Soil test advice
Why do you need to carry out soil tests?
Soil tests help us understand the type of soil you have around your property, and in particular its drainage characterists. That’s an important factor in deciding whether a septic tank or a sewage treatment plant is right for you.
Clay soils offer poor drainage; the effluent would accumulate rather than drain away as it should. Very loose and gravelly soils provide a more suitable subsoil to allow a septic tank and soakaway system to function correctly.
What’s involved in carrying out a soil test? We dig a number of small holes in the ground, and examine the underlying soil. We also carry out percolation tests to measure how quickly water drains away. From this test we can evaluate whether a soakaway system will function correctly. Sometimes, a shallow soakaway at a high level can be more effective.