It’s safe to say that it in many cities it is illegal to actually discharge sump pump water into the street. Many home owners are surprised when they find this out!
In this article, we have explained everything about why it is not safe to pump the water into the street, especially if you don’t have permission to do so.
Why Discharging Sump Pump Into the Street is Illegal?
Though discharging your sump pump water from your home will help you out a lot, since it plays a role in removing the unnecessary water from your home, it will only create a bigger problem for your neighbors and the drains in your surrounding area, especially if they are clogged.
One of the main reason why it is prohibited for you to drain water into the street is for safety reasons. If your sump pump is discharging water then you can expect to see water settling on the curb. At some point the water may freeze which may eventually be a safety hazard for kids as well as the elderly. Not only that, but the water may even cause problems for the adjacent properties in the neighborhood.
This is why your local Department of Public Works have made it their point of duty to set rules regarding the discharging of sump pump into the street. If you want, you can find the rules on your PWD website just to be on the safe side.
The good news is that you get the opportunity to discharge your sump pump water during the period of November to April. The thing is that when doing so make sure to follow the rules set by the Department of Public Works.
Most city requires that sump pump lines is to be drained into storm sewers or city water sewers in order to prevent above ground erosion and flood damage.
What Happens If Your Neighbors Sump Pump Discharge
At some point your neighbors may release their sump pump discharge into the street without informing anyone that they are about to do so. Most of the times a new home owner in the neighborhood is actually doing so because they are unaware of the problem they are causing upon releasing the water. It may be that they are experiencing a flooding emergency inside their basement and they have no choice but to discharge the water onto the street.
Whenever things like this occur, we highly recommend talking to the neighbor and letting them know that discharging water onto the street is considered to be illegal and they should actually have their pump connected to a proper drainage.
How to Discharge Your Sump Pump to the Street Properly
If it’s a case where you are currently living in an area where sidewalks and streets intersect, then there’s a chance you know about the danger that can arise by discharging the water at this location.
The good news is that there is a simple process of getting the job done so that you don’t have to worry about any potential hazards. Here’s how to actually discharge the water safely:
- The first thing you’ll need to do is call your municipality and ask them if you would need a permit in order to release your sump pump.
- If somehow you don’t actually need a permit for this, then it is also best if you check with your local municipality just to see if there is any rules when it comes to pumping water onto the street.
- Upon discharging make sure to follow the local regulation and always use caution when doing so.
- You should take the time out to clean up any debris that has been left behind after you’ve discharged the water and make sure that you’ve closes all opening near your home that could lead water into your home when there’s a flooding.
- Another thing you should do do is open your main valve that’s located on the top of the sump pump and give it some time for the water level in the tank to fall below the outlet pipe on the side of the pump.
- After you’ve properly discharged your sump pump to the street, you can close all openings in the pipe with a stopper.