Great Cotmarsh Farm, Swindon

Project Overview
As part of a new commercial development on a working farm, a pumped outlet pipe needed to be installed from a newly commissioned sewage treatment plant. The proposed route had to pass beneath a heavily used concrete yard slab, through the foundations of an existing farm building, and terminate in a designated seasonal soakaway area. Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) was chosen to avoid surface disruption.

Client: Agricultural Commercial Development
Location: Great Cotsmarsh, Swindon
Duration: 1 days
Method: Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD)
Length: ~40 meters total
Pipe Installed: 32mm MDPE
Soil Conditions: Mixed — clay, compacted gravel, and rubble backfill

Challenges & Solutions

• Complex Drill Path: The route required navigating beneath a reinforced concrete yard and an operational farm building without structural disruption, The drill operator had no sight of the end target.
• Limited Surface Access: Both entry and exit points had to be carefully located to keep disruption of the concrete yard to a minimal.
• Depth and Gradient Control: Accurate grade was essential to ensure proper function of the pumped sewer outlet into the soakaway. Continuous monitoring and precise steering ensured correct alignment and depth.

Outcome
The outlet pipe was installed without the need for excavation through high-traffic areas or structural modifications to the existing building. The HDD method provided a fast, clean, and efficient solution with minimal impact on the working farm environment. The new sewage system is now fully operational and compliant with environmental discharge regulations.