Decommissioning of Soakaways

In some cases developments on previously developed land will include old or redundant soakaways which need to be removed. In other cases the soakaway may have stopped functioning or there may be water quality concerns.

Firstly the original purpose of the soakaway must be identified and the storm-water entering the soakaway must be re-routed to an alternative system. The soakaway should be checked for any signs of contamination, such as oily or chemical residues, odours or stains.

Then all liquids, debris, sediments and sludges must be removed from the soakaway. Sampling will likely be required to determine the classification of both liquid and solid wastes so that they can be disposed of in an appropriate manner.

Finally the soakaway must be plugged with a permanent seal. This will include the plugging of any inlets to the soakaway and usually the soakaway itself is infilled with concrete or the joints and perforations are sealed. This will prevent the redundant soakaway from becoming a potential point of contamination in the future. If it is a large gravel filled soakaway, it may be acceptable to plug the inlets and cap the soakaway with a concrete slab or similar to prevent any future contaminants from entering the soakaway.