Percolation Tests carries out BRE365 soakaway percolation testing and foul infiltration testing across Cannock and the surrounding Cannock Chase area.
We are based in Wolverhampton, roughly 8 miles away, so Cannock is genuinely local work rather than a long trip. We have carried out 70 tests within fifteen miles of Cannock and 175 within twenty-five, so the ground around the town is familiar to us.
Ground conditions in Cannock
Cannock sits close to the sandy, well-draining soils of Cannock Chase, which generally percolate favourably compared to much of the wider Staffordshire clay belt. That said, former mining activity in and around the town means made ground and disturbed strata are still a consideration, and results can vary between sites even within a short distance of one another.
In practice that means results around Cannock are rarely uniform. Sandstone can take water well, but where glacial till, boulder clay or made ground sits over it the picture changes within a very short distance — one corner of a plot can drain freely while another barely moves. Ground water matters here too: BRE365 requires the base of a soakaway to stay clear of the water table, and a site can fail on that alone however well the soil itself drains. None of it can be read off a map, which is why the test is asked for.
What we test for
- BRE365 percolation testing for surface water soakaway design
- Foul effluent infiltration testing (Part H) for septic tanks and treatment plants
- Drainage strategy support for planning submissions
How the test is carried out
BRE Digest 365 sets out the procedure, and it is more demanding than it sounds. A single filling of a single hole proves very little.
- Trial pits are excavated at the proposed soakaway position, taken down below the level the soakaway will sit at. The number depends on the site and the design.
- Each pit is filled to at least 75% of its effective storage depth, which is where the timed measurement starts from.
- Each pit is then filled and timed three times over, measuring the fall from 75% to 25% of the effective depth.
- The slowest of those runs is carried into the calculation, which keeps the resulting design conservative.
The three fills and the draining time between them are why this cannot be rushed. A number produced quickly is a number that tends to get challenged.
Planning conditions in Cannock
Applications in the Cannock area are dealt with by Cannock Chase District Council, and drainage conditions are attached routinely — particularly on rural plots, barn conversions and self-builds with no mains surface water connection. The condition normally asks for infiltration testing to BRE365 and a soakaway design based on the result, approved before work starts.
Testing early is worth the trouble. If infiltration turns out not to be viable the drainage strategy has to change, and discovering that after the groundworks are priced is an expensive surprise.
Foul drainage and septic tanks
If the site is not on mains foul drainage that is a separate test. Drainage fields for septic tanks and package treatment plants are sized by the method in BS 6297, referenced by Part H of the Building Regulations, and that figure is not interchangeable with a BRE365 result. Plenty of rural sites around Cannock need both, and we can do them on the same visit.
What you receive
- A full report with the recorded times for every pit and every fill
- The calculated infiltration rate, ready to hand to your engineer or planner
- Trial pit locations and depths
- Photographs of the testing on site
- A clear statement of whether a soakaway is viable, and if not, why not
Coverage
We test across Cannock, Rugeley, Hednesford, Norton Canes, and the surrounding villages. Available Monday to Friday.
Get a quote
Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote for percolation or infiltration testing anywhere in Cannock. Call 01902 475653 or request a quote online.
Percolation testing around Cannock
Each dot is a site we have tested. 28 within ten miles of Cannock, 140 within twenty-five.
Also serving Staffordshire
This page is part of our coverage across Staffordshire, which also includes:
Recent work near Cannock
