Assess whether on-site infiltration is suitable before including soakwell earthworks in your project.
Soakwells manage stormwater on site by letting it disperse safely into the ground, and Sutherland Shire Soakwell Installation is dug, bedded and connected to suit your property. We size and position the system carefully.
Tell us your roof area, soil conditions and any council requirements. The right size, location and connection prevent overflow, protect foundations and keep your site compliant with stormwater rules.
Across Caringbah, Miranda, Engadine, Menai and Cronulla, many new builds and renovations require on-site stormwater management. Reliable crews deliver a clean installation and reinstate your landscaping afterwards.
Explore the scope ↓Soakwells are sized to suit your roof catchment and soil conditions, and placed at a suitable distance from footings and boundaries, so stormwater is absorbed effectively without overflowing during heavy rain, protecting your foundations, garden and neighbouring properties from flooding.
We excavate to the required depth and prepare a stable base, setting the soakwell correctly with a suitable gravel and geotextile surround and accessible lid, so it remains secure, accessible and functional for many years, saving you maintenance costs later.
Downpipes are connected to the soakwell, with a silt trap and an overflow provided where required, and surfaces are reinstated neatly, giving you a compliant stormwater solution with minimal impact on your garden or paving, ready for every coming storm.
A soakwell relies on stormwater soaking into the surrounding ground. Sandy soil can drain well; clay and shallow sandstone often do not, and a soakwell in them can fill and overflow. Soil can also vary noticeably within a single block.
A hole at the planned depth, filled with water and timed, shows whether the ground takes water at all. Pre-wet the hole, note any rock or clay found while digging, and pass the results on to whoever sizes the system.
Keep soakwells clear of boundaries, footings and slopes as the design and Council require. Water softening the ground near a footing can cause movement. Avoid underground services and tree roots, and mark the agreed positions with paint before excavation starts.
Dig to the specified diameter and depth. Sandy walls can collapse, so work carefully and keep people out of the hole. Stockpile spoil back from the edge so it does not load the sides, and fence the open pit overnight.
Dig the pipe trench from each downpipe or collection pit to the soakwell, clear of footings and other services. Keep the base firm and even, bed the pipe on sand, and check the fall with a level before the pipe is laid.
Set the precast or plastic unit on a level base and connect the inlet pipe from the downpipe or pit. The inlet needs a steady fall, and the lid should suit the finished surface. A licensed plumber makes downpipe connections.
Fit the overflow the design calls for before backfilling, so storms larger than the unit can hold have a safe path. Check where it will spill, keep it on your own land, and direct it away from the house and boundaries.
Fill around the unit with clean stone or as specified, with fabric to keep soil out. Compact the surface in thin layers. Leave the lid accessible and flush with the finished surface, since the unit needs opening for regular cleaning.
Run a hose into each downpipe or inlet pit and confirm water reaches the unit without backing up. Fit the leaf trap, then photograph and measure the soakwell positions so future owners and trades can find them without digging blindly.
Soil and the approved plan decide this, not preference.
Skipping the test leaves you guessing. A soakwell in tight clay may be full after one storm. Then it overflows near the house or spills toward the neighbour. A test hole costs far less than redoing the whole drainage system.
Concentrated water near footings can soften soil and cause movement. Respect the setbacks on your plan. Cracked walls, sticking doors and sinking paths can follow later. Where space is tight, ask the designer about alternatives rather than squeezing one in.
Silt and leaves from the roof clog the unit. A filter or leaf trap at the inlet helps, and the unit needs cleaning. Once fine silt seals the surrounding soil, cleaning will not help and the soakwell may need replacing.
A soakwell has limited volume. Check it is sized for the roof it serves, not just one downpipe. Adding a patio roof, granny flat or paving later increases the load, so the original sizing may need revisiting with more units.
Soakwells manage stormwater on your own property, so sizing and installation must be right. Our experts size the system to your roof catchment and soil conditions, excavate to the required depth and set a stable base. Downpipes are connected carefully, and surfaces are reinstated neatly so your garden and paving look good again. We keep the site tidy. Clear communication helps you understand council requirements and costs upfront. With local knowledge of Sutherland Shire soils and stormwater rules, we deliver compliant, dependable installations that handle heavy rain without overflowing, protecting your foundations and keeping your property drier through every season.
Talk to our team ↗ Soil permeability, setbacks and an appropriate drainage design.
Ask us about your project ↗It depends on your soil. Sandy blocks often suit them while clay and shallow rock usually do not. A test hole will tell you, and Council may also have rules.
It varies with the design and Council requirements. Follow the approved plan or ask your certifier or hydraulic engineer.
Yes. Inlet filters and silt build-up should be checked, and the unit cleaned if it stops draining.
Share the address, the access and the result you need.
Details first. Then a plan that suits the site.