PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: Efficient Flow Well Installation

PROBLEM
The customer faced significant standing water issues in their backyard, particularly in areas uncomfortably close to the house, with additional pooling in the front yard. The primary causes were a neighbor's sloping driveway and several downspouts directing water into the customer's yard. Compounded by West Hartford's clay-heavy soil, water drainage was extremely sluggish.

OUR SOLUTION
1. French Drain:
We addressed the water accumulation near the garden by installing a French Drain. This involved digging a trench from the problem area to the first flow well, lining it with filter fabric, and laying a 4” perforated pipe with a protective sleeve. We filled the trench with 3/4” trap rock, leaving space for topsoil and seeding.

2. NDS Flow Wells:
To tackle the pooling water in low-lying areas, we installed two NDS Flow Wells. Each required digging holes approximately 5’ wide by 12’ deep. The wells were lined with filter fabric to prevent soil intrusion. We then filled the wells with 4”-10” Rip Rap stone for the first 6’, followed by 3/4” trap rock. Additional filter fabric was wrapped around the wells, with more trap rock placed around and on top of them. A 4” PVC pipe connected to a landscape drain at ground level was installed on top of each well. We also interconnected the two wells with a 4” PVC pipe to enhance water storage and drainage capacity. Finally, we re-graded the soil around the wells to facilitate drainage into the landscape drains.

PURPOSE OF OUR SYSTEM
This drainage system aims to expedite the absorption of surface water into the ground. The French drain and surface landscape drains on top of each flow well facilitate this process. The NDS Flow Wells provide a cost-effective solution for storing water underground until it can permeate through the stones and subsoil. These wells offer advantages over larger commercial chambers due to their affordability and ease of stacking additional Flow Wells on top of each other for additional storage.