Ponding Water in Your Garden or Drive? What Causes It and How to Fix It

Thursday, 20 November, 2025 | Billie Sharp

An image of a shallow puddle on a lawn that needs a drainage solution

Why ponding water happens.

When heavy rain falls, you expect it to drain away within a few hours.

So when water lingers, forming puddles or even small "ponds" across your garden, lawn, or drive, it's a sign that your surface water drainage isn't working as it should.

At ASL Limited, we see this every autumn and winter across Surrey, Hampshire, and Sussex.

It's rarely just bad weather.

Usually, something in the ground or the drainage system is restricting the natural flow of rainwater. And it can be fixed, or redirected.

What causes ponding water?

A main drain connection installation from ASL Limited

Most homes have a system designed to take surface water away safely, through gutters, downpipes, gullies, and underground pipes to a soakaway or main drain.

When that system fails, water builds up at the surface.

Here are the most common reasons why:

Blocked surface drains or gullies. Leaves, moss, or driveway debris can block the gully pot, stopping water from escaping.
Silted or collapsed soakaway. Older soakaways can clog over time, especially in clay soil.
Root intrusion or pipe collapse. Roots or ground movement can crack surface water pipes, causing backups.
Poor levels or compacted ground. Heavy vehicles or paving over grass can flatten natural gradients, trapping water.
Run-off from neighbouring land. If the ground slopes toward you, excess rainwater may drain onto or under your property.

Quick visual checks (your 60-second garden test).

You don't need tools to tell if there's a drainage issue, just observation after rainfall.

✅ Check your roof downpipes.
Is water spilling out at the joint or backing up the pipe?

✅ Look at gullies or grids.
Are they clear, or filled with silt and leaves?

✅ Lift inspection lids (if safe to do so).
Is there standing water inside after 24 hours of dry weather?

✅ Walk the soakaway area.
Soft or smelly ground could mean it's waterlogged or silted.

✅ Watch how long puddles last.
If they're still there a day later, the ground or drain system isn't coping.

An image of a utility trench ponding alongside a house.

How to fix ponding water problems.

At ASL Limited, we always start by identifying why the water isn't draining before suggesting solutions.

Here are the most effective ways to resolve it, from simple to structural:

1. Jet and clear existing gullies and surface drains.
Most ponding issues start with blocked outlets. Our tanker and jetting teams remove debris and silt, restoring flow immediately.

2. CCTV survey to trace the cause.
We use cameras and electronic tracing to map the surface water system, identifying breaks, roots, or blockages underground.

3. Repair or replace soakaways.
If your soakaway is full of silt or undersized, we can rebuild or extend it, improving its capacity and lifespan.

4. Add or reroute surface drains.
In problem areas (like drives or patios), we can install channel drains or adjust pipe gradients for better flow.

5. Improve ground permeability.
For lawns and gardens, aerating or regrading soil helps water infiltrate naturally instead of pooling.

Before and after example.

(For Billie: Add ASL photo set showing before with standing water on a drive, after showing clear surface post-jetting.)

Caption: This property in Cranleigh suffered from constant puddles after rain. Once ASL Limited cleared the gullies and replaced a silted soakaway with longer trenches, the surface drained perfectly within hours of rainfall.