People building houses in Shetland

[Stick]

Hi,

 

I am finalising the paperwork for building a new house in Shetland and currently carrying out Percolation tests for surface drainage but they are not going well.

The land is either Peat or Clay, my initial two test holes filled with water so to have the soakaway in that area is obviously not going to happen so I dug two other holes... these did not fill with water but won't drain as it is deep with Peat. I am trying a completely different area now hoping it will offer better results. I was just wondering if anyone else has had similar problems and how they over came the issues?

 

I am at a loss at the moment, it's the only thing holding us up...

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

Stick

[paulb]

any ditches you could use.

[crofter]

You will probably need to dig a massive soakaway and fill it with crushed rock.  Expensive.  

 

Another option might be a reed bed, but I don't know if there are any in Shetland(?)

 

http://www.soilassociation.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=e%2FOUEgT%2FUsI%3D&tabid=151

[Stick]

Despite being close to the sea, a burn and a ditch I have to put in a soakaway (basically as crofter has said a hole full of crushed rock) as planning think that rain water from my roof will damage the environment. Even phoned SEPA and they said they had no issues with it going to a burn, ditch or to the sea.

 

Regardless I need to do percolation tests for the soakaway.

 

Royal pain.

 

Thanks for the input so far

[Suffererof1crankymofo]

Klargester do small systems.

[shetlandpeat]

I guess it would depend on how much room you have to play with. A number of schools in London have worked with the environmental groups and have developed surface water technology, that dates back centurys. they make great garden features as well, are you thinking of having two seperate water systems, one mains and one from rainwater harvesting? Once the surface water has gon through the beds, it will be very clean and can be reused or dispersed back into the environment where it would have gone any how. A series of beds may be a way to help, a large enough gravel bed can even deal with bath water..

[Kavi Ugl]

I saw an article on a Norwegian website a few months ago and Oslo was suffering from flooding.

 

It was felt that because there was so much paths, concrete and tiled roofs the water had nowhere to go(soak away).

 

So, they are proposing to use more grass roofs to "absorb" the rain water so it can then disperse away at a slower rate.

 

Sadly, I suspect as crofter says you'll need a wad of crushed rock beneath your house for a foundation to act as a soakaway.

[Ian_H]

Hi, your OP refers to a percolation test for surface drainage - is this for surface water only (from the roof, parking areas etc), or will you also have septic tank water to deal with as well?

[Stick]

Ian_H

 

This is for surface water only, we have connections to public sewers so it is only from the roof that we are dealing with. where the house is going is basically hardcore then further from the house it is tightly compacted clay/hardcore then some 30mtrs from the house it is peat.

 

Hopefully get this dealt with soon, it's the only thing I have to get sorted for the building warrant.

 

Cheers

[Carlos]

You don't have to use a soakaway, you could use a different type SUDs device that doesn't need percolation.

[crofter]

pond?

[JohanofNess]

If you want to give us a bit more info about location what you're intending to put around the house in terms of any paving etc might be able to give you a few options. If you're no wanting to make that public then you can send me a PM and I'll maybe be able to steer you in the right direction.