Gray water into Sump?

[Mark P]

The gray water from washing machine and the condensation from a/c evaporator coil drain into a sump and is then pumped up and into the main drain/waste/vent system. I do not remember seeing this set up before. The sump is directly under the DWV so the run from sump up to where it connects to DWV is only 2-4 feet. The washer is sitting next to sump and the run is about 2’. I understand the municipality would frown on any ground water that may make it into the sump being discharged into there system, but otherwise can’t put my finger on what might otherwise be wrong. There are no floor drains. There was water in the sump, but don’t know if it was just from the condensation & washer or also from the ground water that made its way there.

In the picture the vertical PVC is coming up from the sump and joins just below the drain from the kitchen.

Any thoughts on this set up are appreciated.

Mark

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[kurt]

There's a lot of 50's and 60's properties around here that do that. Wouldn't fly today, but it's what they did.

I explain to folks the "dual duty" situation, how it might not comply w/local codes, and tell them to ask the local muni. I work in too many different municipalities to keep track of all the different stuff in all of them.

[fqp25]

Is the sump at least covered? All that soap residue can start to stink.

[John Dirks Jr]

Are those rubber boots that connect the plastic and cast iron pipes together acceptable?

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by AHIS

The gray water from washing machine and the condensation from a/c evaporator coil drain into a sump and is then pumped up and into the main drain/waste/vent system. I do not remember seeing this set up before. The sump is directly under the DWV so the run from sump up to where it connects to DWV is only 2-4 feet. The washer is sitting next to sump and the run is about 2’. I understand the municipality would frown on any ground water that may make it into the sump being discharged into there system, but otherwise can’t put my finger on what might otherwise be wrong. There are no floor drains. There was water in the sump, but don’t know if it was just from the condensation & washer or also from the ground water that made its way there.

In the picture the vertical PVC is coming up from the sump and joins just below the drain from the kitchen.

Any thoughts on this set up are appreciated.

Mark

Was this an open sump?

What was it lined with?

Were there inlets in the side of the sump that might have connected to underground tiles?

Was there a backflow valve on the discharge pipe?

Got any pictures of the sump itself?

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[kurt]

All good questions.

The ones I see all the time are clay tile crocks set into the earth. There are no drain tiles; ground water finds it's way into the sump up through the bottom.

Fernco hubs work fine, but if you're in Chicago, they're not approved, unless you happen to be a union brother installing them, in which case they're approved. IOW, who knows?

And yes, our friend from Champaign, the soap scum really does stink the joint up.

[Terence McCann]

Originally posted by AHI

Are those rubber boots that connect the plastic and cast iron pipes together acceptable?

I see them all the time. Kurt brought up the Fernco brand name. Their known as flexible couplings or as a no-hub coupling )although no-hubs usually have a rubber inside and stainless outside). The ones shown in the picture are fine for DWV.

One thing to keep in mind is that cast can support PVC but not the other way around. If I see PVC holding up a 2 story section of cast I call it out.

[John Dirks Jr]

Im glad the flexible couplings are ok since I have one in my house. I will keep my eye out for plastic supporting iron.

[Mark P]

Was this an open sump?

The sump has a removable lid.

What was it lined with?

I Don’t remember

Were there inlets in the side of the sump that might have connected to underground tiles?

Yes, two clay tiles entered the sump from either side

Was there a backflow valve on the discharge pipe?

No

Got any pictures of the sump itself?

No. It was your basic pump, with the float lever that activates its operations.

[kurt]

Just so's you know; those couplers aren't "rubber". They're flexible PVC. Pretty tough stuff.

[Terence McCann]

Originally posted by kurt

Just so's you know; those couplers aren't "rubber". They're flexible PVC. Pretty tough stuff.

Ah, I didn't know that - thanks.

[Brandon Chew]

Originally posted by AHIS

Was this an open sump?

The sump has a removable lid.

What was it lined with?

I Don’t remember

Were there inlets in the side of the sump that might have connected to underground tiles?

Yes, two clay tiles entered the sump from either side

Was there a backflow valve on the discharge pipe?

No

Got any pictures of the sump itself?

No. It was your basic pump, with the float lever that activates its operations.

It sounds like an amateur took the standard basement sump pump and tied it into the DWV system. This is probably not ok -- you would have to check with the AHJ to be sure (most do not allow it but there are some that do). If it is ok to do this, then the piping from the sump to the DWV is missing a required check valve. They need the check valve to keep the basement from filling up with sewage if there is a clog in the building drain.

They need to get a qualified plumber in there to straighten out that mess. The proper way to do this is to plumb the sump pump to the exterior of the building, and to add either a standpipe & trap or a sanitary sump and ejector pump to the DWV system for the washing machine. It's ok for the a/c drain to go into the sump pump.