Yard drainage in Petal, Mississippi
Drainage help for the city across the Leaf River from Hattiesburg.
Petal is a Forrest County city of 11,010 people as of 2020, set along the Leaf River across from Hattiesburg. It's a young city by Mississippi standards, incorporated in 1974, and covers about 17 square miles. The city sits around 157 feet above sea level, a little lower than central Hattiesburg.
What's different about drainage in Petal?
Low, gently sloping lots near the river don't send water rushing anywhere; they let it linger. The common complaint here is a back yard that won't dry out, or a slab home where the soil around the foundation was never built up enough to shed water. Raising and reshaping the grade around the house, a shallow swale to the street or ditch, and buried downspout lines often do more than a deep French drain on these lots, because there may not be much fall to reach an outlet.
River flooding is a separate question
Petal was one of the partners, with Hattiesburg, Forrest County and the USGS, on the Leaf River flood-inundation mapping project, which lets residents see how far water spreads at a given river stage. Yard drainage won't keep out a flooding river. If your property is in a mapped flood area, ask the city before adding fill.
Who issues permits?
Petal has its own building department, which handles permits and inspections for work inside city limits. Ask it whether your drainage project needs a permit.
Typical Petal jobs
- Building up grade around slab homes
- Swales along side yards to the street
- Downspout lines to pop-up emitters
- Patio and driveway surface drains
Common questions
Is Petal covered even though it's a separate city?
Yes. We take requests from Petal and the rest of Forrest County.
Who do I ask about permits in Petal?
The City of Petal Building Department, not Hattiesburg's. It handles permits and inspections inside Petal's city limits.
Services in Petal
- French drainsStone-and-pipe trenches that dry out soggy lawns and intercept water moving through the soil.
- Downspout drain linesBuried solid pipe that moves roof water away from the foundation to a safe outlet.
- Regrading and swalesReshape the ground so runoff moves around the house to a safe spot.
- Catch basins and channel drainsGrated drains that grab water at lawn low spots and across driveways and patios.
- Sump pumps and crawl space waterPump out water that collects under raised floors and fix what's feeding it.
Nearby areas
Back yard still squishy two days after the rain quit?
Call and a drainage contractor who works the Pine Belt will come see where the water collects and where it can safely go.