A soakaway is used when installing a patio to manage rainwater safely and prevent drainage problems. Its main purposes are:

• Prevents standing water by allowing rainwater to drain away from the patio surface rather than pooling.
• Protects the property by reducing the risk of water collecting against the house, which can contribute to damp or foundation issues.
• Reduces flooding by directing surface water into the ground instead of overwhelming drains.
• Complies with drainage regulations in many cases, as new patios should not increase surface water runoff onto public roads or neighbouring properties.

A soakaway is typically a pit filled with clean stone or modular soakaway crates wrapped in a permeable geotextile membrane. Water from the patio, often collected by a channel drain, flows into the soakaway where it gradually infiltrates into the surrounding soil.