WORK THROUGH CALCULATIONS TO SIZE SOAK PITS ACCORDING TO VERIFICATION METHOD E1/VM1

BUILD
RIGHT Soak pits
When a soak pit is required, a building consent application with calculations
for pit sizing must be lodged. So, how do you make the calculations?

BY ALIDE ELKINK,
FREELANCE TECHNICAL
WRITER, WELLINGTON

SOAK PITS, also known as soakaways or soakage by conducting a percolation test and, from the 4. Measure and record the drop in water level
pits, are required for properties with no reticu- results of the test, determining the soakage rate. at 30-minute intervals maximum until the
lated stormwater system provided by the council Conduct a percolation test water is approximately 250 mm from the
for removing water run-off from roofs and hard E1/VM1 provides a percolation test method in base of the hole or for 4 hours, whichever
sealed surfaces. They can be: paragraph 9.0.2. Percolation testing should be occurs first.
●● a hole filled with rocks (see Figure 1) done when the groundwater is high and is carried 5. Plot the results of the fall in the water level
●● a lined underground chamber with porous sides out as follows: against the time it takes on a graph.
and base (see Figure 2), into which surface 1. Drill a test hole 100–150 mm in diameter Determine the soakage rate
water can drain and be dispersed by percolation for the expected depth of the soak pit. If Using the results of the water level drop rate from
or soakage into the surrounding soil groundwater is struck before the expected the minimum slope of the curve on the graph over
●● a series of factory-made plastic drop-in modular depth is reached, the depth of the ground a 10-minute period, determine the soakage rate
interlocking infiltration cell blocks wrapped in water is taken as the maximum depth of the (mm/hour) using the formula:
geotextile fabric. soak pit. soakage rate (Sr) = 6 × (water level drop in
All options must be lined with a filter cloth with 2. Fill the hole with water and maintain it for at mm) / 10 minutes.
a mass per unit area of 140 grams/m² and a least 4 hours to presoak the ground. Where there is a significant decrease in soakage
minimum thickness of 0.45 mm. 3. Refill the hole with water to 750 mm below rate as the hole empties, disregard the lower
In addition to water dispersal, a soak pit must the ground level (if possible). rates and use a value closer to the average.
also provide water storage to ensure water that
drains into the soak pit will not overflow before drain
soakage has occurred. ground level
Their efficiency depends on their size, the perme-
ability of the ground (the rate at which soakage
occurs) and the rainfall intensity of the region.

Building consent required

Where a soak pit is required, a building consent
application with calculations for soak pit sizing must
pit sized to suit
be approved by the building consent authority. ground soakage
Guidelines for soak pit design, including sizing, and give sufficient
storage to avoid
are provided in Verification Method E1/VM1 to New filter cloth overflowing
Zealand Building Code clause E1 Surface water or surrounding soak pit  and filled with
100–150 mm
can be obtained from your local council. rocks

Steps for designing a soak pit

water storage volume = 0.38 × volume of hole
The first step in designing a soak pit is to determine
the soakage rate of the natural ground. This is done
Figure 1 Rock soak pit.

24 — April/May 2017 — Build 159

 Calculate soakage rate
Calculate volume of storage required Ways to reduce soakage capacity and storage
Once the soakage rate is determined, the volume The effectiveness of soak pits can be increased Use the E1/VM1 formula: Vstor = Rc - Vsoak
of storage required (in m3) can be calculated by storing or retaining stormwater on site with Step 1: Get the soakage rate from the
according to the formula given in E1/VM1 water storage tanks, areas planted in trees percolation test
paragraph 9.0.5 as follows: and shrubs that soak up water and irrigated Assume that, from a percolation test, the soakage
Vstor = Rc - Vsoak areas. rate (Sr) has been calculated at 300 mm/hour.
where Rc = run-off from catchment to soak When these are incorporated, the soakage Then, where the soakage rate is:
pit in 1 hour (m )
3
capacity of a soak pit may be reduced if ●● more than 500 mm/hour, soakage rather
Vsoak = volume disposed of by supporting calculations are provided. than storage is the main factor in the design
soakage in 1 hour (m3) of the soak pit
and Rc = 10 CIA Check for other council requirements ●● significantly less than 500 mm/hour, storage
where C = run-off coefficient (from E1/VM1 Soak pits should be located above the winter becomes the main factor in the design
Table 1) water table and not on a stormwater secondary ●● around 500 mm/hour, the soak pit design must
I = rainfall intensity (mm/hr) based flow path. consider both soakage and storage to make sure
on 1 hour duration of an event having Most local authorities have specific that water will disperse into the ground before
a 10% probability of occurring annually requirements for soak pits, such as minimum it overflows.
A = area (in hectares) of the distances from boundaries and existing Step 2: Assess the stormwater
catchment discharging to the soak pit buildings. These should be checked before catchment volume (Rc)
and Vsoak = AspSr /1000 making a soak pit application. Use the formula: Rc = 10 CIA
where Asp = area of the base of the soak pit Assume: Roof area = 200 m2
(m ) 2
Soak pit maintenance needed Paved area = 50 m2
Sr = soakage rate (mm/hr). annually Total run-off area (A) = 250 m2
Rainfall intensity (I) is based on rainfall with Soak pits require maintenance to prevent (0.025 ha)
a 1 hour duration and a 10% probability of them becoming blocked with silt, vegeta- Use run-off coefficient (C) = 0.9 (from E1/VM1
occurring annually. Information about rainfall tion or other matter that may cause flooding Table 1 for hard surfaces)
intensity can be obtained from local rainfall in- problems. Rain intensity (I) = 70 mm/hour
tensity curves produced by the building consent Maintenance and cleaning should be done Rc = 10 CIA
authority or from rainfall frequency duration annually by a company that specialises in the Rc = 10 × 0.9 × 70 × 0.025
information from NIWA. cleaning and maintenance of soak pits. Rc = 15.75 m3
Step 3: Calculate the volume of water
disposed by soakage (Vsoak)
ground level
Use the formula: Vsoak = AspSr /1000
lid
Assume: Soak pit size = 5.0 m × 3.0 m × 2.0 m
= 30 m3
The soak pit is to be a hole filled with rocks.
chamber sized to suit (When calculating the size of a soak pit, the vol-
ground soakage and ume of water storage available for a rock-filled
drain
give sufficient storage
to avoid overflowing hole is 0.38 times the volume of the hole.)
– chamber sides with So: Vstor = 0.38 × 30 m3 = 11.4 m3
40–80 mm diameter
holes at 33 mm centres Calculate: Asp (area of base of soak pit) =
in each direction. 5.0 m × 3.0 m = 15 m2
Vsoak = 15 × 300/1000
Vsoak = 4.5 m3
Step 4: Calculate storage volume required
250 mm minimum layer Use the formula: Vstor = Rc - Vsoak
of 100–150 mm rocks in Vstor = 15.75 m3 - 4.5 m³ = 11.25 m3
bottom of chamber filter cloth around and 11.25 m3 ≤ 11.4 m3 so soak pit sizing is OK.
underneath chamber
Figure 2 Chamber soak pit.

Build 159 — April/May 2017 — 25