Sump Pump Inspection Program
Roseville City Code, Section 802.08, states that discharge into the City’s sanitary sewer system shall be in conformance with the Metropolitan Council Environmental Services Waste Discharge Rules. Unpolluted water, such as rain water, storm water, groundwater, and water collected from foundation drains, is not permitted to be discharged into the sanitary sewer system.
To comply with MCES directives regarding I/I, the City of Roseville is implementing a sump pump inspection program in conjunction with the water meter maintenance program. Completing sump pump inspections in residential homes will provide staff preliminary information on how many non-conforming connections there are, and whether this is a major contributing factor to the City’s I/I problem. Staff will use the collected data to develop further I/I reduction plans in the City for recommendation to the City Council.
Sump Pump Systems
Sump pumps are designed to capture surface or ground water that enters basements or crawl spaces and pump it away from the house. The basic sump system includes drain tile, a sump pit, a sump pump, a float or switch, and a drain line. The sump pit extends below the slab and collects surface water that enters the basement/crawl space or groundwater that rises to the slab. Sump pumps should not be connected to the sanitary sewer. Sump pumps should drain into the City’s storm sewer system through one of two methods: a direct connection (a pipe from the house to the main storm sewer line), if available, or directly onto the ground (preferably 20 feet from the house and not into a neighbor’s yard).
Foundation Drains
Foundation drains are underground pipes that collect storm water from around the base of a building and into a sump basket, where it is then pumped outside of the building. Foundation drains should not be connected to the sanitary sewer. If your foundation drain system is connected to the sanitary sewer, correcting the problem could be costly. The process could involve excavation to disconnect the foundation drain from the sanitary sewer and installation of a sump pump system. The new sump system must pump directly to the ground outside of the building.
Roof Drains/Leaders
Roof drains and leaders direct storm water from roof gutters to the ground through pipes and downspouts. Roof drains should not be connected to the sanitary sewer but should discharge to the ground outside of a building. If your roof drains are connected to the sanitary sewer, disconnect them, plug any open connections to the sanitary sewer using a non-shrink permanent material, and redirect the roof drains onto the ground outside the building.
For more information, click on the link: Met Council Inflow and Infiltration Program
Please contact Public Works at PublicWorks@cityofroseville.com or 651-792-7004 if you have questions or would like more information on I/I.