Drainage Fields

A drainage field (sometimes called a soakaway or infiltration system) is a network of perforated pipes laid in trenches that allow partially treated wastewater from a septic tank to percolate into the surrounding soil, where natural bacteria complete the treatment process. Drainage fields have a working life — usually 15 to 25 years depending on ground conditions and how well the system upstream has been maintained — and failure is one of the most common reasons UK homeowners contact a private drainage specialist.