Runoff water disposal into caves - guidance and legislation?

caverbabe · Feb 20, 2017

I'm wondering if anyone can point me in the direction of any guidance or legislation on the disposal of runoff water into caves as an engineering design? I can't find anything besides ecological guidance and I'm sure there must be something regarding the geotechnical or broader environmental risks that define whether or not this is a possible means of disposing of water when soakaways are not possible. Any ideas cheerfully received.

Bob Mehew · Feb 20, 2017

The Wildlife & Countryside Act covers SSSIs and might apply, though unless you are talking about massive inflows, I doubt if the act could be enforced. I have not touched water law but I understand the basic feature is what flows across your land can flow onward without obstruction (so your downstream neighbor can't dam the stream and flood your property). Nor have I looked up pollution laws which no doubt cover the potential for deliberately or otherwise discharging polluting chemicals onto the ground. But I can't see how raw water is a pollutant.

I understand that we are now required to capture run off from newly paved areas and let it soak away. I would be surprised if the law which brought that into effect has been sufficiently forward looking to distinguish between a 'simple' soak away and one where just by luck it goes down a hole which leads into a cave.

caverbabe · Feb 21, 2017

Bob Mehew said:
The Wildlife & Countryside Act covers SSSIs and might apply, though unless you are talking about massive inflows, I doubt if the act could be enforced. I have not touched water law but I understand the basic feature is what flows across your land can flow onward without obstruction (so your downstream neighbor can't dam the stream and flood your property). Nor have I looked up pollution laws which no doubt cover the potential for deliberately or otherwise discharging polluting chemicals onto the ground. But I can't see how raw water is a pollutant.

I understand that we are now required to capture run off from newly paved areas and let it soak away. I would be surprised if the law which brought that into effect has been sufficiently forward looking to distinguish between a 'simple' soak away and one where just by luck it goes down a hole which leads into a cave.

Believe it or not the SUDS guidance (Sustainable Urban Drainage) does address fairly comprehensive designs. It is one of the more boring, but necessary, parts of my job. There is also a British Standard for it (same as the Eurocode). The only thing I can find is guidance on designs in chalk (South coast/London way) which isn't quite what I'm looking for. But thanks for giving it some thought, Bob. I'll keep looking.

Cheers,
P

Runoff water disposal into caves - guidance and legislation?

caverbabe

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Bob Mehew

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caverbabe

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