Soakaway Design for Surface Water
Site-Specific Soakaway Design for Planning and Building Control
Commission this service for a planning condition, Building Control requirement or project need to manage rainwater runoff through infiltration. RIDA reviews whether infiltration is viable and defines the design information needed for your submission or construction team. This service covers clean surface water from roofs and hard surfaces. It does not cover sewage-effluent drainage fields.
Get A Free No Obligation QuoteIf your development needs a scheme beyond the soakaway component, see our surface-water drainage design service.
Request a Soakaway Design Quote
Get A Free No Obligation QuoteWhat You Will Receive
| Technical deliverable | What this enables you to progress |
|---|---|
| Review of site, drainage and infiltration evidence, with recorded assumptions and constraints | Confirm feasibility and identify missing information |
| Runoff, rainfall and storage design inputs for the agreed brief | Support the proposed surface-water solution |
| Layout or detail drawings, levels, siting and construction notes where commissioned | Coordinate your architect, contractor or Building Control submission |
| Technical report stating the evidence, proposed approach and limitations | Support planning, Building Control or drainage-strategy review |
Projects needing wider coordination can use RIDA’s drainage design services. Where planning requires a site-wide submission, the soakaway proposal can form part of a drainage strategy.
Is Infiltration Suitable for Your Site?
BRE Digest 365-informed evidence
Feasibility relies on representative infiltration evidence, the drained area, rainfall assumptions, ground conditions, groundwater, available space, levels and nearby structures. BRE Digest 365 informs the assessment method. A soakaway can form one part of a broader sustainable drainage system design. The National standards for sustainable drainage systems set the wider surface-water management context.
Constraints that may change the drainage approach
Poor permeability, shallow groundwater, contamination risk or restricted siting may require more investigation or a different surface-water solution. Government guidance covers infiltration systems and groundwater risk assessments. Approved Document H: drainage and waste disposal provides relevant Building Regulations context and distinguishes surface-water drainage from foul drainage requirements.
Information Needed for a Quote or Design Review
- Site address or postcode — to review the site context
- Development type and submission route — to define the scope
- Site, layout, drainage or topographical drawings — to review levels and available space
- Proposed impermeable areas — to define the runoff source
- Ground investigation or infiltration-test results — to assess feasibility
- Planning condition or Building Control comments — to address the stated requirement
- Required programme — to confirm project needs
RIDA can review the information already available and identify missing evidence before scope is agreed. If the required service is not yet defined, request drainage consultancy advice.
Soakaway Design FAQs
Do I need infiltration testing before a soakaway can be designed?
Representative infiltration evidence is normally needed to confirm feasibility and set the design inputs. RIDA can review available data and identify further investigation needed for the agreed submission.
What will the completed design include?
The agreed package may include assumptions, evidence review, design inputs, layout or detail drawings, levels, construction notes and a technical report. The quotation will state the included deliverables.
Can RIDA work from my existing drawings and site data?
Yes. Send the current site plans, drainage information, topographical data and ground investigation or infiltration results. RIDA will assess whether they provide enough information for the requested work.
What happens if infiltration is not viable or more investigation is needed?
RIDA will state the constraint and the evidence needed to reach a design decision. Your project may need more site investigation or a different surface-water drainage approach.
Request a Soakaway Design Quote
Send your site location, development proposal, drawings, drainage information and any infiltration evidence for a scoped response. Use the enquiry form or RIDA’s listed telephone contact route.
Request a Soakaway Design Quote
Request a Quote