Given the diversity of the terrain in our area, we often find difficulty in getting the main sewer line for the house to grade properly to the city sewer. Sewage ejector pumps are designed to pump residential sewage to an elevated city sewer line. All residential plumbing systems rely on the force of gravity to move water into the incoming lines and to move sewer waste out. When wastewater cannot flow to its proper destination with gravity, and if the geography of the site is such that it prevents sewage from moving fast enough on its own and the rule of thumb is 2 feet per second, there is a solution; sewage ejection systems. A typical distinctive application of a sewage ejector system is in a home where a bath is located lower than the height of the sewer line which leaves the home. The sewer ejection pump lifts the waste from the lower level (basement type homes) up to the sewer line at the main level. The principle is to run the main sewer drain from your house into a basin, which houses a pump. When the level in the tank reaches its preferred set limit, a set of floats will activate the pump to come on. This pump will emulsify the solids and pump it into the city sewer. There are different styles of pumps and the first and simplest is the sewage ejection system which generally runs off 1 pump and 1 float. The basic principle is when the float rises to its set limit, it activates the pump and when the tank is emptied and the float drops, the pump shuts off. Some home owners opt to have a second pump installed as an alternating or back up pump. A high water alarm can also be installed in the event the pump fails. If the pump were to fail, the alarm will sound with an audible and light to alert you of a problem. With sewer ejection systems, it is crucial to avoid certain items from entering the drain lines when your home is on any type of ejector system. More than 90% of service calls related to ejector problems are calls in which foreign objects have been introduced into the sewer.

The guideline is as follows for what you should dispose of into the sewer when you are on an ejector system: Toilet paper, toilet paper and toilet paper only. That is it! Minimal use of the garbage disposal is also recommended. This minimal garbage disposal guideline applies to all sewer systems but especially to a grinder or ejector system. One of the most common problems with non functioning ejector systems is the disposal of handy wipes into the sewer. It states on the container that you can flush these items into the sewer – DO NOT DO IT! This is a common problem of malfunctioning ejector systems – the dreaded shredded and bound up handy wipe. The homeowner will proudly produce the box of handy wipes which states, safe to flush down the toilet. Remember just say no to handy wipes being flushed down the toilet. The farther the distance the waste must be lifted the larger the pump. You must also consider size and capacity for example a single toilet vs. multiple baths and users. When considering maintenance, the ejector system should be checked once a year by a qualified plumbing contractor. The main item checked during a yearly inspection is to see that the floats are properly set. There will be a visual inspection of the inside of the tank to ensure that no foreign object damage has occurred to the moving parts. The pump ohms are also checked, which in most cases this will indicate what the life expectancy of the pump is. To avoid any confusion, there is a big difference between sewer ejection systems and sump pumps. The sump pump is used to move clean water from an area where water is not desired. Sump pumps are used under homes where ground water forms or during our monsoon season when the water runs under a home to such a degree that is becomes a hazard.