Sump Pump Connections - Tips for Homeowners

During periods of extreme rainfall, infiltration and flooding can cause sewage from sanitary sewer lines to back up into homes and businesses. These backups not only cause damage that is difficult and expensive to repair, but also create health hazards.

Reduce Your Risk

Illegal sump pump connections rob the sanitary sewer system of valuable capacity. This can lead to sanitary sewer backups.

 

Improper Sump Pump Installation

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Proper Sump Pump Installation

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For Homeowners

Sump Pumps in addition to roof drains and foundation drains connected to the City’s sanitary sewer system is in violation of Lincoln Municipal Code. These illegal connections send groundwater and surface water into the sanitary sewer system. In addition to the loss of capacity and the added cost of resource recovery, these connections can cause sewage backups into residences and streams.

Consult a professional

It is important to inspect and confirm that your sump pump and roof drains are not connected to the sewer system. If they are, you should call a plumber to have them redirected to the ground surface outside your property.

Watch Your Pump

If connected to the sanitary sewer line, one sump pump running for 10 minutes an hour is the equivalent of 12 homes’ normal sewage use.