Standing water and mosquitoes: drainage fixes that help
Standing water gives mosquitoes a place to breed. Fixing the low spots, downspouts and clogged drains helps. French drains start at $65 per linear foot.
Short answer: mosquitoes need standing water to breed, and a yard that holds water after summer storms gives them plenty. Draining the low spots, extending downspouts and keeping catch basins clear removes many of those places. Our French drains start at $65 per linear foot.
What mosquitoes actually need
Mosquitoes lay eggs in still water. A pond or birdbath is obvious, but the places we see in Atlanta yards are less glamorous: a low spot where clay holds rain, a clogged catch basin, a downspout that dumps into a depression, a bucket, a drain pan under a planter. The CDC advises emptying standing water around the home at least weekly to interrupt the cycle, and that is a good rule for anything you can tip out.
The water you cannot tip out is the drainage problem.
Find the sources
After a summer storm, walk the yard and look for water that is still sitting a day later.
- Low spots in the lawn. Clay that has not drained leaves shallow ponds.
- Catch basins and grates. If they are full of leaves and muck, they hold water instead of passing it.
- Downspout ends. Look for pooling where the pipe empties.
- Gutters. A clogged gutter holds a small pond in the sky.
- Planters and containers. Saucers, buckets, tarps and toys can all collect rain.
- Corrugated pipe and low drain lines. Sagging buried lines can hold water.
Fixes, matched to the problem
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Container or saucer holding water | Tip out regularly, or drill a drainage hole |
| Clogged gutter | Clean it |
| Downspout dumping in one spot | Extend it, or bury a line to carry it out |
| Clogged catch basin | Clear it and keep it clear |
| Low spot that holds rain | Regrade, or add a basin or French drain |
| Wet slope that never dries | French drain along the slope |
Why a quick fix often is not enough
Filling a low spot with soil can work for a while, but clay settles and the dip returns. If the water has nowhere to go, it will find the same low point again. That is why we map where water already goes before we dig. Once we know the path, we can place a drain or basin so the water leaves instead of sitting.
We also come back to keep the basins clear. A drain system that clogs with leaves and silt turns into the pond it was meant to prevent.
What not to do
- Do not use sprinklers to wet an area that already holds water.
- Do not bury the problem by covering a wet spot with mulch or gravel without an outlet.
- Do not point downspouts at a neighbor's yard.
A word on products: mosquito treatments for the yard are separate from drainage, and we do not offer them. Removing the standing water is the part we do.
Irrigation can add to the problem
A zone with a leaking valve or a head that will not shut off can create its own standing water. If a wet spot shows up only when the system runs, or stays wet when it is off, tell us. Repairs start at $95, and valve replacement is $275 to $1,200 by type and size.
When to call us
Call if water sits for days after rain, if a low spot keeps coming back after you fill it, or if the standing water is near the house. We walk the yard, map the flow, and quote after we see what the water does. See the pricing page for drainage prices, our work page for the kind of jobs we do, or request a quote.
FAQ
How long can water sit before mosquitoes breed in it? The CDC advises emptying standing water at least once a week to break the cycle. Water that stays in the yard longer than that is worth fixing.
Will a French drain stop mosquitoes? It removes the standing water they need, but small containers still need emptying.
Do I need a permit to fix drainage? That depends on the work and your city or county. We can tell you what applies when we see the yard.
What does a French drain cost? French drains start at $65 per linear foot on our price list. The final price depends on length and site conditions.
Prices from our price list. Updated October 2026. Mosquito guidance from the CDC (cdc.gov).