wet basement

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It would help to know what solutions you have tried to date. Chronic wetness can occur for a number of reasons, but from your description (on the water), it sounds like the basement may be below a groundwater level. In that case, the ideal solution is to excavate a curtain drain around the perimeter and drain water away using gravity if possible, or a pump system. Running a dehumidifier in this case probably won't work, and simply filling in the basement with dirt will not remove the water, but will create a dirt filled basin that will still have surfacing moisture. Even if you fill it in, you must provide for drainage out of the basement, and install impermeable barriers to keep moisture from surfacing.

Consult with a soils engineer with expertise in construction, geohydrologist. As a team with a foundation contractor, they should be able to identify viable solutions that work with your particular soil and geolgical conditions.