Monsoon drainage: what to do before the rains

Get ahead of the water

The Valley's drains and soak pits carry far more during the monsoon. The blockages that were "fine" in April back up fast once the rain is steady. A little work now avoids an emergency desludge later.

Before the rains, check:

1. Soak pit drains freely — no standing water after a test flush
2. Gully traps and yard drains are clear of silt and leaves
3. Tank lids seal, so runoff can't wash in
4. Overflow paths lead away from the foundation

A quick way to log what you checked:

echo "$(date +%F) soak-pit:ok gully:clear lids:sealed" >> drainage-check.log

If the soak pit is slow or the yard drains pool, book a clean before the first big downpour — not during it.