Sump Pumps – PLEASE Do Not Connect to Sanitary Sewers
If you have a sump pump in your basement, as shown below (in a sketch from the State Farm website), you need to make sure that it is discharging outside into the lawn and not into the public sanitary sewer (i.e. the one connected to your household plumbing, toilet, etc.).
This is extremely important as all users collectively pay for treatment of all flows that go through the Sewage Treatment Plant. In addition to burdening the public system economically, excessive and unnecessary flows can cause problems in the collection system and plant operation which can lead to serious overloading of those facilities during a major storm event.
We make every effort to make sure the mains, manholes, etc. are as water tight as possible to avoid this problem. Manholes and mains, as they are constructed, are actually pressure/vacuum-tested to assure leak tightness. You can do your part by checking your sump pump discharge and making sure it discharges into the yard and is not connected to your sewer piping.
Thank you.