One of the world’s earliest forms of drainage dates back all the way to 3100BC in the Indus Valley civilization when all the houses in Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro have systematic drainage facilities and water access. This drainage system was not only for domestic use but for crop production and agricultural watering.

In agricultural drainage system the water level in the soil is controlled to increase the crop production. The field drainage system is used to control the water level and the main drainage system is used to collect, transport and dispose of the water by means of outlet. Surface and subsurface field drainage systems are the two main types of field drainage systems.

Drainage literally means to remove excess water from the land and drainage systems of various kinds have been designed to meet the various needs of populations around the world. There are various types of drainage system present all over the world related with agriculture, industries and domestic. There are mainly two type of systems implemented for wastewater collection such as separate sanitary and combined system. Separate sanitary systems are exactly what it is- a separate septic tank that collects the household, commercial and industrial wastewater and disposes them. This system also has a tank that collects the storm water separately and disposes it.
In a combined drainage system, both the storm water and domestic water are pipelined using the same pipe network. Drainage is extremely important in agriculture practice as it removes excess water from soil subsurface in which the surface water can drain through mechanisms called pumping or open ditches which provides the optimal crop growth levels.

Artificial Drainage
1)    Tile drainage is often the best recourse for subsurface water. Its increased level of water in the soil inhibits the production of the crop. Subsurface land drainage controlled the water body of the groundwater in originally soaked land at a depth acceptable for the purpose for which the land is used.

2)    The wastewater in a sewer is transported by means of a gravitational force rather than a mechanical one. Wastewater disposal, though a slimy job is actually immensely important for economic growth and a rather lucrative industry. Biological methods are commonly used in treating wastewater where the treated or untreated waste could be used as a source of irrigation. Drainages are used to develop along zones where rocks and structure has most easily eroded. Thus various types of drainage patterns develop in a region and these drainage patterns replicate the structure of the rock.

3)    The flexible plastic drainpipes used to drain water from the roof of a residential house or building. In recent times geotextile filter prevents fine grains of soil from passing into and clogging the drain. Geotextiles are synthetic textile fabrics specially manufactured for civil and environmental engineering applications. Prefabricated plastic drainage systems, which are made of HDPE called Smart Ditch and their use is increasing gradually due to its ease in transportation.

Drainage systems play the important role in the social and economic development. If drainage system is not working properly then it would harmful for human health. Some of the storm water is stagnant in the drains, which provide the breeding place for mosquitoes and toads. This could lead to increase of malaria and water related disease in the surroundings.