Groundwater problems in the back of the garden... ideas?

[phb10186]

Hi all

I live in deep suburban North London, and over the last 10 years the back 20% of the garden has been experiencing increasingly worse ground water issues. I'd say the garden is 30 meters long.

History, and significant points:

1. Depth of water is about the same (uoto about 5 inches), but the duration it lasts for is mich longer... used to be a couple of months, now it's a bog for about 8 months of the year, and an insect larvae breeding ground!

2. Correlates well with new blocks of flats and small biuldings built in proximity to the back of my garden... but there were no issues with any of the planning permissions.

I live at the bottom of a hill... so we are collecting for the whole street... blast.

3. We have had a sump and submersible pump fitted, and its pumps gallons and gallons of water away, and its made improvements of about 30% or so... the problem is that the ground is still a bog while the water permeates into the sump for pumping, which seems to take forever.

4. The sump pumps to the mains at the front of the property about 40 meters away.

4. It;s just about walkable now, but any rain turns it to a bog.

Suggestions to improve...

I have been thinking about planting some trees and plants that have a high transpiratory rate, and use a lot of water... been thinking about reeds as well, as I like the look, and they grow around lakes...

I cound get a larger sump, as we have used a pedal bin burried there, which holds about 20 gallons I guess... its all learning and development basically.

any suggestions for this would be welcomed and appreciated!

thanks in advance!

 

[r896neo]

What exactly is the sump and pump arrangement? Is it just a sump or are there land drains into it?

 

[phb10186]

What exactly is the sump and pump arrangement? Is it just a sump or are there land drains into it?

no land draind, just a sump and pump.

 

[r896neo]

Well if you already have the water draining away to somewhere then putting in some land drainage would definately help. Is the pump in an inspection chamber or something?

Do some searching about land drains or french drains and then come back with any specific queries.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Have you had the water checked?

If you call out Thames Water they can test the water to find out if it its fresh water (burst pipe up the hill) or sewage (faulty drain pipe).

Then take it from there.

(9 times out of 10 you will be told that it is an underground spring.)
Thats Thames Water get out clause

Andy