The answer to this question has become increasingly important to land developers. The speed at which water travels through soil (permeability) can affect the amount of land available for development on a property.
In stormwater management design, which is required for virtually all development, permeability determines the size of a stormwater management system. If the soil has a low permeability, the system will be made larger, as stormwater will be infiltrating into the ground at a slow rate. If the soil has a high permeability rate, the system will be smaller, as stormwater will be infiltrating into the ground at a high rate.
In septic design, the size of a disposal field is affected by permeability. If a soil has a low permeability, the size of the disposal field will be larger. Conversely, if a soil has a high permeability, the size of the disposal field will be smaller. As permeability affects the size of stormwater management and septic designs, it will also affect the cost of materials.
Whereas it is common for a third party to perform permeability tests and relay the results to an engineer, WJH sets itself apart by performing in-house permeability tests. By doing so, it helps us save time in the design process and allows us to deliver designs to our clients sooner. Contact WJH today for your next project!
