Dry wells and infiltration cells

A dry well is a hole in the ground into which excess rainwater collects before infiltrating into the soil. The dry well can be constructed from plastic crates, or from LECA blocks or crushed stone of adequate size.  The dry well works as follows: First, the water seeps through a sand trap, which removes leaves and sand. The water then collects in the cavities of the dry well, from where it seeps out into the surrounding soil. The benefits of this system, are e.g. that it takes up no space above ground, and that it can easily be built and used on an existing property. It is important that the dry well is designed to suit the specific surface area from which water needs to be led away. Furthermore, the infiltration capacity of the soil must be measured. The dry well can be designed to accommodate either normal rain or to accommodate both normal and extreme rain.