Stormwater: Dry Wells (Sump Pits)

Here is 'sump-thing' to consider

Dry wells, or sump pits, could help manage water on your property

By John Kanaskie

How do you deal with stormwater on your property?

A common issue among residents is figuring out how to release rainwater and snowmelt without affecting neighbors or roads.

Our stormwater ordinance, in short, states that water from your property cannot discharge into the street or directly impact neighboring properties.

In years past, French drains and downspout drains were connected to the sanitary sewer (where your toilet flushes to) or released into the street.

As time went on, problems with these methods became apparent.

First, stormwater could overwhelm the sanitary sewer system, backing up pipes during heavy storms and causing wastewater runoff.

Second, directing water into the street caused icy roads in winter—and the salt applied to melt the ice deteriorated roads more quickly.

Now, everyone is required to connect directly to the storm (not sanitary) sewer system or to release stormwater on your own property where it can infiltrate the nearby soil.

But what if you don’t have a nearby storm sewer, or your property is graded such that water flows onto your neighbor’s property?

One solution that many residents find works for them is called a dry well, or sump pit.

This diagram of a sample dry well, or sump pit, shows how water can be collected into an underground chamber and then gradually allowed to infiltrate the surrounding soil. Your contractor can help develop the design that is best for your property.

Illustration by Andrea Iglar

A dry well, simply put, is a large underground chamber lined with filter fabric and filled with stone. A stormwater drain pipe (such as a home’s downspout) is run to the pit, where the water is collected and slowly allowed to infiltrate the surrounding soil.

The system is covered with fabric and a thin layer of vegetated soil. Usually there is an overflow pipe for times when water cannot leach into the ground quickly enough because of heavy rain.

The dry well can be simple or complex depending on your situation.

An optional feature for the overflow pipe is a popup emitter that remains flush to the ground and has a lid that opens up, or “pops up,” when water needs to be emitted. Your contractor can help develop the design that is best for your property.

Guidelines for calculating the size of a dry well can be found in the township's stormwater management ordinance: southfayettepa. com/managestormwater.