Drainage Systems

Nowadays there is often a need to create drainage systems to improve agricultural practices and successfully construct various buildings and structures. For example, site development often begins only after drainage systems are installed. In most cases this is caused by elevated levels of groundwater and stormwater on many lands, or by the presence of clayey and moisture-retaining soils. Modern drainage systems are networks of pipes that collect water from the surface and from building downspouts, which is then conveyed to special collectors or natural water bodies. This reduces the water level, diverts it away from buildings and structures, or dries out the plot of land.

Drainage is very important for the preservation of residential buildings, protecting them from damage caused by excessive moisture, and preventing the appearance of ice and mold.

Drainage systems collect water around a building’s foundation, making it more comfortable to live in.

An elevated groundwater level can lead not only to damage to foundations and flooding of basements, but also to the development of fungal diseases in plants, and the death of trees and shrubs due to rotting or frost damage. Saving money on drainage can lead to much higher expenses later.

When groundwater lies very close to the surface, at a depth of less than about one meter, the need for a drainage system arises not only for the house but for the rest of the property as well. A drainage system can be installed before landscaping, planting flower beds and lawns, or it can be added during the use of the site, since it is often impossible to predict the hydrological regime with high accuracy. In landscape design drainage plays an important role. Refusing drainage is a very risky step. The absence of drainage can later deprive you of a smooth, beautiful lawn. Quality lawns are simply impossible without proper drainage. Early removal of excess moisture allows the lawn to stay green well into the autumn. Drainage has a beneficial effect on the soil, improving its physical properties.

There are two main types of drainage systems: open and closed. A closed system is subdivided into four types and is defined according to the placement of channels and the area where drainage will be installed. Systems are rarely used in isolation; usually a combined solution is used that incorporates both closed and open drainage.

If your goal is to preserve the appearance of the site, you should use a closed drainage system, since an open system can spoil the landscape’s beauty. Such drainage includes a network of pipes laid at a shallow depth. The drains are then surrounded by a filter consisting of sand and crushed stone. Drains are usually made of plastic, but other materials can be used. At the most important points of the system special wells with sedimentation chambers are installed. These wells play a very important role in filtering the water and regulating the entire drainage system. The wells are made of concrete or plastic.

At the end of the system either a special collection well is installed or water is discharged into ponds where the water from the entire system will drain. If a well is installed, the water will then flow into sewers, ravines, drainage channels, and so on. If the outlets are located above the water level, specialized pumps are installed to solve the discharge problem. There is a simple method for creating drainage: dig a trench about 60 cm deep and approximately 45 cm wide, then fill the bottom with a layer of large stones and compact it well. A layer of sand is then added on top and also compacted.

As for drainage costs, no definite conclusions can be drawn. Everything depends on the area to be landscaped, the soil, and various other specifics. All of this is determined during the system design. But roughly estimated, the average cost per one sotka (100 m²) is around one thousand dollars.

There are currently quite a few companies that install drainage and automatic irrigation; competition in this field is very high.