There is a fairly high ground water table in my area. My sump is full of water and pumping into the city sewer system for more than half the year. It's even pumping now when the ground should be frozen several meters. That tells me the city has some leaks in their pipes. Unfortunately I even get some seepage into the basement from time to time. When I bought the house the water use to pump into the yard, but I changed that to the sewer as I didn't want it to be a big loop and there are heat loss concerns with pipe penetrations. Also, the city doesn’t have any rules about pumping sump water into the sewer. However, it does bother me that I’m wasting water or more accurately energy as you don’t use water, just pump it around.
I thinking about putting in a pump and pressure tank connected to my sump. Then pipe that to an outdoor hose bib and the toilet on the main floor. My only concern is not having water in my toilet when the sump is empty. I could put in a 3 way valve to the potable water supply, but there are concerns about interconnections. The other option I guess is to use a PEX quick connect and physical switch over the connection when needed.
Hi PR,
We don't have the same culture of basements as they do in the US....but, generally speaking, the water and sewage treatment authorities in Oz aren't happy with stormwater going into the sewers.Also, the city doesn’t have any rules about pumping sump water into the sewer.
Mind you, a combination of people who ignore those rules, coupled with leaking infrastructure, has sewage flows increasing sharply when it rains.
Gary
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." - Arthur Schopenhauer
www.microponics.net.au - for candid dialogue on integrated backyard food production.
www.urbanaquaponics.com.au - the home of the Online Urban Aquaponics Manual.
Most places in Canada have rules about not pumping storm or sump water into the sewer system (not sure about the US). However, basements are very rare where I live. Most buildings are raised houses with steel piles to bedrock due to wide spread discontinuous permafrost (ice lenses in the ground year round). If you introduce too much heat to the ground the permafrost melts and you lose you the soil’s stability. A lot of early houses had problems. It was just dumb luck that mine was okay.
The mere mention of the word 'permafrost' makes me shiver.
Gary
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." - Arthur Schopenhauer
www.microponics.net.au - for candid dialogue on integrated backyard food production.
www.urbanaquaponics.com.au - the home of the Online Urban Aquaponics Manual.
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