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Soakaway Crates

Control and manage your rainwater surface water runoff – our storm crates can be used for both attenuation or ground infiltration in a variety of applications.

We supply a range of stormwater attenuation solutions, including stormwater crates and soakaway crates. We can also install too.

Installed underground to prevent flooding, our crates provide you with a cost-effective solution. As they are designed to incorporate high structural strength, they can feature void ratios of up to 97%, offering enormous amounts of space and surface area through which water can infiltrate.

These storm crates operate as soakaway crates – meaning that they can allow water from the surrounding soil to seep into them, aiding soil drainage, and, more importantly, they allow the attenuated storm water to slowly soak away into the earth after it is collected.

Once the storm abates, the ground will naturally begin to slowly release the water it has absorbed, allowing your soakaway crates to drain away at the same rate as the natural movement of groundwater. Thanks to this method of drainage, your attenuated storm water will not cause damage to the soil or cause flooding or waterlogging – it will simply soak away. 

Why choose our crates? 

  • High strength design

Designed to withstand up to 80 ton vehicle loadings, our crates offer you the flexibility to install under heavily trafficked areas such as car parks, yards and roadways. We can go even further towards looking after the environment by offering you a recycled material crate for pedestrian and soft landscape areas, and the use of a soakaway crate helps provide one of the most environmentally-friendly stormwater drainage solutions.

  • Maintenance free

As long as steps are taken to remove silt and grit from the incoming pipework the crate system is virtually maintenance free.

  • Lightweight & easy to handle

Our crates are incredibly easy to install as they are lightweight and easy to handle. This product efficiently stacks and locks together quickly, in turn enabling you to build your tank faster.

  • High void ratios

High void ratios of 97% providing high storage volume capacity for stormwater attenuation.

  • SuDs compliant

Our geocellular crate system is approved for use in Sustainable Drainage System applications. The design and functionality of a soakaway crate means that with no power input and no manual activation required, the attenuated storm water will simply seep into the groundwater and disperse naturally.

  • Environmentally conscious

We also offer an environmentally conscious solution made from recycled material for pedestrian and soft landscape areas, to comply with environmental objectives.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a soakaway?

The simple answer is: it depends.

In most cases, rainwater will seep into the drain or through the soil, and the excess water will be directed away from your property (and others) via guttering and drainpipes.

However, in certain ground conditions and areas where there is a lack of drainage, a soakaway will help the water disperse into the ground evenly and quickly.

UK Building Regulations require you to dispose of stormwater from your building effectively. For a soakaway crate to be installed successfully, the following criteria must be met:

  • The soil around the building is adequate for infiltration
  • The site is not on filled ground
  • The site doesn’t slope towards the building
  • The water table isn’t too high

To find out whether you need a soakaway, get in touch with our experts here at Cotterill Civils. 

How do soakaway crates work?

Traditionally, a soakaway was a large hole in the ground, lined with rubble, which encouraged rainwater to quickly flow through the soil.

These pits were designed to store rainwater run-off, allowing infiltration into the soil. However, soil and debris would often gather and fill up the empty space – meaning there was nowhere for the water to run into.

Here at Cotterill Civils, we provide a comprehensive range of soakaway crates, which are perfect for attenuation and ground infiltration, and act as an underground reservoir.

These large plastic structures can be clipped together to form a box structure, helping to control the rate at which water filters through the soakaway. 

How deep should a soakaway be?

Calculating the depth of a soakaway can be tricky, but the team at Cotterill Civils is always on hand to guide and advise you.

As a general rule of thumb, it’s 1 cubic metre of a soakaway for every 30sqm of the roof – but the depth of the hole can vary, depending on the location.

For instance, soakaways under a driveway need to be deeper than those under a garden or patio to allow for more top fill.

Although soakaways are easy enough to install yourself, there are lots of regulations to follow to eliminate damp issues or improper drainage.

That’s why we’d always recommend asking your groundworker to conduct a soil percolation test before you start to excavate.

If you have any questions or queries regarding the depth of a soakaway, don’t hesitate to contact our friendly experts. 

How much do soakaway crates cost?

The price you’ll pay for soakaway crates can vary depending on numerous factors – including the size of the crate, how complex the installation process is, and whether you need additional extras (i.e. damp proof membrane, double-sided tape, top hat connectors, etc.).

Some gardens require smaller soakaways that are usually straightforward to install. Others are more complicated and require more materials and labour, which adds to the overall cost.

The good news is, we provide soakaway crates in a range of sizes to suit various applications. These are manufactured from top-quality materials and are available for a highly competitive price.

We also offer an installation service for soakaway crates – ideal if you’re looking for a cost-effective solution for surface water issues.

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