Air Conditioning Drain Pump

Condensate drip and accumulation are normal, especially during the summer months.

It is also very normal to find the drain lines terminated close to the house as you have described. Whether it is acceptable I guess could be argued based on the volume of water in question and where it is collecting.

If the accumulation of water is getting worrisome, you can buy some small diameter PVC pipe and reroute or extend your existing drain lines. You can even get creative, such as routing them into existing downspout drain lines, or directly burying the condensate drain lines themselves.

If you are worried about exterior-drained condensate freezing, you could bury a standard 4" drainage pipe to redirect your condensate. This pipe could accumulate your condensate via a catch basin, direct piping, or other means. The probability of an entire 4" pipe freezing, especially in the southeastern US, would be approaching zero.

Be sure to maintain a good slope when extending any lines, and drain to daylight any buried lines.

Additionally, you can drain your condensate to some acceptable locations inside your home, such as a plumbing drain (not a plumbing vent stack!).

Use this as a reference:

Obviously, the soil needs to be graded away from the house (in the back yard). If that means you need a retaining wall, then you need a retaining wall.

Regarding the swale, improved drainage sounds helpful. The real question is, why isn't water shedding (what is the real issue)? I've had swale issues, and the problem in those cases, was not with my swale, but the neighbors'... so water backed up in my yard. In such a circumstance, you can talk to the neighbors about the issue, ask them to fix it, offer to help, and/or sue them for damages.

But if the neighbors aren't to be blamed, then another alternative to keep the grass cut very short (grass slows drainage). Or you could check into a trench drain (concrete ditch). This is just another option that I didn't see mentioned, although it may not be your best option. As Tester101 pointed out, being there to see the issue is probably necessary.

Regarding power outages, gasoline or propane generators are the most reliable answer. A moderate generator should be enough for a sump pump, the fridge, and should keep the toilet flushing too. As you know, the drawback with a battery bank is that once it discharges, then you don't have a simple solution, like getting more gas.

Edit- Here's a possible way to use a retaining wall to increase the grade away from the house.