Q&A for How to Reduce Stormwater Runoff at Your Home

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My neighbor's house is very close to mine. They put in a new sidewalk that angles rain water onto our side, causing the sidewalk to be underwater ankle deep. There's is a 12" strip of ground between. What can I do?

Community Answer

You or your neighbor (preferably and legally your neighbor) need to install a collection drain within that 12" strip and keep the water off your property or at least out of your house.

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Question

What are some ways to capture runoff water?

Community Answer

Use buckets, pipes and hoses to capture and divert the water to a storage location at the bottom of the property.

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Question

What can I do for a hill in back of my property that is full with natural springs, with clay type hard ground under the top, making water run off toward my house?

Community Answer

You need to regrade and crown the yard, so water runs off to the outside areas of the house and flows harmlessly out to the street.

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Question

A neighbor has dug a ditch to another neighbor's property that drains mud and water under the fence. Where the water/mud drains this neighbor has planted a bush to divert it onto my property. What should I do?

Community Answer

Ask them to correct their work. If they refuse, then report them to the Municipality. In most places it's illegal to direct any water onto another's property.

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Question

In the backyard there's a sloped hill that's covered with grass, but rain water runs down towards the back of the house. What can I do to slow down or stop the water?

Andy Orr

Community Answer

Make a stone wall perpendicular to the slope of the hill -- it will act as a diversion ditch, diverting the water and shedding it to either side of your foundation.

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All our property runs east to west with about a 1+1/2 meter slope. Topsoil runoff is pretty bad. What can we do?

Community Answer

You can replace the top soil with some free fill dirt. You can usually find this by driving down the country roads outside of town. Also, re-grade the property properly, to run south to north. This will allow for better drainage and won't let the top soil advance past the initial barrier.

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Question

Street storm water runs onto my driveway because the slope angle is not steep enough at the driveway entrance. Is this a city repair? Do I need a permit to fix, since slope repair would touch the street?

Community Answer

Yes, it is a city repair. Because the runoff is coming from a city street, it is the responsibility of the municipality where you reside to address it. There are many ways to address this issue. The simplest would be for them to add a sloped lip to the top edge of your driveway.

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