Looking to fit downpipe to outhouse - what is this hole?

[Beginerz]

Just took the house on recently and the outhouse needs some new guttering on the rear where its roof slopes to. The old guttering which was falling apart had a downpipe leading into a plastic garden water butt on top of this hole, the butt was full. We have removed that and underneath is this hole which I assume is an old drain hole? There is still some water which can be seen up to a level about 4 inches from the bottom. The water never seems to clear. We have poured a few buckets of water down and the water level never seems to rise but neither does it completely drain away. Instead the level seems to remain 4 inches from the bottom.

Got a roofer coming tomorrow to quote for a new piece of guttering for the outhouse and my question is, is it safe to have a downpipe fitted into this hole? I presume one was once fitted there but have to wonder why a water butt was out there over it?

Thanks all.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

It's a trapped gully, in principle like this:

So the trap remains full of water to prevent smells coming up from the sewer, like your toilet or basin. The previous owners likely just fitted the butt to collect the water. You can connect the rainwater pipe into it OK.

 

[Beginerz]

It's a trapped gully, in principle like this:

So the trap remains full of water to prevent smells coming up from the sewer, like your toilet or basin. The previous owners likely just fitted the butt to collect the water. You can connect the rainwater pipe into it OK.

Thank you.

If the pipe was leaking somewhere underground, would it show itself somewhere? I am hoping that it was just the previous owners wishing to collect the rainwater as you suggest rather than due to some malfunction with the drain somewhere.

The sewer is about 4 metres away the other side of the outbuilding.

 

[opps]

Thank you.

If the pipe was leaking somewhere underground, would it show itself somewhere? I am hoping that it was just the previous owners wishing to collect the rainwater as you suggest rather than due to some malfunction with the drain somewhere.

The sewer is about 4 metres away the other side of the outbuilding.

Why do assume that it is leaking anywhere?

It seems more likely that the previous owners simply wanted a water butt to water the garden.

 

[Beginerz]

Why do assume that it is leaking anywhere?

It seems more likely that the previous owners simply wanted a water butt to water the garden.

No reason to assume really other than they had three other water butts around the garden! More trying to rule it out best that can be done. When we took over, this particular butt was full and overflowing so I find it strange someone didn't shift it out of the way to reveal the drain again. Then again they have covered about 12 square metres of the garden in carpet underlay which I presume was in an effort to suppress weeds and this is now all rotten.

 

[opps]

No reason to assume really other than they had three other water butts around the garden! More trying to rule it out best that can be done. When we took over, this particular butt was full and overflowing so I find it strange someone didn't shift it out of the way to reveal the drain again. Then again they have covered about 12 square metres of the garden in carpet underlay which I presume was in an effort to suppress weeds and this is now all rotten.

My mum has two water butts and her drains are fine.

That said, they are badly designed. One butt is attached to the other. The downpipe still runs down to the drain but they too overflow rather than sending the excess water back to the downpipe.

 

[Beginerz]

My mum has two water butts and her drains are fine.

That said, they are badly designed. One butt is attached to the other. The downpipe still runs down to the drain but they too overflow rather than sending the excess water back to the downpipe.

Roofer been round today and has confirmed as you suggested that the drain is in good order. Will be fitting new downpipe into it in the new year and cutting a recess into/ and bricking and mortaring part of the top so that the only opening visible hole be where the downpipe enters.