Soakaway.

[dobbslc]

https://www.sumpsandpumpsdirect.co....MIm-2ku4eL6wIVyO3tCh3NLA-VEAkYAiABEgKm8_D_BwE
Something like this?

 

[8ob]

https://www.sumpsandpumpsdirect.co....MIm-2ku4eL6wIVyO3tCh3NLA-VEAkYAiABEgKm8_D_BwE
Something like this?

I am not familiar with that one, to be honest you could build up your own with two pumps. One pump on a pressure switch to service garden taps and a cheap one with a float switch to automatically pump overfill into the woods.

Bob

This one was in clay, all the harvested water was pumped through leaky hose around the flower beds and trees, excess was pumped into a brook ( not that there was ever any excess). Worth fitting a drop out chamber to settle out rubbish.

 

[sako243]

What about hiring a manual (I.e. Handheld petrol borer) and seeing how far you go down with clay.

If it's only another half metre then excuse for a bigger digger. Or a JCB because of the extra dig might be more appropriate. I know my 2CX will dig down not far off most 13t machines because of the extra dig but will get into tighter spaces than most cars (as long as you have the height clearance). No where near as powerful or stable as a 13t 360 but much more versatile.

Failing all that @8ob's suggestion seems the most sensible.

 

[dobbslc]

They've got the auger down another 1.2m but still pulling up clay
I can't get anything bigger in round the back!

 

[sako243]

I can't get anything bigger in round the back

A bigger machine will definitely get through. Depends on what it needs to relocate to do so...

 

[Seadog]

I am not familiar with that one, to be honest you could build up your own with two pumps. One pump on a pressure switch to service garden taps

You can also use it to flush toilets if you're prepared to play with the household plumbing.

 

[Kayos]

They've got the auger down another 1.2m but still pulling up clay
I can't get anything bigger in round the back!

Are there any local records to show how deep the clay goes? Lots of clay can mean you are at risk of artesian water

 

[reb78]

I am not familiar with that one, to be honest you could build up your own with two pumps. One pump on a pressure switch to service garden taps and a cheap one with a float switch to automatically pump overfill into the woods.

Bob

This one was in clay, all the harvested water was pumped through leaky hose around the flower beds and trees, excess was pumped into a brook ( not that there was ever any excess). Worth fitting a drop out chamber to settle out rubbish.View attachment 245280 View attachment 245281 View attachment 245282 View attachment 245283

What sort of cost would one of those systems be Bob? We have acres (slight exageration) of roof spaces that we from which we could harvest water and that sort of system could work very well - especially if it could be used as drinking water for horses, or even somehow pumped to a tank for toilet flushing etc (wont be easy since, as far as I can tell all of our cold water system is linked to the main supply!)

 

[sako243]

Rough indication of price. Rest of it is just plumbing I think. Can't remember whether you need to concrete around them for reinforcing (guess depends where you install it).

https://www.waterbuttsdirect.co.uk/water-tanks/below-ground-water-tanks.html

 

[Kayos]

Rough indication of price. Rest of it is just plumbing I think. Can't remember whether you need to concrete around them for reinforcing (guess depends where you install it).

https://www.waterbuttsdirect.co.uk/water-tanks/below-ground-water-tanks.html

The tank is just the start of rainwater harvesting, simple watering systems are cheap enough but toilet flushing adds considerable cost

"Its just plumbing" are famous last words....

 

[mike os]

just double the pit size and run out some land drain if you can... its probably all you can do

You could do a naughty and connect the overflow to mains

 

[8ob]

What sort of cost would one of those systems be Bob? We have acres (slight exageration) of roof spaces that we from which we could harvest water and that sort of system could work very well - especially if it could be used as drinking water for horses, or even somehow pumped to a tank for toilet flushing etc (wont be easy since, as far as I can tell all of our cold water system is linked to the main supply!)

They are not expensive, 2k ish buys a ready-made unit of around 2000lts with all the pumps, alarms and control panel. They are nothing special and could easily be made up for a fraction of that cost. In soft ground they need a concrete base, hard ground just soft sand. In all cases they need filling with water first and then backfilled with shingle or soft fill. Shingle is self compacting so we use that, soft would need compacting in layers.

This one was put in for an irrigation system and was in tandem with a soakaway, also had a ballcock inside that would top up the tank at low level to stop irrigation pumps cavitating.

This one for a mate that wanted a Hydrant combined irrigation system. A 15,000 or 20,000 ltr ( cant remember which) tank which remained full for hydrant use with overflow going to a pumped harvesting tank.

Feeding this harveting tank. Note the 32mm feed, pump and trickery are all inside these units so its plug and play.

 

[dobbslc]

"The Scream"

That's it! Its getting back filled now.
We can't go any further with it so it'll have to be a pumped system to get the water away from the house and into the woods. Massive PITA I'm completely stressed out with it now.
Thanks for all the input.
@8ob would it be best to use the 5 lengths of 110mm drainage pipe ive already got for the outlet to the woods or can I get something smaller like 50mm? I'm just wondering how to connect the pump the the 110mm pipe.

 

[8ob]

I wouldnt waste that hole, I would polythene line it, stand a perforated 205 ltr plastic barrel with the top cut off in the hole and bury it up to the rim with aggregate. Hang a submersible into the top, pipe that into the woods and built a small manhole over the top of it for access/maintenance. You would have change out of £100. Take a new pipe to this diy pumping station from your existing soakaway.

Bob

 

[dobbslc]

Thanks @8ob!
That’s basically what I’m going to do. I have enough 25mm blue MDPE pipe for the job, will that be ok to connect to the pump outlet or a bit to small?

 

[angellonewolf]

that would depend on what pump you got id expect and how long the run is

 

[dobbslc]

It'll be one of the handheld sump pumps with a float switch and the pipe run is 25 meters with only about 2' of head so not to drastic.
Like this one.
https://www.cwberry.com/Power-Tools...ter-Pump-With-Float-Switch-1000W_05175035.htm

 

[addjunkie]

If your pump outlet is 38mm you want the same size outlet pipe. Reducing it to 25mm will increase the back pressure and reduce the outlet flow possibly over heating your pump

 

[brightspark]

just get a Clarke pump with a float switch https://www.google.co.uk/search?sou...3cy13aXqwAQA&sclient=psy-ab#spf=1597093217764 I have a good quality industrial float switch if u wanted to get a good pump and use a contactor to run it

 

[dobbslc]

Thanks @brightspark I'll probably buy one with a float switch on it.
Some of the Draper ones have a 25mm outlet so I'm hoping they will be ok with 25m of 25mm mdpe to pump through.
It's to hot to be digging holes at the moment!