[patricia8]

I am a single woman and need help. My window wells fill up and overflow into a finished basement. The basement has a sump pump but the water is coming from the HOA and or Greenbelt water systems. My son put in sump pumps submerged in plastic garbage cans with lids so they did not get clogged up. These pumps have a floating arm and when the water gets high the pump turns on. The pumps trip the ground fault breakers. I can plug them in individually using an extension cord into my house and pump out the wells but then cannot leave the house all summer while the sprinkler systems are on. The HOA says the community greenbelt lines leak and saturate the ground around my house, the community says the HOA is the culprit. I am a nervous wreck as the finished basement is in jeopardy. My sons live too far away to help me. I want to sell the house and move closer to my sons but do not want to pass this issue on and don't even know if I could sell with the problem. I want to know how to address this issue, I don't even understand what type of person to hire to help me. Heavy rain does not cause the problem but when the sprinklers overwater or get stuck on I have issues. Neither organization wants to take responsibility.
PLEASE help me.
Patty

[smearcase]

#1- Do you have covers on the window wells?
Is this ground water, rain directly into the window wells, or does it flow into the wells over the surface of the ground? If it is surface flow and the grade of your yard slopes toward the window wells, you need to (if possible) regrade to develop flow away from the house. Or are you saying it comes from leaking water mains?
Try a good plumber first and he may solve your problem or he may refer you to a good building contractor but it can be difficult finding someone to take on what is a small project for them.
Don't quite follow the logic behind staying home because of the sprinkler system. Nor do I understand where the trash can/sump pumps are located-in the yard?
If it is leaking water main, you may need to hire a lawyer to get some legal action started. In the meantime, could you install a temp pipe to drain the window well to your sump pump- to protect your finished basement from flooding until the cause of the problem gets resolved?
We can't do anything about the source of the water except suggest a lawyer. But we may be able to make some suggestions to control the water until the real problem gets addressed.