Racine sump pump rules and the city's Sump Pump Program
Groundwater from a house may not go into the sanitary sewer. This guide covers what the City of Racine and the Village of Mount Pleasant say about where it goes instead, and how the city helps pay for the change.
Why the rule exists
Sanitary sewers carry what goes down toilets and sinks to the treatment plant. Storm sewers carry rain and meltwater to the Root River and Lake Michigan. They are separate pipes.
A city study found that a great deal of rain and groundwater enters the sanitary pipes in storms. When they overfill, sewage backs up into basements. One source is houses whose foundation drains were connected to the sanitary sewer when they were built. The city explains this on its Sump Pump Program page.
Is your foundation drain connected?
The city says that in most cases a connected house has a palmer valve in the basement. It is a one-way flap, usually tied into the floor drain, that lets water from the foundation drain into the sewer and keeps sewage out of the drain tile. The city adds that palmer valves are commonly found in Wisconsin homes built before 1954.
Lift the grate on the floor drain and shine a light down it. The program page has photographs of what to look for. A plumber can confirm it.
How the City of Racine program works
This is the city's own description, summarized. Check the program page for the current terms before you rely on it.
See whether you qualify
The house must be a one-family or two-family home in the City of Racine, and the person applying must be its owner.
Apply
The application is on the program page. The city replies to say whether you are approved.
Call a licensed plumber
The plumber checks that the foundation drain can be reached, that it really is connected to the sanitary sewer, and that there is an acceptable place to send the water.
The work
The palmer valve is removed, the drain is disconnected from the sewer, and a sump crock and pump are installed to take the water instead.
Payment
After the final inspection the city pays the plumber directly, up to the program limit. Any amount above that is the owner's, as is any deposit or inspection fee the plumber charges.
Points people miss
- The program is voluntary.
- It covers work needed to install the pump, and repairs to an existing connected drain. A brand-new foundation drain is not covered.
- A house that is not directly connected to the sanitary sewer gets no work under the program.
- Whoever installs the pump and takes out the plumbing permit must be a plumber licensed by the state.
- The pump is the owner's to maintain afterwards, and the installer's warranty is the one that applies.
Questions go to the Department of Customer Service at City Hall, Room 103, 730 Washington Avenue, on 262-636-9171.
Where the water goes afterwards: city and village compared
City of Racine. The program describes the sump pipe as leading to the surface of the yard or to a cut in the curb at the street, and says the water is directed to the yard or the storm sewer system.
Village of Mount Pleasant. The Mount Pleasant Plumbing Code is more exact. Sump water goes onto the ground surface or into a storm sewer lateral, never into the sanitary sewer. The pipe ends above the finished ground, pointing toward the street the house is addressed on, unless the Director of Public Works approves something else. It may not empty directly onto the road or the sidewalk, and it may not point at a private septic system. Curb cuts are not permitted. If a discharge becomes a nuisance, the village can order it moved.
So a curb cut that the city accepts is refused a few streets away in the village. Make sure the installer knows which municipality the house is in.
What the pump will and will not do
The city is careful not to oversell it. A sump pump improves drainage around the basement as long as it is plugged in and working. It does not stop water seeping through walls or windows, and it does not rule out every sewer backup. If water comes in by another route, the pump is one part of the answer.
Sump pump program questions
Can a waterproofing company do the work under the program?
Only if the person who installs the pump and takes out the plumbing permit is a state-licensed plumber. Ask the company whether it has one.
Where in the basement does the pump go?
The city leaves that to you and the plumber to agree.
I live in Caledonia or Sturtevant. Does any of this apply?
The program is the City of Racine's. Each village sets its own discharge rule, so ask your village hall before a pipe is run.
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) 257-3901Racine Basement Waterproofing Help is a referral service, not a contractor. Calls may be recorded. Referral disclosure.