absorption pit question

[simon84]

Hi,

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this question, but I've just replaced my gutters as a DIY project, and hired someone to break up the concrete in the backyard and install a soak well where I've added a down pipe (there was previously only one down pipe for the whole house, which wasn't up to code). I wasn't home at the time, but he told my partner that he couldn't find a soak well, so has instead installed an absorption pit. He sent progress photos to show what he'd done. I don't know much about how this all works, but all the images I've seen online when I look up soak wells and absorption pits tend to have the down pipe running into the ground, directly connected to the well/pit, or have a small gap at the end of the down pipe then it free falls an inch or two into a grate which directly connects to the well/pit. He seems to have done something different, covering the pit over completely. Is this a legitimate approach? I can't find any info on this way of doing it. I'm also a bit worried the pit isn't big enough. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

Cheers,
Simon

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I wouldn’t want it that close to the house but @oz-plumber can advise further

 

[Chuck]

I don't know what the regulations are for Australia, but in the UK:

I'd expect the down-pipe to terminate above a gulley with a grid and the outlet from the gulley to be connected to the absorption/soakway pit. The pit would normally be some minimum distance from the foundations and would be sized according to the area of roof and expected rainfall and tested to ensure it can handle the expected flows and totals. I think that section H3 of the UK Building Regulations gives more details.

(The grid stops leaves, the gulley creates a sump that collects silt in the runoff, the distance from the house prevents heave and the testing makes sure it's gonna work.)

P.S. Depending on what's connected to the white pipe you might need a neutraliser somewhere inline.

 

[oz-plumber]

It doesn't look right to me.
I have only ever done 1 soaker pit on a house and it was well away from the house and it was in sandy soil.
The roof catchment area was less than 100m2 and we had to dig out 8 cubic metres of soil and fill with scoria,

The pics above look like clay soil, so I doubt it would work when the catchment area is full of water.

Best get a Certificate of Compliance from the Plumber. At least then you would be able to prove that he did the job and also get him to provide calculations for the soaker pit installed.
If it doesn't work, you may be able to access his insurance for a suitable remedy.

With the amount of work he has done, it may have been easier to run to another stormwater drain or to the street.