# Drainage assessment Canonical: https://quaycorpuschristidrainage.com/tools/drainage-assessment/ Content reviewed: 2026-11-04 Answer nine plain-language questions to organize the next useful drainage decision. The tool uses deterministic rules and explains which answers control its result. It does not diagnose buried conditions, certify safety or prescribe a product. Choose unknown whenever a condition cannot be observed safely. ## How the rules work Hazardous water takes priority and routes to safety and the appropriate authority. Suspected sanitary water or public infrastructure is identified as outside the offered private drainage scope. Structural concerns require a separate building assessment. A reported backed-up receiver or several affected collectors routes to a shared receiving investigation. Dry-weather water prompts source clarification. Surface or roof observations lead to the relevant route-planning explanation. Unresolved answers lead to a source-and-site assessment. These categories are planning paths, not urgency guarantees or confirmations that a particular component has failed. ## Use the result with a record The [standing-water guide](https://quaycorpuschristidrainage.com/guide/standing-water-after-rain/) helps preserve timing and safe observations. The [inspection service](https://quaycorpuschristidrainage.com/drainage-inspections/) explains what an actual assessment can establish. Read the [system-boundary guide](https://quaycorpuschristidrainage.com/guide/stormwater-vs-sewer/) and [coastal-limit guide](https://quaycorpuschristidrainage.com/guide/private-drainage-vs-coastal-flooding/) when those questions apply. Do not enter moving water, open unknown structures or touch equipment to answer. No contact details are required to see the result. A later [estimate request](https://quaycorpuschristidrainage.com/get-an-estimate/) still needs its own appointment, scope and price arrangements. ## Observation assessment Answer only from safe observations. Unknown is acceptable; never touch or open equipment to answer. ## Common questions ### Does unknown make the assessment fail? No. Unknown is an honest answer and supports a source-and-site assessment rather than an invented diagnosis. ### Can the tool certify a drain is safe? No. It is planning guidance and never replaces official safety directions or appropriate professional investigation. ### Why can a receiving answer override a collector answer? A shared backed-up receiver can limit several collectors. The rule identifies that planning question rather than prescribing more collection. ## Continue the decision - [Standing water after rain](https://quaycorpuschristidrainage.com/guide/standing-water-after-rain/) - [Stormwater or sewer water?](https://quaycorpuschristidrainage.com/guide/stormwater-vs-sewer/) - [Drainage without a gravity outlet](https://quaycorpuschristidrainage.com/guide/drainage-with-no-gravity-outlet/) - [Private drainage and coastal flooding](https://quaycorpuschristidrainage.com/guide/private-drainage-vs-coastal-flooding/) ## Get an Estimate Tell us what happens, where the property is and what access or outlet information you have. A request does not confirm an appointment or price.