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Originally Posted by Michael 61
I’m posting this to see if anyone else has experience with similar issues, or can give me direction.
I live on a corner lot. On the corner, is a berm, with landscaping, all property of The Villages. I’ve owned my new built for about 8 months, so I’m still under warranty. The water from the berm area drains onto my property.
For about the first four months, there were no drainage issues. About four months ago, I began to notice that there was always a small puddle of water on the corner of my driveway. I also noticed that the strip of grass from the berm all the way down to my driveway was always damp. I also noticed that a small depression began to form on the outside of the berm, just beyond my property line.
About a month ago, I began to see the amount of water coming down from the berm, along the grassy area of the front curb to my driveway increasing. I was told to call the Villages Utilities. They sent out someone - they turned on my irrigation and said the pipes were all functioning at full capacity. They did the same on their property, and I was told that there may be some slight blockage to their pipes. I asked if I would be contacted what the issue is at their end, and I was told no, since it was not my property.
In the last few weeks, there has been a huge increase in water in my yard. Now there is standing water at all times in my front yard. That area of depression by the berm has grown deeper, but is now relatively dry. I’ve been in contact with several entities. Here is where I’m at:
1) I called the Villages Water/Utilities again - this time they said that potential problem is not in there jurisdiction and for me to contact the District.
2) Called the District - they sent a pair of workers out in less than an hour of call (great service) - They discovered my meter box is completely flooded. They turned on my irrigation as well as the irrigation on Villages property, and said the flow is full at each end, and based on this ruled out any pipe breaks. When I told them, then what is the source of all this backed up water, they first attributed it to recent rains. When I told them it’s been wet and swampy for a few weeks, including our recent hot streak with no rain, they then said it could be ground water swelling up and collecting in my front yard. They said this happens sometimes. I then asked why is this not happening to any of my neighbors? They went across the street and pulled my neighbors meter box - it was bone dry. I then asked, where do I go from here, as this water has a source of someplace, and it doesn’t appear to be rain water. They then said I should talk to warranty dept, since my home is new, and maybe they would put in a French drain, or maybe build up the soil level, since there is a noticeable deep depression in my front yard where the water is accumulating.
3) Called warranty dept - they are going to send out Tri-Valley landscapers to look at the problem.
4) I then called my landscaper, who also came out to look at issue. He feels the issue is the small depression on Villages property, and that there is probably a pin-hole leak, that would not be diagnosed simply by running the irrigation. He said the villages would need to dig up the area around the depression and inspect. He also said, why is there a depression now, when there was none when I bought the house.
I’m waiting now on Tri-County, but am worried they will send me back to the District again. I’m hoping this will get taken care of since I’m under warranty. I feel like I’m getting a lot of snap diagnosis without any real inspections being done.
Sorry for long-winded post - appreciate any feedback - thank you.
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No way to know for sure, but I have been working in landscape for 45 years. Sure sounds like an irrigation leak. Frankly, with the easy to dig sandy soils, I'd dig up that sink hole myself and have a look.