Replace sump pump with sewage.

[dunyamunya]

Hello all.

I am planning to build a toilet in the basement and have a question before I make an important decision. In my basement, I have 2 sump pumps: one pumps water into the pond outside and the second into a sewage pipe. The second one also has an air pipe going to the roof (as far as I know). The question is, can I replace the second pump with sewage pump and have it work as both, sewage and sump? I don't want to break concrete for the third pump if I don't have to. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

 

[Matt30]

I see two issues with this without seeing a picture of your set up.

1) most sump pumps come with 1.5" discharge, sewage pumps come with 2". You can not downsize drainage. You will have to tie into a 2" or 3" pipe.

2) If the sump pump is controlling ground water, you cannot dump sewage into same pit where effluent can contaminate the ground, it must be contained.

 

[dunyamunya]

I see two issues with this without seeing a picture of your set up.

1) most sump pumps come with 1.5" discharge, sewage pumps come with 2". You can not downsize drainage. You will have to tie into a 2" or 3" pipe.

2) If the sump pump is controlling ground water, you cannot dump sewage into same pit where effluent can contaminate the ground, it must be contained.

All agreed. The discharge is already 2" and is connected to a sewage line in the house. I would rebuild the pit and install the sewage pump instead of the current sump pump that's in there. Last night, with all the warm weather, only one pump was going off, one that pumps ground water to the pond, but the one I want to reconfigure was quite, which kind of indicates that it does not pump ground water.

In your opinion, would you re-use the pit and put a sewage pump in there with a new bucket or would you brake concrete for a third one?

 

[frodo]

depends on the pit. is it sanitary ? does it have a lid ? that can be sealed ?

how many gallons ? what is wasting in it now ?

short answer, yes you can add a bathroom to the sewage pit.

where is the line that is discharging into the pit now? is it below floor or above ?

if below, what size pipe ? tie into the old pipe, so you do not have to make a hole in the tank


sewage, will kill the fish in the pond, it will compete with them for air and turn the pond into a stinking cess pool,
dont do it

 

[dunyamunya]

depends on the pit. is it sanitary ? does it have a lid ? that can be sealed ?

how many gallons ? what is wasting in it now ?

short answer, yes you can add a bathroom to the sewage pit.

where is the line that is discharging into the pit now? is it below floor or above ?

if below, what size pipe ? tie into the old pipe, so you do not have to make a hole in the tank


sewage, will kill the fish in the pond, it will compete with them for air and turn the pond into a stinking cess pool,
dont do it

Just to review/summarize, two pits, one pumps into the pond - I will not touch that one at all; the other pumps into the sewage line. I was thinking to replace the pit with a new one specific to sewage. The current one is very old (22 years), the lid could probably be sealed, but I don't count on that. There is a line under concrete going into it, but don't know where from. I am getting blueprints today to review and will post more. The only lines I know of that go into that pit are from HVAC, humidifier and bar sink in the basement. There is a drain the floor 3 or so feet away from the pit that connects to it. There is a slight possibility that both pits are connected to avoid overflow, but I am not certain.

 

[frodo]

turn the sewage pump off. throw a hose in the pit, see if the other pit rises

 

[SHEPLMBR]

Pretty sure if the second one goes to the sewage and has pipe up and out roof, then that already is your sewage pit.