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question on water runoff from neighbor's yard

Discussion in 'Homeowners Corner' started by techeng01, May 9, 2019.

  1. techeng01

    techeng01 Member

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    Does anyone know the exact Loudoun County rules/regulations on water runoff as applicable to the suburbs? Or where I can find them? I did some searching but only found waste water and such information...

    thanks.
     
  2. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    Has your neighbor made any recent modifications that could potentially alter the drainage or has it always been the way it is?
     
  3. techeng01

    techeng01 Member

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    yes, made modifications to slope of their yard which caused significant runoff in our yard during last weekend's rainstorm. I will be talking to them (they are good neighbors in general) but I like having facts/knowledge beforehand. Thanks.
     
  4. JLC

    JLC Member

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    I'd be interested in what you find out. We ended up paying a landscape drainage company $2,000 to help us "fix" our yard after our neighbor added new landscaping that caused all of their water run off to pool in our back and side yard.
     
  5. techeng01

    techeng01 Member

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    JLC, I'm interested in what you had done... what did the $2k go towards? I've seen some very high costs for French drains, etc.
     
  6. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    If your neighbors have made modifications to "their" property that is adversely affecting "your" property, notify the HOA office.
     
  7. JLC

    JLC Member

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    They dug a swale in our side yard down to the sidewalk to encourage the water to flow to the sewer drain vs. pooling in our side yard. In the back yard, they installed a covered drain and an underground pipe that runs to the sewer drain in the back of the property.

    Our yard is the natural low area with a sewer in the front and a sewer at the back. The water is supposed to flow that way. For us, we didn't have any problems for 15 years until the neighbor's landscaping increased the amount of water that came our way. (I have no idea where that water was going up until then) We lost a lot of our own plants because they basically drowned before we amended our own yard.
     
  8. stoner

    stoner Active Member

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    Big picture. Original construction created complete drainage system across all lots. This is shown on original plat drawings. So long as surface elevations are maintained, the surface water will follow drain plan to pick up points at storm sewers, gutters, etc. As noted by T8erman above, if something changes the overall plan, bets are off, and action via ether cooperating neighbors or HOA intervention may be required. HOA rules prohibit individual lot activity that negates the overall drainage system operations.
     
  9. techeng01

    techeng01 Member

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    Thanks JLC. Sort of the same situation; our yard is a natural low area and also did not have any problems for the 15 years we've been here (may not be too surprising since last year and this year so far are wetter than average). Who did you use? Would you recommend them?

    T8erman, I will notify the HOA if I feel I have basis for a claim, part of the reason I asked for county regulations in my OP, or cannot work something out with neighbor.
     
  10. JLC

    JLC Member

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    We used: http://www.drainageanderosionsolutions.com/. The website isn't working right now so I'm not sure if they're still in business. It seemed like a one guy operation. He did a good job and I'd recommend him, though.
     
  11. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    I recently got a quote from one of the former owners. He branched out to start a soil consultant firm, but they work in tandem. The quote I got from D&E was over $20K to solve a drainage issue.
     
  12. Zeratul

    Zeratul Well-Known Member

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    I have been working with https://www.biogreenva.com/ on landscape lighting... but they also provide drainage service like you are talking about. I can certainly recommend them as a company, great to work with, long time family business. A french drain is the likely solution and should cost you $2-$4k.
     
  13. Chsalas

    Chsalas Active Member

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  14. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    The Japanese must be thrilled....
     

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