WA Retaining wall issue

G'day forumisers

Got a little problem, well not mine but I have to hear about it so its more of a PITA!

The neighbours next door each time I see them always ask me if im using the sprinkler or got a tap running as they have a water running down the retaining wall and a channel they have dug (ill get a photo soon)

Basically, im renting a new place, the owner built a retaining wall for the new houses - 2 on a battleaxe block. The below neighbours, also battleaxe block have concerns about the water coming through wall on occasions plus have dug a channel to divert the water to a storm water pipe at the front. Without the channel both driveways goes to ***** as its just dirt.

first question, do WA commonly use ag drains in retaing walls? 1.2m to 1.8m approx wall height.

I told the dude to call the shire blah blah blah. they have and gotten no where repeatedly. It look like the new house hasnt put in any drainage, but no one has confirmed so we can assume they havent. The owner did the earthworks themselves apparently

Other thing that the neightbours like telling is there was an old well on the property. They think that has to do with it, I tried to explain the "water table" to them and Old Timmys Well isnt really causing the problem, but the ground water. any well experts here?

 

How high is the water table? Where does it sit in relation to the adjoining property?

Dig an auger hole about 3' deep or more. How boggy is it? How long does it take to fill?

 

Don't get to technically specific on me I'm just going off reliable town gossip

We're also about 100m from a river

 

@bob shovel Is that $#it creek?

 

Yep! And the neighbors are up it without a paddle!

 

@bob shovel -It won't work too well in all that dirt.

 

First point of call would be to check if there is a plumbing leak if there is that much water and they think you are running sprinklers when you are not.

If the water is only doing it's thing after rain then I presume sheethouse retaining with no AG drain or gravel at bottom and/or a soakwell very close to the retaining wall. Last retaining wall I saw build was by MrWestminster and it was waterproofed, gravel, ag drain - no water was going to pool in his creation.

 

@Westminster I did leave the drip retic on once or twice by mistake and it flows, plus after rain. Other times there's water but just moves slower.
there's us, then one more house up and road. Meters aren't ticking over at ours, so no leaks. Not sure about top house but likely just ground water by the sounds.

There is a storm water pipe at the end of their trench, aso they just need to run ag pipe and gravel and then they can fill it in again. But there's the coSt of digging it out properly to level etc and materials. Old mate wasn't keen on paying though! Which is fair enough if they haven't put drainage in behind the wall. But as it is isn't ideal for the wall having the ponding at the footings.

One strange thing is with the storm water pipe at the start of the trench that feeds to the street . It falls away from where it would seem like the wall drainage would/should feed into. Otherwise there seems no other point for it. So there may be an ag drain??

I might have to get dirty and look up the pipe and have a poke around more

 

I started digging this morning, I don't want to lose my bond. It's a big wall but I can do it

I have told them that.I wanted to know if WA did something strange over here with their walls , they don't. It is the neighbors problem but they are both there to retire and plod along and don't want this rubbish

 

You're a good boy @bob shovel helping them as they do seem overly concerned. Hopefully all will become apparent with your digging.

 

@bob shovel - does water flow the other way in the west compared to the eastern states? (Just like water down the plug hole between northern & southern hemispheres).

You were digging dang early this morning - did the +1 kick you out of bed?

 

Yeah it's a bit different, the other neighbour has come across with her wash board, easier than walking to the river. I might start a laundromat!

The rooster next door is up at anywhere between 4 - 6 am

 

@bob shovel - I've heard about @datto cutting the neighbour's grass but you're doing their laundry

 

I'd be chasing that darn rooster before fixing that water issue.

 

The rooster is the neighbors, but it's cool the young bloke wakes up during the night and stirs up the rooster at all sorts of hours so we get ours back