Way OT Too much water

barn E · Feb 9, 2009

Think I live where a house shouldn't have been b uilt. In or very close to floodplain. Fight water all the time, either through walls in basement or sump pumps failing. Great temptation is to tie into sewers(city). Legal or not? Other temptation is old well which nobody uses any wells around here. they were all sucked dry by factory about 20 years ago. Would this be legal? There is absolutely no place for this water to go. Creek is 500 feet and always overflowing into road. All ideas appreciated. Getting too old to fight anymore. Thanks. Dave

buickanddeere · Feb 9, 2009

Sewer or storm drains? They are often mixed up.
Is there tile all around the foundation below the level of the footings. Then the trench back filled with coarse gravel/drainage stone?
The pump should be outside taking the water away before the water gets into the house.
I never understood some building codes that require the storm water to be channeled into the basement, then pumped back out into a storm drain.
You may have to just pump the perimiter water a few hundred feet away downhill onto the surface?

paul · Feb 9, 2009

Diverting to the well is a really bad thing, you are messing up an aquifer for many. I could not sleep with myself for doing that intentionally. Think people who do that should go directly to jail.

Diverting to the septic lines is probably not allowed because if everyone does it will flood the septic plant & put poo out into the river, but would be the better option of the wrong things to do. imho Rivers clean up quick (unlike aquifers) & up to the city to provide services to folks living there.

The right thing is to move the water to the creek 500 feet away. Tho if it were me on my farm, _that_ would get me tossed in jail for draining a wetlands....... Probably different for you in a housing area tho, you don't have to follow my ag rules.

--->Paul

Anonymous-0 · Feb 9, 2009

I cant see how fresh ground water could hurt the city sewer. After all the salt runoff from the roads, small amounts of oil on the roads and other harmful runoff. You would have to find out if its legal, or just do a midnight hook up to the sewer. If you were to empty your septic, or manure lagoon in it I would say no.

John S-B · Feb 9, 2009

DON'T tie into the sewer!! You will be in a world of hurt when they find out. And if sewage backs up into a neighbors house, you may be liable for damages. Maybe you can have a cistern put in to collect water from your sump. Around here you don't need a permit if you don't connect it to the water supply plumbing.

JMS/.MN · Feb 9, 2009

Illegal here because it multiplies the volume that is being dealt with- not because it is dirty water. And dumping it down an old well is illegal as well. Old wells need to be closed by licensed folks here, direct path to the aquifer.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 9, 2009

Regardless if it is "clean" water it mixes with the bad stuff and they need to treat it all which raises costs significantly. If he only runs it into the storm sewer line which goes directly to the stream it would be OK but probably wouldn't solve his problem. It is easy for them to discover when homeowners have hooked up because the water volume will drastically increase during wet periods. It appears he built in the flood plain therefore should expect at least some water problems.

Floyd A tn · Feb 10, 2009

Do not tie into the city sewer.. The fines and jail time would be extreme.

Why not build a berm to hold the water in the creek.

Would this be possible at all? If so, then you could put a pump out side in a low spot to keep falling rain water from ponding in your yard..

barn E · Feb 11, 2009

Thanks again fellows. It is wetlands, there is no downhill and I don't own property next to the creek. I did find an 8 inch tile on property and I need to see where it is coming from. Have a good one. Dave

Way OT Too much water

barn E

Member

buickanddeere

Well-known Member

paul

Well-known Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

John S-B

Well-known Member

JMS/.MN

Well-known Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

Floyd A tn

Member

barn E

Member

Similar threads