I am really sad to be writing a negative review- but Innovative Water Solutions hasn't given me much choice. IWS completed a $17,000 drainage project for us in December of 2025. Our first significant rain didn't come until April of 2026, when we received 1/2" of rain. Much of the new drainage system did what we paid for, but not all. The southeast corner grass all along our patio still had significant water which collected from the storm runoff. This was an area we had shown them with photos was a problem which needed correction. My reason for the one star rating is for the total lack of communication from the company since I have asked for remediation for this issue. I have emailed photos of the stormwater runoff and where it collected. The first email sent to Chris and Alex on April 13, 2026 was responded to by Alex stating Chris was out of the office but "I will meet with him so we can come up with a plan. We should have a response early-mid next week." I hear nothing. I email again on 4/28/26. No response. I email again on 5/4/26- no response. I call on 5/14/26 and speak with Tricia, who states she will message Alex to call me. No response. I call again on 5/14/26. This time I speak with Heather. Neither Chris or Alex are in the office. She will add our project to tomorrows meeting agenda. 5/15/26, to be discussed. Today is June 1st- and I still have not had a response. I have been cordial in my communication with them and feel I have given them ample time to respond. When we were deciding which company to hire- Chris sent this in an email: " It is our mission to provide a comprehensive and absolute solution to your drainage issues. This proposal ensures that we can accomplish that goal. We want to remove any and all stress that these drainage issues cause you and provide peace of mind. If you are receiving other quotes (we did which were 6K and 7K LESS than IWS) we ask that we are given the opportunity to demonstrate that we have the correct solution to your drainage issue and that we are the best company to implement it." Think twice before you "empty" your wallet and hire IWS. Empty promises may await you too. read more

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Well the rainwater system runs fairly well. I save a lot of water however there are still a lot of lingering issues. The gutters installed are not level so during heavy rains it overflows. The pipes that connect my two tanks were rigid so when the tanks were full and bowed the connector split resulting in flooding my basement. There is one section of the roof that doesn't have any gutters so when it's cold the water drips on my heat pumps and freezes into a block of ice. The tank overflow outlet empties into the middle of my backyard so I can't put any landscaping below it or it will get washed away. I've tried to address these issues with them but they referred me to the gutter installer and said there's nothing they can do with the outlet location. read more

Our old house had flooding after heavy rains. Blake from IWS came out and provided multiple options for fixing several issues with drainage. They provided a comprehensive quote that was the best overall value of several companies we reached out to. It took a while to get the project started due to backlogs, but the team came out and were very professional. The project was finished quickly and the retaining wall and swale ditch have already made a huge difference with recent heavy rains. I highly recommend their services. read more

We recently had Innovative Water Solutions install some tanks for us - total 2,260 gal. capacity. They are GREAT! We have two 1,000 gal. tanks and a 260 gal. one. I'm including a link to a Google Photos album that shows before, during, and after shots. https://photos.app.goo.gl/CoQyeo2b5WsE1sxC8 The photos show what a thorough prep. job they did, especially cutting a nice hole in our artificial turf in the back. Quality prep. work leads to a quality, long-lasting system. As luck would have it, we got enough rain right after they finished to fill the tanks to over 90%. We probably won't need the water 'til next summer if El Nino stays strong, but it's good to have it in place. Also, we wanted this work done before our landscaping company started. We Highly recommend IWS for projects like this, which will become more and more appealing as water becomes scarcer. read more

I paid $250 for a licensed engineer to come check out my property and discuss how I can address the drainage issues myself. A competitor quoted $150 but didn't seem like the person they'd send was an engineer, and they couldn't come out for about another month, whereas Innovative Water scheduled me for a few days later. Chris described what I should do (and why), answered all my questions clearly, and invited me to email any followup questions if I had any. I had one, and he replied right away. I had some ideas of what to do before Chris came out, but his suggestions took it to the next level. My project will definitely be much better because of his advice. read more

I had my drains and run lines to the gutter installed in early 2022. I am just now writing my review as someone asked me where I got my work done. Due to the homes on either side of me being built up to the property lines and then sloped towards my home, I began getting an overwhelming amount of water that was causing flooding issues on one side of my home. The area is very narrow so a swale would not work. Chris gave me an excellent price, and installed 4 drains and a line running from my gutter to the road in a way that did not require need for a sump pump. (Since we have electricity issues in our neighborhood this wouldn't have worked.) The guys got me scheduled (they do book a few months out due to high demand) but they got started when they said they would and finished in 3 days. They dug a several foot trench for about 100 feet under my xeriscape and put it back so you couldn't even tell it was done. And best of all, no more standing water, no more running around in the rain with a pump and a flashlight!! Very happy with their work. Highly recommend. read more

Chris and his team did an exceptional job addressing a drainage challenge we were facing on our property. He carefully assessed the situation and proposed a very well thought out plan. After listening carefully to my thoughts and inputs he came up with a plan that took everything into account. He's a highly professional guy and the team who did the installation was exceptionally skilled. They carefully excavated, avoiding buried infrastructure, and returning everything to its original look. The solution he designed and installed works perfectly and we are completely satisfied. I highly recommend Chris and his Innovating Water Solutions team! You won't be disappointed. read more

It took me some time to write this review because I frankly forgot about all my drainage issues because Chris and his crew at Innovative Water Solutions resolved the problem completely- better than I thought possible. I interviewed a few other places in town for drainage issues for my flat lot on the East Side. The solutions at best were mediocre (french drain, foundation repair...) and even some said "M'am, is your husband home so we can speak to him?". UGH. But Chris and his crew came over quickly, and came up with an INNOVATIVE solution to the issue that has kept my lot bone dry and really done a great job. I never imagined with the work that he did along with Austin Affordable Gutters and my landscape guy would truly resolve the super saturated lawn that would occur no matter how much rain we got! Their office even communicated clearly with my gutter folks to make sure the job was done correctly and cohesively, which I really appreciated. Overall, problem solved and the solution was discrete and awesome. Just a few minor things to be aware of- it's a little hard to get on their schedule (they were booking months out) but were able to squeeze me in pretty quick with a cancellation. Also, there was one minor problem that I noticed after a hard rain that they came out and fixed promptly. And finally, I wanted to see how the project performed in the rain before I sent my final payment and they weren't super keen on that (I didn't want to pay unless I knew it was going to work) which I felt like was only fair for me to see how the whole thing worked in the rain. But otherwise, everything worked great. I highly recommend!!! read more

When I contacted IWS because we had no water Gabe was so helpful in arranging for Chris to come on the weekend. Chris went above and beyond the call. He's very very good at being patient and explaining technical things in simple to terms to me who knows nothing about any of this. He helped us mark our system in the garage to understand the flow of water and answered all my questions. He's the one that identified that it was our sprinkler company tied in between our well and rainwater and got debris in the rain water gauge which caused it to be stuck open and 3000 gallons of well water to pollute our clean rainwater. We have worked with them since we built our house eight years ago and highly recommend them. read more

We did a whole house system with Innovative, a substantial investment. They are nice people, and we enjoyed working with them. While the rainwater is one of the great things about the house, Innovative is very unresponsive and provides less than expected service after the sale. read more

got water softener installed today. These guys did a grat job. Thank you. read more

Since July I have been trying to the Crew from Innovative Water Solutions to correct my drainage issue. They installed a drain from the roof to catch some of the run-off, but still get a standing water issue. Today the crew was suppose to show up at 10 o'clock. NO SHOW. No phone call. When I call the office, nobody picks up the phone. I agreed on the original design to create a swell (ditch) to drain water to street. Chris's design failed. Instead of trying a different solution, he wants to walk-away. I paid them $2265.00 and I still have the same problem I started with. NO SOLUTION! Tena Z. Round Rock, TX read more

I hired these guys because I had water issues leading to foundation issues. Very pleasant group intent on customer satisfaction. They came back out to address an issue that wasn't done as great as it could have been without any issue. Now everything seems perfect. They subcontract out for gutters and that took a long time to get installed. Maybe 2 months? That was my only negative experience. Otherwise very nice work and very much appreciated. read more

From start to finish Chris and crew from Innovative Water Solutions, performed beyond expectation! From setting up first site visit to end result. Had a minor problem that was addressed and taken care of promptly without a hassle. Remember the days of real CUSTOMER SERVICE, this is what you get from them. Job was done on schedule, and clean up was excellent, crew were very polite and professional. Thanks to Gaeve, Josh, and Morgan for your service. read more

I am so impressed with Chris and innovative water solutions! He is knowledgeable, practical, and truly has the customer in mind! He helped us brainstorm some drainage issues on our property and seemed to really care about the right solution vs trying to upsell/propose costly systems that we didn't really need. Highly recommend. read more

Chris was great at listening to what my wife and I wanted and provided expert suggestions on what we needed. His crew showed up on time, finished the job, and came back to make small corrections. Alex, the team leader, was great as well. He actively listened to us, and made sure everything was done professionally. I recommend this business. read more

Chris came out to look at my house for an estimate on a rainwater system. Sadly, because of the way my house is situated it is not a good candidate for one. I really appreciate that Chris was so up front about it and really enjoyed talking to him. He could have easily gotten me to buy something that I didn't need nor was as efficient as it could be... read more

I have worked with the Innovative team on many projects. They are definitely the "stand out in the crowd" for details and knowledge. I work in the industry and hope I grow up to be like them. I have been fortunate enough to have them come and save me from my inexperience.A great group of close nit professionals. read more

Very professional crew. They were exemplary in their goal for complete customer satisfaction. Never once did we have the impression that our questions were a burden on them. Thanks for the leadership to incorporate such customer-oriented individuals. read more

IWS designed and installed a 10,000 gallon potable rainwater system for me at a ranch near Llano. I met with Chris to show him my house plans, and he thoroughly explained the system & method to the installation. I was completely impressed by the promptness, professionality, and competent demeanor of the installation crew. They were good guys & a pleasure to have on site. A year later, I've had trouble free operation of the system. I often tell people it's one of my favorite features of the house. I strongly recommend you consider IWS if you are doing a system. read more

I am writing this review several years after the work was done but I felt compelled to because after another large rainfall I am marveling at what a great job these guys did! Since the work was done there have been many large rainfalls which used to cause big problems with water collecting in front of my house and flooding my backyard. Now there is no longer any problem and I don't have to be scared when there is a lot of rain predicted. I'm surprised at some of the negative reviews posted. Although I had to wait about 2 months for the work to begin because they were so busy I am so glad I waited. I also think it was a fair price for the work done. read more

My recommendations to those who desire to engage Innovative Water Solutions, or any other rain catchment company: 1. Before your first meeting, thoroughly contemplate your water usage requirements and expected date to use a rainwater catchment system; 2. Trust their knowledge for an appropriate catchment/storage design; 3. Fiscally plan in advance of the catchment system design, order and install. The initial contract stage requires a deposit to offset their design time and prepayments to their vendors for material orders; 4. Be patient. Parts are not customarily held in stock. Many of the wholesale parts for a rainwater catchment system are purchased out of county or state to save costs. It takes time for all parts to be manufactured and collectively shipped; 5. Please consider that the majority of their profit is realized at the conclusion of the work; So a timely install is in their best interest as well; and 6. Email and text correspondence worked best for me. Hometown Builders had a need for 52,000+-gallon rain catchment and storage for one of our projects. This undertaking required professional expertise to capture as much as possible from our proposed and complicated roofing systems. . Innovative Water Solutions was selected for this job on the basis of their past installations and references. Moreover, I had the confidence that Chris Maxwell-Gaines, Professional Engineer and owner, would achieve a quality design. Innovative's knowledgeable crew also accomplished a total installation of the tanks, piping connections, pumps, and all other state of the art auxiliary equipment. The entire catchment task went smoothly and timely. Chris Maxwell-Gaines' creative design captures even more roof area than I had ever expected. I highly recommend Innovative Water Solutions for any similar need for rain catchment and storage. Whether the plan is to collect 2,000 or 200,000 gallons of rainwater, commision this company for a worry-free job. read more

While it does seem these guys are very knowledgable, be aware that they require 50% cash upfront and a signed contract before they will even put your job on the schedule. The quoted lag time to begin work has varied this year from 6 weeks to 3 months before they show up to do anything; yet they want 50% cash payment immediately. This seems unreasonable to me, I will look for another company with more standard terms. read more

Our system was installed last April, so I have waited until we had some time with the system to write a review. We installed a 52,000 gallon system approximately 350 feet from the house, which created some terrain complications. James (sales) and Gabe (service) were involved in the planning stages, as well as the installation. Of all of the subcontractors we used in building our home, the team from IWS ranked at the top. The crew was courteous, focused on their job, explained in detail what they were doing, and if an issue occurred, fixed or solved it to my satisfaction. They also left the building site clean, which was important to me. After almost a year of use, we have had no issues other than one rain gutter detaching, which will be fixed shortly. Both Gabe, James, Paul and the rest of the team were excellent to work with, patiently answering all of my questions along the way. I would highly recommend their company, products, and services. read more

I value customer service and I also value companies who address customer concerns head on. I appreciate Chris' attempt to resolve this issue. I can't give them 5 stars, because I haven't actually done the work with them. But I definitely would give them a second chance if I have additional drainage issues. Fingers crossed that doesn't happen. read more

This company has terrible customer service. They will make false promises continuously. Please don't waste your time, choose another business to handle the services your needing. They have little respect for prospective customers or their time. read more

If you are thinking about installing a water catchment system, run don't walk to get in line for this company. They just finished our 20,000 gallon system in Liberty Hill. Yes, we waited a long time as they are deservedly busy, but the wait was worth it. They showed up exactly the morning they scheduled, despite the weeks of rain that preceded it. They finished the job in the time promised, at the price they quoted. Gabe, the project manager, and Aaron, the job boss were always available and my husband really enjoyed following the process with them and the excellent crew. It was a pleasure having them on the site. This is probably one of the best home-contracting companies with which we have worked in the last 20 years! read more

They don't want your business. They did everything in their power to show me they did not want my business. After the initial consultation (which went fine because they were trying to sell me a MASSIVE tank), they didn't answer emails asking for a smaller system (I tried six times). I called them directly after awhile and they said they wanted to come out again and they set up a time to meet. I stayed home all morning and after the guy didn't show up I called them again. The receptionist was rude and dismissive and said they only do big tanks. She hung up. I finally got ahold of someone about the missed appointment and he said "Oh, I just emailed you a quote instead." That would have been fine if they had told me beforehand! The last straw was a higher up left me a message and simply said they didn't want to come out (for such a small project). I was jerked around for months before they dismissed me. So unless you are going to spend $10,000 or more with them, they don't want your business. They didn't want my $4,000 project, I was too much of a bother for them. They "couldn't come out for two months anyway". They are too busy for your project too. They do not want your business. read more