Observe from an ordinary safe location
A useful drainage request begins with observations, not a guessed pipe size. After rain, note where water collects, which areas stay wet, and whether runoff crosses a walkway or entrance. Take photographs from a safe surface location. Do not enter a catch basin, manhole, culvert or excavation, and do not lift covers or approach fast-moving water to investigate.
Build a short record
Use a sketch or an aerial image to mark the problem locations. Record when the issue appears and whether it follows ordinary rain or only a larger event. Photograph nearby surface features without entering the work area: pavement edges, visible inlets, low ground and damaged surfaces. A before-and-after-rain pair of photos can help explain a concern that is hard to see during a dry site visit.
Distinguish cleaning from reconstruction
A maintenance request and a drainage construction project need different scopes. An assessment may identify cleaning, a damaged structure, a grade issue, an outlet problem or a combination of conditions. Avoid assuming that a new pipe or a larger basin is automatically the answer. Existing drainage plans and information about the authorized outlet are valuable inputs for the review.
Include access and restoration
Tell the contractor whether the work is in a lawn, parking lot, driveway or active loading area. Identify nearby operations that must stay open and provide any existing drawings. Cleaning access, excavation, spoil handling, backfill and surface restoration should be addressed as applicable. If paving is planned, bring the drainage concerns into that discussion early so the scopes can be coordinated.