the stability and integrity of the structures are compromised and they can come crumbling down.
What Should You Do?
You need stormwater drains installed, which should lead water into a soakwell or a tank for storage. A soakwell simply holds the water and releases it slowly into the surrounding soil, enhancing better absorption and preventing the sinking of a structure or even pavement.
Why Not Drain the Water Away from Your Property?
In some states, there is a policy that any stormwater produced on a property should be retained on that property. Letting it flow out of your property could lead to legal problems.
Soakwell Installation
You need to hire a reputable and competent soakwell installation company because there are factors that need to be considered before the soakwell is installed.
A site visit is required to examine the soil properties. This is one of the key factors that help in determining the size of the soakwell; you cannot just choose a particular soakwell size randomly.
The soakwell installation company should also help you choose the location to install the soakwell after considering factors like depth and nearness to the structures on your property (soakwells should not be installed too close to a structure).
