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Neigbors water problem seeping into our yard

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BrookJane

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Connecticut

Our neighbor has a large pool of water in his backyard whenever it rains. Large meaning almost 75 feet long. The water travels into our backyard (woods) creating ours to flood as well (our lot is lower than theirs). In turn, our septic tank is always full due to the high water table. This is obviously a problem. It has been suggested that we put in a curtain drain to ease our property flooding. Also, we have thought of filling our yard, but have been warned that this will make our neighbors flooding problem worse.
Is our neighbor liable for the the water damaging our property. It is clear that it is coming from their yard into ours?
 


BrookJane

Junior Member
We have been in the house for about a year, and has always been a problem when it rains, and the days that follow. We have not done any yard work or grading as of now, but we are looking to do so in the near future.
 

rmet4nzkx

Senior Member
If they are above you where is the water supposed to go? It sounds like you need a drainage system, soon.
 

BrookJane

Junior Member
The yard is not substanitally above us, but enough that his pooling water flows into our causing us damage.
 

rmet4nzkx

Senior Member
The natural tendancy of water is to flow downhill, if the sil is heavy or saturated it will flow the path of lease resistance, unless there is a means to cannel it away.
 

BrookJane

Junior Member
So if we fill our yard so his water cannot enter ours, it will cause him more trouble...would that be our responsibility. Shouldn't he have to do something about his yard, especially because if he fixed his yard, ours wouldn't be damaged.
 

FarmerJ

Senior Member
You need to contact your city/ county govt center to learn if there is any local zoning laws that regulate one propertys drainage onto another . See where I used to live the city had a ordinance that said that any changes one property owner made could not force water onto anothers .
So like when I had a parking area paved it was acceptable to have my parking pad pitched to force drainage back into the alley but no further changes had to be made to force natural run off comming from my yard going into nieghbors as long as I hadnt done anything else to change the natural run off . My nieghbors property was lower than mine and it didnt help that the alley drainage was poor to start with . Again see what your local govt center has to offer as far as local rules for drainage issues .
 

pitter-patter

Junior Member
run off

I do know you cannot stop the " natural" flow such as a swale,dry runoff,flood drainage.,etc..BUT you can redirect it. Is there any way to turn the overflow towards a less damaging area?
 

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