Sump Pump and Downspout Connections

Waterbury's sanitary sewers are meant for wastewater, and the city has run smoke testing on its sewer lines to find where stormwater gets in. A sump pump, downspout or yard drain piped into a building's sewer line adds rainwater during storms and can push sewage up through low drains.

What the plumber may trace
Dye or a camera shows where each sump line, downspout and area drain ends. The usual fix is cutting that pipe off the sewer, routing it away from the foundation and capping the old tie-in.

Check before the next big storm
Nearby Woodbury averages about 51 inches of precipitation yearly. If city smoke testing puts smoke inside your home, the city says to consult a licensed plumber.

Call about sump or downspout lines and say where your sump pump and downspouts discharge and whether storms bring backups.