Dry Wells

Dry wells are one of the most effective and widely used drainage solutions on Long Island, providing an underground collection point where stormwater can be temporarily stored and gradually absorbed into the surrounding soil. At Brothers Paving & Masonry, we design and install dry well systems that address the root cause of standing water, foundation flooding, and soggy yards across Nassau and Suffolk County properties.

Long Island's unique geology makes dry wells a particularly smart solution for managing stormwater. The sandy and gravelly soils that characterize much of the South Shore provide excellent natural percolation, allowing water collected in a dry well to dissipate relatively quickly into the ground. Even on the North Shore, where clay-heavy soils slow absorption, properly sized and placed dry wells can handle significant volumes of runoff by storing water until the surrounding soil can accept it. The key is understanding your property's specific soil conditions and designing a system that accounts for the local percolation rate.

A dry well works by receiving water from connected sources such as roof downspouts, driveway drains, catch basins, or French drains through underground piping. The water enters the dry well chamber, which is typically a precast concrete or high-density polyethylene structure buried several feet below grade. From there, the water slowly seeps through perforations in the chamber walls and into the surrounding gravel bed and soil. This controlled dispersal prevents the sudden surface flooding that damages landscaping, erodes soil, and threatens foundations.

Our dry well installation process begins with a thorough site evaluation. We assess your property's drainage patterns, identify the sources of excess water, test soil percolation rates, and determine the optimal location and size for the dry well system. On Long Island, we also factor in the water table depth, which can be surprisingly shallow in many neighborhoods, particularly those closer to the coast or in low-lying areas. A dry well placed too close to the water table will not function properly, so precise depth planning is essential.

Excavation is the next step, and it requires care and precision. We dig the pit to the specified depth and dimensions, then line the excavation with geotextile filter fabric to prevent soil from migrating into the gravel bed and clogging the system over time. A layer of clean, washed gravel surrounds the dry well chamber on all sides, creating a highly permeable zone that maximizes the area available for water absorption. The chamber itself is set level and connected to the incoming drainage pipes with watertight fittings.

We install dry wells in a range of sizes to match the volume of water your property generates. A standard residential dry well for handling roof runoff from a single downspout may be a relatively compact chamber, while a larger system designed to manage driveway and yard drainage may incorporate multiple chambers connected in series. For properties with severe drainage issues or limited percolation, we design systems with additional storage capacity or supplemental dispersal fields to ensure the system performs even during Long Island's heaviest rainstorms.

The connection between the dry well and its water sources is critical to system performance. We install solid PVC piping at a consistent pitch to ensure water flows by gravity from the collection point to the dry well. All connections are sealed and secured, and we install cleanout access points at key locations so the system can be maintained and inspected over time. For systems that receive water from multiple sources, we use distribution boxes or manifolds to balance the flow and prevent any single connection from overwhelming the chamber.

Long Island homeowners face specific challenges that our dry well installations are designed to address. Flooding during nor'easters and tropical storms can overwhelm undersized systems, so we design for peak storm events rather than average rainfall. The high water table in many Long Island communities means we must carefully calculate the separation between the bottom of the dry well and the seasonal high water mark. Salt air and coastal conditions can affect certain materials, so we select components that are resistant to corrosion and degradation in marine environments.

After installation, we backfill the excavation, restore the surface grade, and reseed or resod any lawn areas that were disturbed. The dry well operates entirely underground and out of sight, with no visible components beyond small access covers at grade level. We test the system by running water through it to verify proper flow and drainage before considering the job complete.

Maintenance for a dry well system is minimal but important. We recommend periodic inspection of inlet grates and cleanout points to remove any debris that could restrict flow. The geotextile fabric and gravel bed are designed to filter sediment and prevent clogging, but over many years some maintenance may be needed to restore full percolation capacity. We are always available for follow-up service and system checks.

Brothers Paving has installed dry well systems across Long Island for years, and we understand the local conditions that determine success or failure. From single-chamber residential installations to multi-well commercial systems, we engineer every project for reliable, long-term performance. Contact us for a free drainage evaluation and find out how a dry well can solve your water problems for good.