The development of residential construction on alluvial territories requires high-quality engineering background in the initial stages of development. In the area with high ground moisture, the erection of buildings is difficult and drainage measures are required. The necessity to choose the method of wastewater disposal on alluvial territories has become an urgent problem, because the quality and operational characteristics of the construction depend on the correct engineering preparation of the territory, as well as the stability and capital of the buildings and structures being erected. The purpose of the work was to develop a method for the diversion of water from undesirable small reservoirs of anthropogenic origin. Approbation of method was carried out on the example of a temporary reservoir formed on the territory of a residential complex of the wash-up area of the Vasilievsky Island, St. Petersburg, where engineering training is intensively underway. The implementation of proposed method is stated.