CCTV Survey & BRE365
The Shallows
Hampshire
Project Overview
Clearline Drainage was instructed to carry out a combined CCTV drainage survey and BRE365 soakaway assessment at a rural residential property in Hampshire, ahead of a planned refurbishment. The property's foul drainage discharges to an existing septic tank, with the surface water system running to informal ground soakaways at the base of the building.
Our Approach
Our two-person team surveyed the foul drainage system from all accessible chambers and internal connections, recording chamber depths, pipe materials and defects in line with MSCC5 and SRM5 scoring. In parallel, we excavated two trial pits to assess ground conditions and undertook BRE365 percolation testing to establish the site's suitability for future soakaway drainage. Where the rainwater system had no accessible chambers, we exposed the pipework directly to confirm its arrangement.
What We Found
A completely broken branch connection requiring localised excavation and repair
A significant circumferential crack on a bend section, suitable for patch lining or spot repair
Extensive bellied and back-falling pipework causing standing water and poor drainage
The existing septic tank was full at the time of survey, preventing internal inspection, and two separate downstream runs to the tank were submerged and could not be completed
The rainwater system discharges directly to ground with no inspection chambers — its layout could only be confirmed by exposing the pipework
BRE365 testing showed exceptionally free-draining ground (clay over flint and chalk), with both trial pits draining faster than they could be filled
Outcome
Given the age and condition of the existing system and the scale of the client's planned refurbishment, we recommended complete replacement of both the foul and surface water systems alongside a new sewage treatment plant — rather than piecemeal repairs that would not hold up to the works ahead. The BRE365 results confirmed the ground is highly suitable for a new soakaway-based drainage field, giving the client's design team a clear, tested basis to proceed.
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