What Is A Soakaway
The Welfare Hire Co. is a UK-based company that provides temporary welfare facilities for construction sites and outdoor projects. Their offering typically includes portable toilets, mobile welfare units, and site accommodation designed to support workers on-site. The company focuses on compliance with health and safety regulations, ensuring sites have proper sanitation and welfare provisions. They also publish practical guides and resources related to construction, groundwork, and equipment usage. Overall, their service is aimed at making worksites safer, more efficient, and fully equipped for day-to-day operations. Welfare Hire Direct is a UK-based company that specialises in providing eco-friendly welfare units for construction and site-based projects. Their main offering includes solar-powered units equipped with toilets, canteen areas, drying rooms, and workspace facilities. The company focuses on sustainability, using solar energy with biofuel backup to reduce emissions and fuel costs. They deliver and service units nationwide, ensuring they are ready to use and compliant with site requirements. Overall, their services are designed to support on-site teams with reliable, self-contained welfare facilities while minimising environmental impact. “
What is a soakaway?
A soakaway is a simple but important piece of drainage infrastructure used to manage surface water and wastewater safely. In practical terms, it is an underground structure designed to collect water (such as rainwater from a roof, yard, or hardstanding) and allow it to soak into the ground at a controlled rate.
Soakaways are commonly used on construction sites and outdoor projects across the UK where connecting to a mains drainage system is not possible, not suitable, or would require costly upgrades. They play a key role in preventing localised flooding, reducing surface water pooling, and helping control runoff during works.
Why soakaways are used on construction sites
Temporary and permanent development sites often generate water from a variety of sources, including rainfall, washdown activities, and water collected from drainage systems around excavations. Where there is no suitable connection to a sewer or where the local authority requires sustainable drainage methods, a soakaway offers an alternative approach.
For projects delivered by contractors and welfare providers alike, effective water management is a significant health and safety issue. Standing water can increase slip hazards, create muddy access routes, and contribute to unpleasant site conditions. By providing a controlled route for drainage, a soakaway helps keep site areas workable and safer.
How a soakaway works
The basic principle is straightforward:
1) Water is collected from a drainage outlet such as a gully, pipework run, or downpipe discharging from a hardstanding area.
2) Water enters the soakaway where it is held temporarily within a void or chamber system.
3) The water then percolates into the surrounding ground as it gradually disperses through the soil layers.
Soakaways are usually designed with enough capacity to cope with typical rainfall volumes and with construction parameters that limit the rate at which the water infiltrates the ground. The surrounding soil type, groundwater level, and depth of the soakaway all influence how effectively it can operate.
Types of soakaway
Soakaways can be built in a number of forms, depending on ground conditions and site requirements. Common types include:
• Stone-filled soakaways: A traditional method using graded aggregate within an excavated pit or trench. Water flows into the void space and soaks away through the aggregate and surrounding soil.
• Crate-based systems: Geocellular or plastic crates create voids that store water underground before infiltration. These systems are often used for smaller footprint installations or where quick installation is needed.
• Attenuation and infiltration units: In more complex designs, systems may include additional treatment or storage to manage water flow more carefully.
On temporary works, contractors may use appropriate drainage solutions that are capable of handling site runoff until longer-term arrangements are established.
Where a soakaway is located
Soakaways must be placed carefully. Their location should consider:
• Proximity to buildings and foundations to avoid water saturation where it could affect structural stability.
• Distance from boundaries and drains to reduce the risk of nuisance, contamination, or interference with other utilities.
• Groundwater and water table levels, which may limit the ability of water to infiltrate.
• Suitability of the soil, because some soils absorb water well while others (such as heavy clay) may not percolate effectively.
Correct siting is not just a technical detail—it can directly affect the performance of the soakaway and the safety of the surrounding area.
Soakaway design and site investigations
In the UK, the suitability and sizing of a soakaway should be based on a proper assessment of the site’s ground conditions. This often involves:
• Percolation or infiltration testing to determine how quickly water can soak into the soil.
• Consideration of soil classification and the presence of any impermeable layers.
• Assessment of seasonal groundwater variations (because ground conditions can change, especially during wetter months).
For construction projects, this information helps prevent oversized installations that waste space or undersized ones that overflow, leading to flooding and potential compliance issues.
Regulations and responsibilities (UK context)
Drainage arrangements, including soakaways, can fall under planning and building control requirements, and they may also relate to wider sustainable drainage expectations. The exact requirements depend on location, scale, and the type of development.
In practice, installers and site managers should:
• Follow relevant standards and best practice guidance for design, installation, and maintenance.
• Ensure construction activities do not contaminate the drainage system (for example, silt and debris can block infiltration routes).
• Keep records of tests and design assumptions so the system can be properly understood and maintained.
Because local conditions vary, it is usually not appropriate to assume a soakaway will work without adequate testing and engineering input.
Benefits of soakaways
When properly designed and installed, soakaways can provide real value for worksites and developments. Key benefits include:
• Reduced surface flooding, keeping paths and access routes safer.
• Lower pressure on sewers or municipal systems, where those connections are limited.
• Support for sustainable drainage approaches by allowing water to return to the ground naturally.
• Flexibility—soakaways can be used for a range of sources such as roof drainage and certain site runoff arrangements.
Common problems and maintenance
Soakaways can fail or underperform if water cannot infiltrate as expected or if the system becomes blocked. Common issues include:
• Clogging due to silt, sediment, or organic material.
• Poor ground conditions such as heavy clay, high groundwater, or impermeable strata.
• Incorrect siting that allows water to migrate towards foundations or other sensitive areas.
Maintenance is therefore important, particularly during construction when soil disturbance is common. Simple steps like keeping downpipes and drainage inlets clear, using appropriate filters, and preventing debris from entering the system can help protect performance.
Soakaways and welfare facilities
Welfare facilities on construction sites—such as portable toilets, mobile welfare units, and site accommodation—depend on good site management, including safe drainage. Poorly handled surface water can quickly create hygiene and safety problems: muddy access to welfare units, slip hazards near entrances, and unpleasant standing water around sanitation points.
While welfare units themselves do not usually rely on soakaways for their core waste systems, the site drainage strategy that includes soakaways can still influence overall site cleanliness and safety. Having a coherent water management plan helps ensure welfare areas remain accessible and fit for day-to-day operations.
In summary
A soakaway is an underground drainage solution that collects water and allows it to soak into the ground in a controlled manner. It is widely used across the UK—especially on construction sites—where managing runoff safely is essential and connecting to mains drainage may be difficult or unsuitable. With correct testing, design, and maintenance, soakaways help reduce flooding, improve site conditions, and support safer, more efficient project operations.
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