Excess Water in Sewer Lines
Does the ground water from your sump pump discharge into a sink or floor drain? If your answer is yes, you have an improper sump pump connection and may be unaware of the negative financial implications and potential problems that can arise as a result. Be aware that a property owner can receive a fine if found to be in violation of Storm-Water Management codes stemming from a pump that discharges incorrectly.
Rain water needs to be discharged through properly designated channels. Be advised that according to local ordinances, sump pumps and downspout pipes (usually connected to gutters) should discharge storm water into the street or storm sewer.
Why is this important? An Improper hook up, linked to sinks and floor drains, discharges ground water into sewer lines and ultimately winds up at a water treatment facility creating two issues.
First, this leads to unnecessary costs. Because rain water is clean it should be kept out of sewer lines since it does not need to be treated. Plainfield’s water goes through Plainfield Regional Sewer Authority lines where a meter chamber keeps track of the amount of water flowing through. Note PMUA paid PARSA approximately $2,800,000 in 2012 for the transportation of water to Middlesex County Utility Authority where it gets treated. Second, the additional storm water going through the system can lead to overflows overtaxing the capacity of our sewer lines. To help prevent overflows, clean ground water should be kept out of City sewer lines and be routed to the street where it’s discharged through storm drains.
That said, we ask residents to fix a sump pump that is improperly connected to an interior drain, utility sink or basement sewer cleanout pipe and redirect the connection to discharge ground water outside. Your excess water should be routed to the street. If you have questions about your sump pump connection we suggest that you consult a professional and discuss your water discharge options as well as review storm water management ordinances.