Pitfalls of Designing and Constructing Soakage and Retention Systems
Stormwater Conference
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This paper outlines the steps taken by a community grappling with stormwater problems arising from its remoteness from significant watercourses and past policies of 1 – 2 year design storms for its piped systems. Recent trends to more infill housing and to industrial developments with large impervious areas have been the last straw.
Similar situations arise with the capacity of piped stormwater systems in its other communities and as a result the Matamata-Piako District Council has adopted a policy that in general all stormwater generated by developments within a premises boundary shall be disposed of on that site.
Any connection permitted where there is sufficient pipe capacity may be subject to the provision of retention capacity on the premises.
However there has been an apparent difficulty in designing suitable systems and in the correct installation and maintenance of pre-treatment devices and of the soakage systems themselves.
The paper will highlight some of the pitfalls that arise from trying to adapt the policy from a pipe design and discharge approach to that of soakage system and retention design.
It also outlines some of the pitfalls we have encountered in the design, installation and maintenance of such systems.