How can I fix water collecting on my lawn?

Question

My neighbor tied into town sewer and since then water collects and I have a small pond in my back yard. Can I fix this?

Answer 1

You have to have some one that knows this kind of stuff to come & look at your problem.

Off the top it don't seem that connecting to a sewer would cause a problem. It would seem that it would eliminate a problem if there had been one with a septic system.

One thought would be that they may have change the grade of the land so that the way the water drains from rain fall drains or don't drain.

May be the pipe is broken or wasn't done right.

It would help if you have any pictures that may show any change in the land.

You can fill in the low spot in your yard but you would have to take in to account how that would change the flow of any water.

Answer 2

Public works and water department responsibilities end at the sidewalk, unless the damages show they are at fault.

What you need is called a French Drain, very inexpensive, yard guys could probably do it for you. It's a six inch PVC pipe with a bunch of holes in it (can be purchased like this) You fill the pipe with 1 to 2 inch rocks (river stones) and bury two feet in the ground through the center of the wet spot. You then run the drain at a slight angle to the street, or tie it into the sewer system/water drains. The water drains through the soil into the drain and away from the yard. You might possibly get your nieghbor to go in halfsies on the installation since he changed the previous water drainage situation.

Answer 3

Did the neighbor have a septic system in the yard? Was it disconnected at the time of the sewer tie-in? Perhaps it wasn't and the sewer line is sending water into the septic tank and it's overflowing into your yard. I've seen this happen several times.

Answer 4

I'll tell you the cheapest, most natural way. But first, do you yourself have any pipes in that area? If not, then plant a weeping willow tree. It soaks up water like a sponge and will dry out the entire area. However, if you yourself have pipes, as in water lines or pipes leading to septic tank, then you shouldn't plant one. Because eventually the roots will choke it. But If not, plant a willow. They're a tad messy, but they work. My front yard used to be a swamp (next to the State"s culvert). Now, the willow soaks up all the water, is quite tall, but the yard is dry. Only drawback is the occasional mess they make. But I throw all that onto the compost pile. You should also ask the town/village/city codes officer to run tests to make sure that line your neighbor tied into is not contaminating your yard with raw sewage.

Answer 5

Can you change the slope of your yard to move the water away? If you have a low spot, can you add more soil to change the grade?
I can't understand how your neighbor tying into the sewer line caused your lawn to flood unless they messed with a water runoff. If he changed his elevation, talk to him and have him lower it to let the water flow again.. Good luck

Answer 6

Call public works since they probably did the work and tell them you have an issue with your yard flooding now. Or the Drain Commission what ever you have.

Answer 7

I am sure there is a law about changing how water flows, not knowing the whole situation, I would ask someone in your county offices, Water dept. for example.

Answer 8

make a trench.