I recently puchased a 30yr old home in Aug, since looking at the home since June, the center(approx 8ft diam) of the sloping back yard has always been swampy with 1ft diameter wet sinkhole near the top of the wet spot. the seller told me this problem was new this year (the wettest year in Pittsburgh history)and from the neighbors leaking above ground pool.(I bought that explaination and waited for him to fix the pool) 6months later the yard is still swampy and the pool never did have a leak. The township inspector came to the house and with a visual inspection thought it was an underground spring reaching the surface due to the exceptionally wet summer/fall. Is there any way to drain the water so my yard will dry up enough for the kids to play on it without sinking into the earth? thanks
Bob

Thoughts.
Could be a spring, could be a septic problem if you have a septic system,or it could be a secondary waste line from your washer, it could be a leak from your main water line into the house or it could be a leak on the water districts line. Water is a funny thing and the source could be up hill a ways from where it actually hits the surface.

Depending on the "pond" you have in the yard you could simply pump the water, dig temporary drain trenches to distribute the water but first you need to try to determine the source. If indeed it is a spring and it JUST showed up then you want to make sure it is not going to affect your homes foundation.

Sorry for adding more questions than answers.

Good Luck,
Michael Ellis
Email: mellisv@earthlink.net

No answer here, but I too live around Pittsburgh. I am currently buying a home only to find out a few days ago that there is a underground spring. The previous owner says that he wasnt aware of it. Any help would be appreciated. The spring is above the house and flows down to the house.

In both cases, you could consider a french drain. (google for more info.) I have used it where there are low spots. You have to be careful not to change the outflow to anothers property. If water sheets or flows away the same, then you are ok.
If the wet areas last more than 5 days, Consider planting a wetland habitat for wildlife to turn lemons into lemonaid!

Mike www.SolarPanel-Rental.com

I have to admit. A French drain isn't a bad way to go if the water issue is natural. But as was pointed out earlier, water is a funny thing. You'll probably want to find a professional to help track down the source of the water.