Running (rain) down spout under ground. - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

sashime76 · 06-03-2005, 11:34 AM

I was wondering if anyone has ever done this: running sump pump discharge line underground? Currently my sump pump discharges right out to my back yard. A patch of grass is growing so fast I can hardly keep up. My neighborhood had his done by someone that the discharge line goes underground and water is discharged some 20 ft away from the house.

My neighbor's discharge line isn't totally underground. The end part of it can be seen sticking out of the lawn but it's low enough and doesn't interfere when he mows it.

Anyone got any experience in this?

Thank you in advance.

BadNick · 06-03-2005, 11:51 AM

Depending on the topography of your property, soil type, and where you can discharge water without bothering somebody, you could simply bury a 4" plastic pipe and route the discharge wherever you like. If conditions are right, you might even be able to bury a perforated soil pipe that would dissapate the water underground and never see it again and forget about it.

Since where I live is not very rural and is an old developed residential area, as originally installed my sump pump used to empty down a buried soil pipe under the middle of my driveway and empty at the curb into the street and run down to the corner to the sewer inlet. After I had some minor construction, an overly large dump truck must have crushed that pipe just as it passed under the pavement before the curb. So next winter, when the pump turned on, the water oozed out the cracked pavement and created an ice hazard on the pavement where the neighbors walked. So rather than bear the cost of fixing it, I simply ...and in my township, illegally... rerouted the pump into the sewer line from my house so now I never see it anymore. I like it and most people who see it say they'll do the same since it's a neater installation overall.

My fantasy is to have my sump pump discharge into a man-made pond in my yard, maybe through a fountain or little waterfall for added aeration, and have some goldfish or koi in there to keep me entertained. Since the water table in my area is not far below the basement floor and my pump is almost four feet under my basement floor, as the ground water rises a little during extended rain/wet season, there is enough water rising that my sump pump runs a couple times an hour, so plenty of water for a pond or to water the lawn, or spray on my roof for evaporative cooling, or erect a sprinkler system and charge the kids to play in it.

iamnormal · 06-04-2005, 12:53 AM

The words you are looking for is "dry well"

"dry well also dry·well (drwl)
n.
A subterranean chamber near a building, having stones or gravel inside and used to collect rainwater runoff from the roof of the building as a means of avoiding soil erosion.
"

kazoo · 06-06-2005, 04:46 PM

Discharge at grade, or creating a dry well as posted are your options. Doing it yourself is a function of your soil condition, and how energetic a digger you are. Me? I'd call the underground utility marking service, rent a Ditch Witch for a half day, slot the soil about 12-18" deep, verifying a slope of ~1/8"/foot, stuff in the corrugated plastic line, backfill with a rake, seed and straw the excavation, and call it a day.

portereight · 06-09-2005, 12:03 PM

Before attempting any of these things you should ensure that you are legally allowed. Being allowed by code. and being allowed by your municipality may be two different things. I'd hate to trench a pipe only be forced to dig it up again. The fact that your neighbor had his trenched and his terminates above grade rather than in a dry well makes me suspect your local law requires this.

06-03-2005, 11:34 AM	#1 (permalink)
sashime76 Addict Location: Hoosier State	Running (rain) down spout under ground. I was wondering if anyone has ever done this: running sump pump discharge line underground? Currently my sump pump discharges right out to my back yard. A patch of grass is growing so fast I can hardly keep up. My neighborhood had his done by someone that the discharge line goes underground and water is discharged some 20 ft away from the house. My neighbor's discharge line isn't totally underground. The end part of it can be seen sticking out of the lawn but it's low enough and doesn't interfere when he mows it. Anyone got any experience in this? Thank you in advance.

06-06-2005, 04:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
kazoo Psycho Location: Where the night things are	Discharge at grade, or creating a dry well as posted are your options. Doing it yourself is a function of your soil condition, and how energetic a digger you are. Me? I'd call the underground utility marking service, rent a Ditch Witch for a half day, slot the soil about 12-18" deep, verifying a slope of ~1/8"/foot, stuff in the corrugated plastic line, backfill with a rake, seed and straw the excavation, and call it a day. __________________ There ain't nothin' more powerful than the odor of mendacity -Big Daddy

06-03-2005, 11:51 AM	#2 (permalink)
BadNick Riding the Ocean Spray Location: S.E. PA in U Sofa	Depending on the topography of your property, soil type, and where you can discharge water without bothering somebody, you could simply bury a 4" plastic pipe and route the discharge wherever you like. If conditions are right, you might even be able to bury a perforated soil pipe that would dissapate the water underground and never see it again and forget about it. Since where I live is not very rural and is an old developed residential area, as originally installed my sump pump used to empty down a buried soil pipe under the middle of my driveway and empty at the curb into the street and run down to the corner to the sewer inlet. After I had some minor construction, an overly large dump truck must have crushed that pipe just as it passed under the pavement before the curb. So next winter, when the pump turned on, the water oozed out the cracked pavement and created an ice hazard on the pavement where the neighbors walked. So rather than bear the cost of fixing it, I simply ...and in my township, illegally... rerouted the pump into the sewer line from my house so now I never see it anymore. I like it and most people who see it say they'll do the same since it's a neater installation overall. My fantasy is to have my sump pump discharge into a man-made pond in my yard, maybe through a fountain or little waterfall for added aeration, and have some goldfish or koi in there to keep me entertained. Since the water table in my area is not far below the basement floor and my pump is almost four feet under my basement floor, as the ground water rises a little during extended rain/wet season, there is enough water rising that my sump pump runs a couple times an hour, so plenty of water for a pond or to water the lawn, or spray on my roof for evaporative cooling, or erect a sprinkler system and charge the kids to play in it.

06-04-2005, 12:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
iamnormal Addict Location: In the id	The words you are looking for is "dry well" "dry well also dry·well (drwl) n. A subterranean chamber near a building, having stones or gravel inside and used to collect rainwater runoff from the roof of the building as a means of avoiding soil erosion. "

06-09-2005, 12:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
portereight Crazy	Before attempting any of these things you should ensure that you are legally allowed. Being allowed by code. and being allowed by your municipality may be two different things. I'd hate to trench a pipe only be forced to dig it up again. The fact that your neighbor had his trenched and his terminates above grade rather than in a dry well makes me suspect your local law requires this.