What is a soakwell?
 

Ok, this is probably a silly question, but what on earth is a soakwell??? I keep seeing these advertised, and can't for the life of me figure out what they are!

Re: What is a soakwell?
 

it's to do with drainage, here's some plans: :D


http://www.gosnells.wa.gov.au/upload...61D2F8EBE4.pdf

Re: What is a soakwell?
 

OMG..... wonder if now it is understood?


Soakwells are dug into the ground and allows water to seep into the earth. Usually soakwells are connected to your downpipes of your roof so the water does not flood near your house

Re: What is a soakwell?
 

Cor......this site never fails to impress does it ?

The knowledge it imparts is fantasimo.

Here's me thinking it was something to do with processed peas ;)

Re: What is a soakwell?
 

Except if you live in Mindarie where they don't drain away because of the limestone soil. They fill up and eventually lift your paving up. Then you end up doing what everyone else does and pipe them into the sewer.

Re: What is a soakwell?
 

This is where Australia leaves itself open in that it is way behind the UK in that the UK has a fully operational sewerage system whereby the rainwater collects and goes into a recycling system, here its simply wasted away down the plughole and into the ground for good, despite this being a dry climate. :rolleyes:

Re: What is a soakwell?
 

Its been a heavy day in Cairns. The pubs are closed and the libraries are open. The locals don't know what to do :-)

Re: What is a soakwell?
 

Perth sits on two huge underground water mounds, one up in Wanneroo and the other down in Jandakot. There are several massive ones out on the wheatbelt. The WA water authority is still investigating whether or not they should tap these watermounds but they do not know what the replenishment rates are.

Some of this water that simply drains into the ground goes into these water mounds.

Las Vegas has the same issue and uses this water for everything. From memory, they don't know how much there is now when it will run out.

Alice Springs discovered one nearby several years ago and decided to do a "Las Vegas" until someone suggested that they investigate the source and replenishment rates. It turns out that the Alice Springs water is somewhere around 250,000 to 500,000 years old and has a very slow replenishment rate. So they decided to leave it there. History is replete with long dead civilisations that outstripped their water resources.

Back in the 1920s a retired Naval Captain did some calculations about Australia and its water, with his nautical knowledge, slide rules and Log tables (how many remember them :-)). he came up with two fairly startling conclusions.
1. If Sydney wasn't going to treat its sewage, it would have to pump it 20 miles out to sea so it wouldn't wash back up on the beaches.
2. Given Australia's rainfall and size, it could only support about 20m - 26m people.

In the late 90s Sydney Water did some massive modelling on their mainframes over several months and they came to several startling conclusions
1. If Sydney wasn't going to treat its sewage, it would have to pump it 30km out to sea so it wouldn't wash back up on the beaches.
2. Given Australia's rainfall and size, it could only support about 20m - 26m people.

My 2/6 worth

Re: What is a soakwell?
 

It's funny you should say that........the locals are all saying what an unusual year it is.........nothing to do with the fact it's my first few months here though....oh no, no, no ;)

Re: What is a soakwell?
 

I could do with another soakwell here, it's pissing down..

are we still on topic :D

Re: What is a soakwell?
 

We are indeed. :)

Plenty of water up this way.

Re: What is a soakwell?
 

can we build a canal from your place to ours? :D

Re: What is a soakwell?
 

Right...letter to DIMIA.

Could you please add Irish Navvie to the MODL as we have a major project in the offing and lack the skilled manual resources. :D

Re: What is a soakwell?
 

Yes couldn't agree more and we might need some backup on our trafalgar day thread the skippys are taking over

Re: What is a soakwell?
 

Why do you need backup ?
Don't you have the conviction to uphold your own point of view ?
Do you really need the security of "back up" before you can debate a subject ?