Where Does Sump Pump Water Go? A Guide for Homeowners

You can lead a sump pump to water, but can you make it drain properly? Yes! A sump pump can be an effective way to prevent basement flooding, but it only works if the sump pump water goes to an appropriate location. If the sump pump drainage is not being directed properly, it can overwork the system and end up flooding your basement or crawl space. Learn how to configure your sump pump system, so the excess water discharges effectively away from your home. 

Possible Sump Pump System Drainage Locations

When you install a sump pump in your home, one of the decisions you’ll have to make is where to direct the sump pump drainage. In effect, what a sump pump does is take excess water from inside your house and take it outside your house. The way a sump pump works is water collects in a sump pit, also called a basin. Once the water reaches a certain level, the sump pump actively pumps this water out through a discharge line. Also called an outlet pipe, the discharge line is usually a PVC pipe with a 1 1/2-inch diameter. 

But, you can’t direct the discharge line to just any location outside your house and you’ll have a few things to think about:

• There are key considerations regarding local regulations and the effectiveness of your sump pump system. 

• Use common sense to predict where that water would flow and what that would mean for you and your neighbors.

• Sump pump repair companies near you can offer valuable insight into this decision-making process.

Downhill Slopes Away From the House

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One of the simplest rules of thumb to follow for sump pump drainage is to look for areas with a natural downhill slope away from your home’s foundation. Let gravity do its thing. 

Think about what happens if the sump pump water goes uphill. It will flow right back down the hill and back into your basement. Recirculating will simply make your sump pump work overtime and not actually rid your home of the excess rain or groundwater. Depending on the geography around your home, like if you live on very flat plains, you may not always be able to find a great downhill slope. Thankfully, you likely have other options on the table.

Local Neighborhood Storm Drains

This will depend on what is available close to your home. If your neighborhood has storm drains nearby, you may be able to direct the sump pump drainage in their direction. Ideally, you can lead the discharge line directly to the storm drain, so the water can be taken away with the rest of the rainwater. The length and complexity of the discharge line will affect your total sump pump installation cost, but it can be a worthy investment to avoid future issues. 

A Safe Distance From the House’s Foundation

The ideal length of discharge piping is generally between 10 and 20 feet away from the foundation of the house. This is the distance needed to make sure the sump pump water gets far enough away not to recirculate back into your sump pump system. 

If it’s shorter than 10 feet, you run the risk of pumping the same water over and over again, moving up the timeline for when to replace your sump pump. If it is much longer than 20 feet, then the sump pump motor has to work harder to push the water across that distance. That’s why 10 to 20 feet is the Goldilocks zone. There’s no need to absorb the cost of sump pump replacement prematurely or unnecessarily.

Into Creeks and Ponds

Other viable options for possible sump pump drainage include natural waterways in the area. These can be excellent options for homes in suburban or more rural areas with closer access to nature. Nearby creeks, rivers, and ponds can take on excess rainwater and groundwater from your sump pump, feeding back into the natural water cycle in your area. The water will flow downstream or get reabsorbed into the groundwater as it naturally would.

Remember that one of the key guiding principles for a sump pump system is that it should drain downhill. The land leading up to bodies of water like creeks and ponds has a natural downhill grade to it, allowing for a natural choice for sump pump drainage. This may call for covering a longer distance, though, so you may need to extend the drainage hose or invest in a more powerful sump pump motor.

Underground

Where your sump pump water goes is one decision. It could be down the hill and onto your lawn, or it could be into a storm drain or a nearby creek. Another decision is whether your sump drainage line should be above or below ground. Just as keeping some sump pump backup options ready can offer peace of mind, there are advantages to burying your discharge line underground, too. 

A discharge line that runs above ground may be clearly visible, for starters, affecting the aesthetics of the area around the house. When it runs along the top of the ground, the discharge line can get broken. You may accidentally run your lawnmower over it, for example. Exposed to the elements, it can suffer other types of damage, too. It can freeze in the winter and block water flow. 

A buried line is less susceptible to these dangers but may be more difficult to check or maintain. Whether the line is above or below ground, be sure to install a screen at the exit to prevent leaves and debris from blocking the flow of water. The screen can stop animals from entering the discharge pipe, too. 

Do Not Drain Into Your Home’s Sewer or Septic System

You may be tempted to connect your sump pump system with your home’s existing sewer system. Resist the temptation: It is against building code for sump pump water to go into a home’s sewer. Water from the sewer enters a city’s wastewater management and treatment system. If too much rainwater is pumped into the sewer, it can overwhelm this process. 

Similarly, you should never discharge sump pump water into your home’s septic system. This can overwhelm or damage your septic system, leading to what could be a big mess you’ll have to clean up. A septic system is not designed to handle that amount of water all at once. 

Can You Drain Sump Pump Water Onto Sidewalks?

No, you can’t drain your sump pump onto the sidewalk. If sump pump systems discharge their water onto sidewalks, streets, and other paved areas, they can quickly lead to neighborhood flooding. Generally, there are city codes and regulations that prohibit draining sump pump water onto paved surfaces. The possible exception would be if the drainage line feeds directly into an open storm drain, as described above.