How To Build A Simple Dry Well

It’s good that your backyard slopes away from the house, but all that standing water is not good for your property. The best solution would be to install a dry well—basically a lined hole in the ground—to temporarily contain the water that normally collects in the swale and let it percolate back into the soil. Because this project will involve lots of digging, before you start, be sure to call 811 so your utilities can check for underground pipes and wires.

Steps for Installing a Drywell

Resources

Installing a simple dry well requires a few tools and materials. Mark lined the trench with landscape fabric, which can be found at any home center. He then filled the trench and the hole with crushed stone, which can be found at masonry supply stores and some home centers. The pipe he installed was two sections of solid PVC pipe and one section of 4-inch perforated PVC pipe. The pipe and the PVC glue required to secure the connections are found at home centers. When installing a dry well in a small yard with little space for leeching, Mark also suggests installing a plastic basin in the hole to allow for more controlled drainage. The yard in the video was massive and slightly sloped downhill away from the house, so the plastic basin wasn’t necessary.

Materials

Plastic tarp Wheelbarrow

Tools