WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SEPTIC TANK AND A SOAKAWAY?

Soakaways and septic tanks are both excellent methods of dealing with excess waste
water. The two, however, have very different purposes, and are often used together
to provide the best wastewater solution. The two systems can seem very similar to
the general public, and differentiating between the two and choosing the best
system for your requirements can be difficult.

To help you get to grips with the systems, we’ve put together this guide on the
differences between septic tanks and soakaways.

What is a septic tank and how does it work?

Septic tanks are used to collect effluent and store wastewater and solid waste. A
septic tank works on a pH balance and bacterial activity to break down the solid
waste, and once the tank is full, it will overflow into a connected drain field, or
often, a soakaway. The tank is self-contained and is placed underground, so offers
an excellent alternative to main sewage pipes if your property isn’t connected to a
main system.

Because septic tanks can treat and dispose of household wastewater onsite, they are
often a more economical choice than connecting to a centralised sewer system,
especially in rural areas where properties are more widely spread.

What is a soakaway and how does it work?

A soakaway is a system comprised of a hole dug in the ground and filled with rubble
and coarse stones. This allows surface water that would otherwise begin to pool to
soak back down into the earth. Often the soakaway is placed away from the flooding
area and a pipe connects the area to the soakaway in the form of a gutter or drain.
This system is useful for built-up areas that are constructed out of impermeable
materials as it reduces the amount of pooling water that can lead to floods.

This system can be used as a stand-alone method of wastewater control or in

conjunction with other systems, an example being a septic tank. If a septic tank is
being used in an area that doesn’t have the required vegetation to allow the septic
tank to dispose of the wastewater in a drain field, a soakaway can assist in
removing the waste safely.

Which system is best for my property?

If you are looking for a natural and cost-effective way to dispose of solid and
liquid waste from your home or business, a septic tank, and possibly a connected
soakaway depending on the land on your property, is what you need.

If you are looking to divert pooling rainwater or surface water from flat or
impervious surfaces, however, then a soakaway is the solution for you.

Wildon UK are a leading UK supplier of wastewater solutions to all applications,

including domestic, commercial, industrial and agricultural. We have over 20 years’
experience in our field and a highly trained and qualified team of engineers
capable of handling installations and repairs of all varieties and scales. For more
information on any of our services, get in contact today and we’ll be happy to
offer our assistance.

What is a Septic Tank Soakaway?

A septic tank soakaway is used to safely drain off treated wastewater that has been
flushed from your home.

All septic tanks and home septic systems rely on safe, efficient drainage. As your
waste flushes into your tank, it needs somewhere to drain to. Given that it is not
connected to the local main sewerage systems, it will therefore need a reliable
connection between your tank and the ground.

This is where a septic tank soakaway comes in. A septic tank soakaway is used to
safely drain off treated wastewater, thus allowing the effluent level in your tank
to remain constant, leaving remaining organic solids to degrade with the help of
bacterial breakdown.

There are different types of septic tank soakaway, and in some cases, this element
to your septic system can be the cause of common problems. Let’s take a closer look
at how septic soakaways work, and why they are so important.

Table of Contents

How Does a Septic Tank Soakaway Work?

What Does a Septic Tank Soakaway Do?
Do All Septic Tanks Need a Soakaway?
Common Causes of Damaged and Blocked Soakaways
Overflowing Effluent
Soil Compacting
Tree Root Damage
Waterlogging
Sodium Binding
In Summary

How Does a Septic Tank Soakaway Work?

While the end goal of a septic tank soakaway is to drain waste liquid out of a
septic tank and into the ground, different tanks require different solutions. For
example, a home septic tank is unlikely to benefit from the same soakaway system
you may expect in a large sewerage plant – waste treatment at home isn’t as
extensive.

Commonly, you will find that home septic tanks are installed with drainage fields
connected. Drainage fields are piping connections that allow wastewater to safely
drain without causing environmental damage. Testing is required before a drainage
field can be installed, as differing soil conditions and locations will contribute
to the effectiveness of drainfields.

What Does a Septic Tank Soakaway Do?

Regardless of the type of septic tank soakaway installed, the aim is the same. Your
septic tank needs to drain water somewhere so that it can continue to receive
wastewater from household sinks, toilets, washing machines, dishwashers and
showers. Without a soakaway, your septic tank will simply fill up and overflow.

Moreover, a septic tank soakaway is crucial for ensuring that only safe, purer and
cleaner wastewater enters the ground in your local area. Poorly treated waste
discharged from septic systems can pose risks to local wildlife, their habitats and
drinking supplies. Therefore, an effective soakaway acts as a final treatment
facility to ensure that discharges will cause no harm to the natural world.

Modern soakaway drain fields offer the best solutions over older standards, such as
rubble pits, which may not drain wastewater as effectively, thus not protecting the
local environment. The modern septic tank soakaway is designed to help keep septic
tanks running from day to day without clogging, to ensure the local environment and
wildlife do not suffer as a result.

Do All Septic Tanks Need a Soakaway?

In general, the answer is yes – in fact, all septic tanks must have some form of
drainage available to allow the treated wastewater to drain away.

One exception is that some tanks discharge directly into a water course, such as a
ditch, a river or lake. New rules introduced in 2020 require properties discharging
directly into water courses to have a ‘package sewage treatment plant’ (a modern
aerated septic tank) or install a soakaway.

The other exception is where the tank has no drainage at all – a cesspit or cess
tank – which is simply a holding tank for wastewater that needs to be emptied
frequently when full. While traditional septic tanks and modern package sewage
treatment plants rely on bacteria, such as Muck Munchers to breakdown organic waste
to treat the effluent effectively, in cess tanks the bacterial activity is largely
ineffective, as whatever the quality of the wastewater, once full the tank will
require emptying and the waste treated off-site.

Common Causes of Damaged and Blocked Soakaways

Unfortunately, there are cases where septic tank soakaways fail, creating drainage
problems and reducing effective day-to-day running of septic tanks.

These are not always easy to spot. However, there are some tell-tale signs that
can indicate problems with your soakaway and drainfield including:

Pools of water around your tank

Patches of lush looking grass
Slow-draining baths, showers, sinks and basins
Wastewater backing-up
Overflowing Effluent
Your soakaway and drain field can only handle so much. That is why it is always
recommended not to drain too much water at once into your septic tank and system.
It’s best to spread household water usage, as much as possible throughout the day,
rather than all in one go. This can pose a risk of causing your soakaway to back-
up. In addition, it may result in partially treated water entering the soakaway
which can result drain field blockages.

Similar problems will arise if you are not maintaining your septic tank properly.
You need to ensure that you maintain a healthy biologically active septic tank and
to ensure that you not flushing any contaminants or materials that are not readily
digestible by the tank’s microbe population.

Soil Compacting
For wastewater to drain efficiently into the local ground, the nearby soil needs to
be sufficiently porous and for oxygen to percolate through the soil. Air needs to
enter the soil to ensure that residual organic material discharged from the tank or
treatment plant is broken down. If the soil is too heavily compacted, incomplete
digestion can occur resulting in blockages.

It all means that you should not park or drive vehicles over the soakaway area and
leave it in a natural state.

Tree Root Damage

Tree and large shrub damage can be a common cause of septic tank drainage problems.

This is unlikely to occur when a new system is installed, but over the years, trees
and shrubs can grow deep roots that may damage the structure of your soakaway.

As such, it’s important to have a soakaway and drain field installed that is clear
from extensive root growth, as well as open to air and free from compaction risk.

Waterlogging
Similarly, poor drainage from badly maintained ditches, high levels of rainfall and
raised water tables mean that your soakaway is at risk of waterlogging. In
addition, if the tank is discharging only partially treated waste this can result
in poor drainage from the soakaway too. If the wastewater discharge cannot drain
away it can result in waterlogged soil around the soakaway or back-ups to the
septic tank.

Flushing only the three P’s – pee, poo and paper – will help keep your soakaway
remain free from unnecessary clogs and waterlogging. It’s also worthwhile using
Muck Munchers regularly to ensure your tank is discharging the purest treated water
possible to the soakaway.

Sodium Binding
Depending on the type of cleaning solutions and products you flush and drain
through your

septic tank and into your soakaway, you may find that salt can be a long-term major
concern. This is because too much sodium can bind soil particles together,
inhibiting drainage and again result in waterlogging.

Therefore, a safe option to avoid sodium binding from happening at all is to

consider

the dishwasher cleaner you use. Salt–based dishwashing may not cause major issues,
but to keep your soakaway and drainage working for you for the years ahead, it’s
important to be aware.

If you use a salt-based water softener it is essential that the back wash is not
discharged to your septic tank, simply because you are discharging massive amounts
of salt. For further information please read our Water Softener Blog.

In Summary
While you may not be able to see your septic tank soakaway or drainage field, they
are crucial elements in virtually all septic tank systems. It makes the difference
between a septic tank that is over-flowing and a septic tank that drains
efficiently, withoutthe need for expensive and unnecessary pump-outs.

A well-maintained septic tank and soakaway should will passively drain away your
wastewater for years to come.
The key here is ‘well-maintained’. Always ensure you keep your septic tank topped-
up with Muck Munchers on a monthly basis to reduce sludge and solid levels, and to
only ever flush waste material that septic waste bacteria can break down. Anything
other than the three P’s can pose blockage and overflow risks for your soakaway –
so do take care about what you flush and drain.