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Posted: 5th November 2025 | Author: Adam Brown
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Put simply, a soakaway is an outdoor drainage solution that seeks to redistribute water into the ground rather than moving it to another site -hence the name. If you’re considering a soakaway for your own property, or perhaps you want to know how to build one for an upcoming landscaping project, first it makes sense to learn what they do and how they do it.
Keep reading to learn more.
Standing water can be a big problem, particularly in areas that are highly built-up. At first you might think it’s just a question of having a few muddy puddles in the garden, but lots of surface water can lead to all sorts of issues, including:
If the problem is really bad, of course, then standing water can lead to flooding during heavy rainfall and storms, which is why it’s so important to tackle the issue sooner rather than later with a solution that aims to prevent the build-up of standing water. That’s where soakaways come in.
Soakaways are one example of what’s known as a sustainable drainage system (SuDS), which helps to reduce surface water runoff in an environmentally friendly way. They’re usually built underground in your garden or yard, but there’s no need to worry about them being an eyesore - they’re discreet once completed and can actually improve the aesthetics of your outdoor space by taking care of your drainage problems.
As the name suggests, a soakaway provides a chamber in which water can collect during times of rainfall and, over time, drain away into the surrounding soil. Because of this, it’s vital that your soakaway is situated in well-draining soil. If it’s surrounded by clay or a similarly non-porous soil, you’re more likely to end up with a new pond than a drainage system.
First, a large pit is dug into the ground - this will become the chamber where rainfall gathers. The size of this pit will depend in part on the amount of rainfall you’re dealing with; naturally, the more water there is, the larger the pit should be. However, generally speaking your soakaway drainage field should measure at least 1m3 below the bottom of any pipe feeding into it.
One challenge that would face an improperly built soakaway is that water can move with it soil, debris and plant matter - so your drainage field could easily become clogged and no longer be able to fulfil its purpose. For this reason, it’s advisable to line the drainage field with a geotextile barrier that prevents debris entering the pit.
Inside this pit, attenuation crates will then be fitted. These crates allow water to pass through for drainage purposes, but crucially maintain the structural integrity of the ground above. Some crates are designed only for lighter weights (e.g. people, tables, etc.), whereas others are strong enough to withstand vehicles crossing over them!
Alternatively, you may opt for a hardcore rubble infill for your soakaway. This replaces the attenuation crates with loose aggregate - a cost-effective option if you’re looking to save money on the project. However, if you choose this option, bear in mind that the transportation and distribution of aggregates can make the job more labour intensive and time consuming.
Whichever option you choose, the infill material should then be covered over with a geotextile sheet to prevent debris entering from above as water drains through the structure. After this, topsoil would be added to restore the natural appearance of the area, preventing the soakaway from becoming an eyesore.
In most cases, soakaways are connected up to the guttering on your property in order to redirect this water away from an already overwhelmed drainage system. You might also connect it to other areas of your outdoor space using piping if you can’t build the soakaway in the area where you experience most surface water - this can happen if you have an area of non-porous clay soil that can easily become waterlogged.
A soakaway can be used as a single-solution method to tackle drainage problems around a property, or it can be part of a wider project to tackle waterlogging. One of the key benefits of soakaways compared to other drainage systems is that they are relatively easy to install, meaning it’s possible to do it as a DIY project at home. Alternatively, many construction or landscaping companies can install a soakaway with a professional attention to detail.
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The Author: Adam Brown
With a background as a Mechanical Engineer, I started Nationwide Supplies alongside my brother with a vision to modernise what seemed a stuck-in-its-ways industry in the builders merchant sector. Since 2011 it has been my goal to source quality products at the correct prices to be able to offer a saving to customers along with high quality customer service which offers quick delivery and superior technical knowledge in the industry.
