Basement waterproofing in Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant wraps around Racine on the west and south. Its plumbing code is unusually specific about sump pump water, so settle the route of the pipe before a company starts work.
The village's rule on sump pump water
The Mount Pleasant Plumbing Code sets it out in a few sentences. In plain terms:
- Water from a sump goes onto the ground or into a storm sewer lateral. Footing tile and other clear water may not enter the sanitary sewer.
- The pipe ends above the finished ground and points toward the street your address is on, unless the Director of Public Works agrees to something else.
- It may not empty straight onto the road or the sidewalk.
- Cutting the curb to let the pipe through is not permitted.
- It may not point toward a private septic system.
- If the water becomes a nuisance, the village can require a different spot.
What that means on an ordinary lot
A pump at the back of the basement may need its pipe run the length of the house to reach the front. That adds pipe and, in winter, a longer stretch that can freeze. Ask the company how it will slope the pipe so it drains empty between cycles.
On a corner lot, be clear which street the house is addressed on before the pipe is laid. If the front yard is the worst place for the water, the route to take is a request to the Director of Public Works, not a quiet exception.
Permits and old drain tile
The same code requires a permit from the village Plumbing Inspector to install or alter plumbing. Storm water laterals and sewer disconnections are named among the permit types.
It also says that drain tile disturbed or removed by excavation or grading must be reconnected or rerouted, and that the inspector checks the result. That is worth knowing before exterior digging: the old tile around your footing cannot simply be cut and buried.
When it is not a waterproofing problem
For a sewer backup, the village lists Sewer and Plumbing on 262-664-7800 during office hours and the City of Racine Wastewater Utility on 262-636-9520 after hours. Drainage and flooding concerns go to the Storm Water department through the village's report a concern page, which points to 911 for emergencies.
Water coming through your own wall or floor is yours to deal with, and that is what the number on this page is for.
Where Mount Pleasant sits
Reading on from here
The parts of a pump and the questions to ask are on the sump pump page. The sump pump rules guide sets the village rule beside the City of Racine's.
Talk it through with a local company
Call and describe what the water is doing. You will speak with an independent local waterproofing company about coming out to look at your house.
For homeowners: basements, crawl spaces, sump pumps and drainage.
Call (262) 555-0112Racine Basement Waterproofing Help is a referral service, not a contractor. Calls may be recorded. Referral disclosure.