Is it a blocked soak away or water leak? help!!

[tadpole123]

My mum lives in a bungalow built in the 1930's on the beach. Has a cesspit at the back which appears to be working fine........had a guy into check and empty.......so its not a cesspit problem.

At the front of the property is a drain which is overflowing. A rainwater gutter goes into it and so does the kitchen sink and washing machine.
The council have said it's probably a soak away as that's how the rest of them were built there and other than that were no help at all.

The cesspit guy stuck the hose in it and got out all the water he could and it stayed ok for a few days according to mums carers. Now it's overflowing again but slowly unless they wash up and pull the plug!

Shes a little old lady who has meals on wheels and sandwiches so no heavy fats etc going into it, and the washing machine goes on once per week.

Could it be a burst water pipe between the street and her property? or can a soak away get blocked? or could it be something else that I haven't thought of?

I have no idea where to start, which trade to get if needed and she lives 80 miles away which doesn't help.
Help!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JohnD]

I'm willing to believe what you were told. If no mains drainage it is probably a soakaway and probably choked. It would have been built to take only rainwater, the sink ought to go to the cesspit (are you sure it isn't a septic tank?)

If you are near the sea I am surprised if the ground is not sandy or shingly. If it is then you may possibly have a collapsed pipe running to the soakaway. If you dig a hole you will be able to see where it runs. Quite likely in the middle of the garden on the side where the downpipe is.

It will need somebody who doesn't mind digging holes, so fairly strong and experienced in small building work. There are likely to be some people who do small works for old ladies in retirement bungalows, the difficult bit will be making sure you find one who is reliable and fairly-priced (some people prey on the old). You could ask a small builder or sanitary engineer. The septic-tank man should know someone local.

Try asking neighbours, people in the local church or post office. Look out for a parish magazine, there may be one in the church porch. Local tradesmen often advertise there. They may not be cheap but if they make a habit of robbing old ladies they would eventually be stopped from advertising.

 

[tadpole123]

Thanks for the reply

The guys who empted it said its a brick built cesspit typical of the design at the time.
Mums bungalow is literately on the beach sand dunes for a garden so very free draining all round.
Between the water meter and the drain is a concrete drive which leads to a few concrete steps and then concrete path along side the building. The drain in question is in the corner of the l shaped bit of the building on this path.

Re kitchen waste going into it........I thought that too. Mum had a fire in the kitchen a few years ago and it was rebuilt under the decent homes scheme, does this mean the builder has done something that he shouldn't have?.......found out he should have put a loft ladder and boarding as he put the boiler in the loft but he didn't, but as it was 4 years ago I'm guessing its too late to do anything about that now.

Collapsed drain......not connected to mains drain, only water pipe and the soak away at the front.

Trouble is neither mum nor I have savings to dig up a drive or path.........is there a cheaper way to find out?

 

[tadpole123]

Thinking on it, dont see how the kitchen sink waste could go to the cess pit as it would need to go under the kitchen, living room and dinning room to get out to the back.

 

[Nige F]

Thanks for the reply

The guys who empted it said its a brick built cesspit typical of the design at the time.
Mums bungalow is literately on the beach sand dunes for a garden so very free draining all round.
?

Free draining for a sink/rainwater as built - BUT modern auto washing machines will block 4inch plastic drains with the gummy grey soap/lint they discharge so I`d say the old soakaway is stuffed - need to route/dig a new one PS I suppose 80 miles from you in London could be sussex/s.kent ?. Might be able to help there - but no way n.kent/essex . Too far and the motor costs 20p a mile just on fuel

 

[tadpole123]

yep between hythe and camber.

New soakaway sounds expensive, is that something buildings insurance covers? if not, she's stuffed as she only gets basic state pension and I'm now a 'housewife'............ alternative word for unemployed!

 

[JohnD]

no.

 

[Nige F]

Best way forward might be to contact Age UK ( or local citizens advice) there may be some grant help / loan - under the staying @ home ( or whatever it`s called scheme) then a local trade to dig a hole and run some 4 inch pipe to it .

 

[tadpole123]

Thanks guys, I will start with age concern near her. Mains drainage is soooooooo much easier to deal with!