A New Orleans homeowner took to Reddit for advice after their neighbor's landscaping choice found its way under their fence and into their yard, where it caused major drainage issues.
"Long time neighbor decided to concrete his entire back yard and along both sides of his house. The concrete along the side slopes into my yard and comes under the fence onto my property," the OP wrote in the post above two pictures — one of the encroaching concrete and one of the standing water it caused.
"What are my options to resolve the water drainage issue? He has always been a good neighbor but he did me dirty. My property is not equipped to handle water drainage for two properties."
"Call safety and permits. He is being a bad neighbor to everyone because we need the ground to absorb water in New Orleans," another user commented.
The OP has good reason to be upset, as standing water can cause multiple problems. It can cause soil erosion, damage to grass and other plants, and be a breeding ground for mosquitoes, whose expanding disease spread is a growing concern.
While the OP's neighbor appears to have made an environmentally friendly choice to avoid having a water-guzzling lawn, it's possible to make these choices without affecting your neighbors or damaging their property.
Landscaping with native plants is one such option. Not only do they not cause drainage issues for neighbors, but their deep roots actually help prevent it. They also require little to no water, saving homeowners money and significantly reducing the tax on the environment.
Native plant landscaping also invites important insects, like pollinators, vital to protecting the planet's food supply, as opposed to the mosquitos attracted by the standing water caused by this concrete.
So, while opting to avoid grass is a great landscaping choice, the way the OP's neighbor went about it was not. Regarding the requested advice, commenters did have some. Many suggested simply talking to their neighbor in order to find a solution, while others got more specific.
🗣️ Should HOAs be able to force homeowners to change their yards?
🔘 Absolutely not 💯
🔘 Yes — it's part of the deal 🤝
🔘 Only in extreme circumstances 🏚️
🔘 We should ban HOAs 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"You can break up the concrete on your side with a sledgehammer and remove it," said one.
"Creating a drain in his concrete like a large shower drain that slopes into the street gutters might work," suggested another.
"Make a raised bed along the fence line to keep his drainage from entering your yard and plant gardenias," said one more.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
