noun
drainage; water drainage
Refers to how well water drains away, often used for soil, ground, or surfaces. Common in gardening, construction, and everyday descriptions.
この土は水はけがいいので、植物がよく育つ。
This soil drains well, so plants grow well.
水はけの悪い場所には、溝を掘ったほうがいい。
In places with poor drainage, it's better to dig a ditch.
排水 is a more formal or technical term for drainage or draining water, often used in engineering contexts, while 水はけ is a common, everyday word focusing on the natural percolation or runoff of water.
Compound of 水 (water) and はけ (drainage, from the verb 捌ける meaning 'to drain off'). The exact historical derivation is straightforward; the word is a standard modern compound.