Yard drainage in Purvis and south Lamar County
Drainage help for the Lamar County seat and the country lots around it.
Purvis is the county seat of Lamar County, a town of 1,909 people in 2020 that was incorporated back in 1888. It sits at about 387 feet, well above Hattiesburg, on higher ground southwest of Hattiesburg. Outside town, many homes sit on larger rural lots with long driveways, ditches along the road and no curb or storm drain to tie into.
What's different on rural lots?
Space helps. With more yard to work with, a contractor can often send water to a roadside ditch, a natural low area or a long swale instead of trying to bury it. The challenge is usually keeping runoff from a long gravel or concrete drive, or from a field uphill, away from the house. Interceptor swales, culverts under the drive and buried downspout lines that daylight far from the foundation are common answers.
Rules in town and out
Inside Purvis, ask the town about permits. In unincorporated Lamar County, the county says it doesn't conduct inspections on single-family construction and has no structural building codes outside city limits, but it does require a flood permit for any structure that needs a utility. Don't redirect water into a roadside ditch or culvert without checking who maintains it, and keep sediment out of it.
Typical south-county jobs
- Swales that divert runoff from a field or road uphill
- Driveway culverts and channel drains
- Downspout lines to daylight outlets
- Crawl space water under older raised homes
Common questions
Do you cover rural Lamar County outside Purvis?
Yes. Sumrall, Lumberton and the rest of the county are included. Call with your address.
Can I pipe yard water into the roadside ditch?
Sometimes, but check first with whoever maintains the ditch, usually the town or the county road department, and keep sediment out of it.
Services in Purvis
- 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.