Interior Drain Systems and Sump Pumps in Bucks County, PA
An interior drain system catches water where it enters most Bucks County basements, at the base of the wall. The floor is opened in a strip around the perimeter, perforated pipe in clean stone is laid beside the footing, and the pipe drains to a sump basin. A pump lifts the water through the wall to an outlet outdoors, and the floor is patched with new concrete.
Never into the sanitary sewer
Bucks County townships are explicit about this. Falls Township's code prohibits discharging stormwater, groundwater or roof runoff into its sanitary system and names sump pumps and downspouts specifically, with fines up to $1,000. Lower Southampton's 2022 ordinance treats foundation or basement drainage, including sump pumps, piped into the sanitary sewer as an illegal discharge.
In both townships, a sewer lateral inspection when the house is sold is designed to catch exactly that connection. Planning a proper outdoor outlet from day one avoids having to redo it before closing.
Backup for creek-valley storms
Bucks County's creek valleys have seen sudden, intense rain, from Ida's major flooding on the Neshaminy near Langhorne to the 2023 Houghs Creek flash flood in Upper Makefield. Storms like those can take out power just when the pump is needed, so the backup plan is part of the system, not an extra.
- Sealed basin lid
- Primary pump and float switch
- Battery backup pump and run time
- High-water alarm
- Outdoor outlet location and freeze protection
Interior Drain Systems and Sump Pumps questions
Can my Bucks County sump pump drain into the sewer?
Not in Falls Township or Lower Southampton, whose codes treat sump discharge to the sanitary sewer as prohibited, and other townships have similar rules. Ask your township before the pipe is run.
Will a sale inspection in Falls Township find my sump connection?
That is its purpose. Falls requires a licensed contractor's video inspection of the sewer lateral before transfer, with a certified report confirming no inflow or infiltration.
How big should my sump pit be?
It depends on how much water the drain collects. The contractor should size the pit and pump for your basement and explain the choice in the estimate.
Interior Drain Systems and Sump Pumps estimates by area
Other waterproofing work
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