Above Ground Sewage Pump

[AndyAnglesey]

Hi all, I've recently bought a property located in a former quarry, so the ground floor is a few feet lower than the sewer main. The bathroom is on the first floor and currently the waste pipe runs 6 feet above the ground, across the drive to a wall, then travels gradually down to the sewer inspection chamber 100 feet away. Weird setup I know!

I'd like the outlet to run under the drive instead of 6 feet above it, so that means installing a small pumping station below ground next to the house. I had a quote of £5000 to fit a small capacity pumping station (190 litres), which is too high a price and too small a size. It's very rocky ground too, so I expect excavating down would be more difficult than they think.

I was wondering if an above-ground pumping station could be installed in the house instead, with the outlet going down under the drive then back up to the existing sewer pipe on the wall opposite. The thing is, I've only ever seen examples of these installed in basements, so they're effectively below ground level anyway. Is it possible to install one on the ground floor as I've described? I did ask the manufacturer of a suitable pumping station (UK Pumps and Systems Ltd) but didn't get a reply.

Any advice is much appreciated.

 

[just pumps]

Take a look at Pump Technology, Aldermaston, Berkshire. They do this sort of thing.

 

[AndyAnglesey]

Many thanks for your reply. I took a look on the site, but again their case studies only feature pumps installed in basements. I'm beginning to think the only place these above-ground pumps can be used is below ground level!

I'd need the outlet to descend below the drive, travel 3 metres then rise up again, so it would form a U shape. My main concern is if such a layout would cause problems with freezing, blockages etc. Any ideas on that?

 

[bernardgreen]

Mono pumps, Their Grifter domestic sewage pump is a compact above ground system. We installed one about twenty years ago and it is still providing reliable service to the house.

 

[just pumps]

Take look at lifting stations, either the company I mentioned or Google it.

 

[dilalio]

Take look at lifting stations, either the company I mentioned or Google it.

OP, the clue is in the above poster's username!
I Think he might know what he's on about

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

It might look weird, but I suspect the current arrangement utilises gravity, has, and will continue to provide, many years of reliable service. There is nothing more superior than the of gravity for conveying sewage.

Please bear in mind pumps are not infallible, and can/do/will malfunction! Some can be limited to what they'll handle, (wipes, condoms, sanitary products, even grease and fat can cause problems!), and if the pump has broken down, you'll need to plan enough retention capacity until someone can get out to either fix the pump, or tanker away until the pump can be repaired.

190 litres will not be enough, (that is less than a standard oil drum!), and unless you're happy paying emergency rates to get a tanker out on a Weekend or the middle of the night, then I'd seriously be rethinking the specification you are looking at

 

[AndyAnglesey]

Thanks for your reply Hugh. I agree with your comments, 190 litres is far too low and isn't what I specified for the job (150 litres is needed per person). I plan to get a spare pump and non-return valve so I can replace them myself when needed, so hopefully an emergency tanker won't be necessary!

The gravity-fed solution works okay and has done for 35 years, but the soil pipe across the drive is unsightly and restricts access to the other side of the house. We'd also like to add a kitchen and bathroom on the top floor and there's no way to access the soil pipe from there. That means either using a Saniflo or a pumping/lifting station, and from what I've read about Saniflos I'd prefer to avoid them I think.

Feeding the outlet pipe gradually downwards inside the house so that it's underground at the outside wall might be the best bet. It can then travel diagonally beneath the drive, so it'll only need to rise externally a couple of feet to reach the soil pipe. Hope that sounds reasonable, but any other suggestions are very welcome!

 

[dilalio]

Can you supply a plan/sketch as it's quite hard to visualise the site parameters! This is the first thing I would be putting together with gradients et al. Quite an interesting topic so I'd like to see the lie of the land

 

[just pumps]

Picking up on your comment about Saniflo pumps, any pump will cause problems if misused even 415v pumps.

PS.
Any system will come with the non-return valve. The part that will cause you problems is the rise at the end of the line.

 

[just pumps]

Can you supply a plan/sketch as it's quite hard to visualise the site parameters! This is the first thing I would be putting together with gradients et al. Quite an interesting topic so I'd like to see the lie of the land

Just imagine a water slide, pump it up then let gravity take over.

 

[dilalio]

Can you supply a plan/sketch as it's quite hard to visualise the site parameters! This is the first thing I would be putting together with gradients et al. Quite an interesting topic so I'd like to see the lie of the land

Just imagine a water slide, pump it up then let gravity take over.

Yeah, I know
Done same thing with workshop at the end of my 100m garden... Saniflo starts the process then gravity takes over...
BTW: got the Saniflo free from a job, didn't buy it

 

[Steelmasons]

Can you supply a plan/sketch as it's quite hard to visualise the site parameters! This is the first thing I would be putting together with gradients et al. Quite an interesting topic so I'd like to see the lie of the land

Just imagine a water slide, pump it up then let gravity take over.

Yeah, I know
Done same thing with workshop at the end of my 100m garden... Saniflo starts the process then gravity takes over...
BTW: got the Saniflo free from a job, didn't buy it

Saniflo might have something to say about that..

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Picking up on your comment about Saniflo pumps, any pump will cause problems if misused even 415v pumps.

Seen pumps weighing over a tonne jammed solid with rag. A small household sized pump has no chance if the system is abused.

 

[dilalio]

Saniflo might have something to say about that..

Sacré bleu!