Catch Basins for Yard Drainage in St. Louis

A catch basin collects surface water at a low point and sends it through usually solid pipe toward an approved outlet. It can help with concentrated surface flow, but it is not a substitute for correcting every grading or subsurface-water problem.

Good candidates

Catch basins may fit paved areas, downspout collection points, and defined lawn depressions where water visibly flows across the surface. The inlet must be located at the true low point and sized and maintained for expected debris and flow.

What it does not solve

One small inlet may not capture broad sheet flow, chronic saturated soil, groundwater, or water trapped across a nearly flat lawn. A basin also cannot overcome an outlet that is too high without a different design.

Pipe and outlet questions

Ask whether the downstream pipe is solid, how slope will be maintained, where cleanouts are located, how roots and utilities are handled, and exactly where discharge occurs.

Maintenance

Leaves, mulch, grass clippings, and sediment can block the grate or accumulate inside the basin. The design should permit inspection and cleaning without excavation.

Before work begins

• Call 811 before excavation and follow the utility-marking instructions.
• Confirm property boundaries, easements, and the proposed discharge location.
• Ask who will verify permits and approvals for the exact jurisdiction.
• Get the diagnosis, materials, route, outlet, restoration, and warranty in writing.