Driveway Drainage Problem

First, where are you?

What is the terrain?

Give MUCH more information.

New construction?

Where are you?

Where are you?

need to answer LynLynch's questions...old concrete slabs can incur "river" tunneling and large water reservoirs...but yours sounds like a new one...need more details

Detail, detail, detail ???

You might be situated on a clay or solid rock base and water leaking some distance from you may surface at your property.

It may also be on a natural fountain or wetland. Developers chop and change the terrain to fit the maximum number of stands without concern of the sucker buying the place.

The weight of the cars in the road may "pump" the water onto your driveway.

Have you dug a hole next to the driveway yet?

Dear Guest,

What can I say but you are frelled. All of this Love Canal like toxic liquid is bubbling up through your new driveway and your builder just shrugs his shoulder and says, "I didn't do it." Well eventually as the steel drums continue to corrode under your new home you'll start to get some of the most interesting aromas. If you're lucky you just might get some interesting crystal formations to grow around your house. Did I hear you say that the builder insists that this is just a natural, artesian well like spring bubbling up under your house. I wonder how your builder knew that this was a natural event and not the release of some hidden toxic disposal? Did the geologist's report identify a natural spring on this lot that the builder planned for the likely under mining possibility to a simple foundation? Maybe your builder didn't notice all of this water while the foundation was being excavated during the local monsoon.

I suspect that despite the waving hands of your contractor, somebody's supply line is damaged and leaking into your property. It may not be your supply line. How does your contractor know that your supply line is intact? Did he excavate your water line the length to the main? It maybe your neighbor's supply or somebody else's who has right of way access near or through your property. It could even be the main feed water line. But since your contractor did the most recent large earth movement, he will be assumed to have caused any underground damage. Oh, just because your contractor did not install any pipes under your driveway, doesn't mean that there isn't one there. Was a formal survey done of all right of way utility lines through this property? Maybe this water comes from a neighbor's undergound sprinkler system.

Obviously you are not getting any satisfaction from this builder, your lawyer, your local inspectors or anybody of authority in this matter. If you were you would not have posted here anonymously. So I'm back to my opening comment, you are frelled.

Redfred. Good day sir. You have paraphrased my #1 rule of auto repair. The last guy that touched it screwed it up. And you stated it very politely. Have a great day.

Get a small sample and see the local water supply authority. They can VERY easily test for chlorine and fluoride. Those two present will confirm whether it is "treated" water from town supply.

From experience, "soak" water near buildings is never good news. Rising damp, fungal growths, undermining of concrete, erosion of mortar and the list goes on.

You do need to find the source and create a remedy, whether it is to fix a broken pipe or to insert a rubble drain. Good luck.

The builder could be correct. If accessible you can listen to the water feed where is comes into the house to see is you have a leak. This can be best done with a stethoscope. Make sure no one is using water in the house.

As far as ground water you could be facing a perched water table or high ground water. A perched water table has a compacted soil layer is preventing the water draining downward, for the others there ground below is full of water. For a perched table the contractor is correct break through the layer and the water should drain. For high ground water you need to make sure the foundation drains are being placed for a basement that daylight and that the foundation walls are designed for that load. At a minimum asphaultic water proofing with water stops, better hydrologic concrete with waterstops (Add 15% to cost.)

Remember ground water control can not be redone later as easily as many contractors will profess. I recently had a client that the answer had been pumping for a house that they just bought. In the year of living there. The cost of that was $800-400/ month for electricity plus a flood. Discuss with the contractor.

Ground Water is tricky Good luck

Very Simple. Pull out the area wher the leak appearing. Once you see the drainage pipe and if you have enough money pull ot the broken pipe and replace it. If you have less money first seal the pipe cracks and lay a water proofing material on top of and concrete it.