Storm Drain Contractor in Santa Cruz County
Freedom Earthworks builds storm drain systems for public works, subdivisions, commercial sites and private roads throughout Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Clara counties. We handle the excavation, pipe, inlets and catch basins, backfill and compaction, and put the pavement back when we’re done. Work is built to approved plans and agency standards. Licensed A General Engineering contractor, CSLB #1105929.
Storm Drain & Drainage Services
Storm drain line installation and repair
Catch basins, drop inlets and manholes
Trench drains and channel drains
Culverts and driveway road crossings
Swales, ditches and grading for runoff
Retaining wall and subsurface drainage
Storm drainage and erosion control
Pavement and concrete restoration
Get a Free Storm Drain Estimate
Problems we solve
- Water ponding on driveways, parking lots or around buildings
- Runoff from a slope or road washing across a driveway
- Pavement edges breaking off or sinking
- Erosion and gullies on dirt roads and shoulders
- Undersized or clogged culverts and inlets
How we approach drainage
- We look at how water moves during or after rain, or use photos you have taken. Then we check grades, existing drains and where water can legally discharge.
- We choose the simplest fix that works: often regrading or a berm before buried pipe.
- Where pipe is needed, we excavate, bed, set it to grade, backfill and compact, then restore the surface.
- On engineered projects we build to the approved plans and inspection requirements.
Drainage under pavement
If water gets under asphalt or concrete, the base softens and the surface fails no matter how thick it is. Fixing the surface without fixing the water usually means paying twice. That is why we look at drainage on every paving job.
What affects cost and schedule
- How far water must be carried and where it can discharge
- Pipe size and depth, and rock or groundwater in the trench
- Pavement or landscaping that must be removed and restored
- Permits and inspections for work affecting county roads or creeks
- Winter rain, which can delay excavation
Frequently asked questions
Can you fix drainage without tearing out my driveway?
Often, yes. A trench drain, berm or regrading at the edges can solve it. If water is already under the pavement and it has failed, replacement with drainage built in is the lasting fix.
Where can the water go?
It has to discharge somewhere legal and safe, not onto a neighbor’s property. We plan for that before building anything.
Do you work on public storm drain projects?
Yes. We are DIR-registered for public works and build to agency plans.
Recent work
- Hillside Driveway Rebuild, Aptos – concrete curbs and a retaining wall built to keep runoff and hillside soil off a rebuilt driveway.
Related: Grading · Excavation · Asphalt paving · Retaining walls · Santa Cruz County
Describe your drainage problem (photos help) or call (831) 440-6042. Our team at Freedom Earthworks will personally review your request and contact you to discuss your project.