Where to Discharge Sump Pumps
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Where and how to install sump pumps - where can I pipe the water coming out of a sump pump?
Where should sump pumps discharge their water? Is it ok to pipe the sump pump to the building drain system?
How to inspect & maintain sump pumps to remove water from buildings or to prevent basement leakage or crawl space water entry
Questions & answers about sump pump discharge piping

How do I get rid of the water pumped by the sump pump? This article explains how and where to route water that is being pumped out of a building by a sump pump.

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Where does the sump pump send its Discharge Water?

Sump pumps, which we discuss on this page, are designed to remove unwanted water, such as surface or ground water that leak into a building. But the sump pump system will be ineffective if the water it discharges is routed where the same water simply leaks back into the building. The sump pump installation may also be improper or even illegal in some communities if it discharges into the sewer system.

In this photo at left a temporary sump pump discharge line has been left on the basement floor - no good destination has been assigned to sump outlet hose.
If this sump pump is called-on to operate in this condition the building will simply be flooded.

Sump pumps that have been added to an older structure often pump their discharge to the ground surface where it runs to a storm drain or area drainage setting.

If you have such a system be sure that the sump pump discharge empties where it meets these criteria:

The water leaving the sump pump should be discharged to a location where it does not flow back towards the building. Otherwise it may simply cycle the same water endlessly, possibly even undermining the building foundation
Water discharge from a sump pump must go to a legal destination. In the photo at left we're emptying the sump pump via a small diameter (Limited flow capacity) to a local storm drain.

This might be legal and fine in the summer for an unusual event, but this is not a reliable, permanent sump pump installation.

As this system was found in Maine, we can expect it to freeze or simply not work in winter or early spring when it may be most needed.

Discharging onto a neighbor, and in some communities, discharging into local storm drains, may be prohibited and are certainly a bad practice.
In freezing climates, the sump discharge needs to be protected from freezing or the system may not work when most needed. A long sump discharge line outside, especially one with minimal pitch or slope, is likely to freeze up in cold weather.

We've inspected homes where the sump pump was running continuously but not moving any water because its discharge line was blocked by ice. This condition permits water to rise in and even flood a building.

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SEWAGE PUMPS
SEWAGE PUMP CLOG DAMAGE

SEWER BACKUP PREVENTION
SEWER GAS ODORS
SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT

SUMP PUMPS
  SEPTIC SYSTEM PUMPS
  Sump Pump Discharge
  Sump Pump Inspection
  Sump Pump Types
    Submersible Sump Pump Guide
    Pedestal Type Sump Pump Guide
    Battery Backup Sump Pump Choices
    Water Powered Sump Pump Guide
  Sump Pump Single vs Duplex

WATER ENTRY in buildings
  ATTIC LEAKS Moisture or Mold
  BARRIERS, EXTERIOR WATER
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  BASEMENT De-Watering Systems
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  DRYWELL DESIGN & USES
  EFFLORESCENCE, Salts & White / Brown Deposits
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  FLOOD Damage Assessment & Repairs
  FLOOD DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS
  FLOOD VENTS & FLOOD PORTS
  FLOODS IN buildings-priorities
  FOUNDATION DRAINS, INTERIOR
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  GEOTEXTILES & DRAINAGE MATS
  GRADING & SITE WORK, EXTERIOR
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  HUMIDITY CONTROL & TARGETS INDOORS
  HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS
  LOG HOME Leak Diagnosis & Cure
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  Soffit Intake Vents & Attic Condensation
  SEALERS, Basement Floor & Wall Moisture
  SEWAGE CONTAMINATION
  SITE & SURFACE DRAINAGE
  SUMP PUMPS GUIDE
  SWEATING (CONDENSATION) on PIPES, TANKS
  VENTILATION in BUILDINGS
  VENTILATION DESIGN PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS
  VENTILATION, WHOLE HOUSE STRATEGIES
  WATER ENTRY in BUILDINGS
  WET BASEMENT PREVENTION
  WINDOW / DOOR AIR LEAK SEALING HOW TO
  Window Flashing & Sealing Guide
  WINDOW LEAKS INTO BASEMENT

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Where does the sump pump send its Discharge Water?

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Where to Discharge Sump Pumps
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