Short answer
In Anderson, where the water appears is the best clue to its source. Water along the bottom of the walls or rising through floor cracks usually means groundwater under pressure from a high water table. Water from the floor drain during storms usually means a sewer backup. Water near one corner after storms usually means roof water or grading.
Anderson’s wet ground produces a few recognizable patterns. Find yours in the table, then open the guide for checks you can make and the fix that usually works.
| What you see | Likely cause here | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Water coming in right now | Storm, pump failure, river or sewer backup | Basement flooding right now |
| A wet line along the bottom of the walls | Water table pressure; old footing drains | Water at the floor-wall joint |
| Water rising through cracks in the slab | Water under the floor | Water through the floor |
| Wet every late winter and spring | Snowmelt and a rising water table | Spring and snowmelt leaks |
| Sump pump that hardly stops | High water table, or a pump or discharge problem | Sump pump running constantly |
| Water and odor from the floor drain in storms | Combined sewer backup | Sewer backup or groundwater? |
| Wall bulging or a long horizontal crack | Soil pressure on a block wall | Bowing walls |
| Water near one corner after storms | Roof water, grading or a window well | Yard drainage |
All problem guides
Basement flooding right nowSafety, stop the source, document, then dry out.Water at the floor-wall jointThe most common Anderson leak: saturated soil at the footing.Water through the floorWater under the slab pushed up by a high water table.Sump pump running constantlyOften normal in an Anderson spring. Here's how to tell.Spring & snowmelt leaksSnowmelt plus a rising water table: the leakiest stretch of the year.Sewer backup or groundwater?Floor drain and odor vs. walls and clear water: different problems.