Sewer pump-out pits for basement and low-level bathrooms

If a bathroom, laundry or toilet sits lower than the sewer it needs to drain into, gravity can't do the job. A sewer pump-out pit collects the waste and pumps it up into the sewer. It's a common solution for basement rooms, lower-level granny flats and homes built below street level. Done well, you won't notice it's there. Done badly, it's an unpleasant problem. Here's what matters.

How a sewer pump-out works

• Waste from the low fixtures drains into a sealed pit with a pump inside.
• A float switch starts the pump when the level rises, and it pushes the waste up a pressure pipe into the gravity sewer.
• A non-return valve stops the waste flowing back into the pit.
• The pit is vented, sealed and has an alarm to warn of a high level.

One pump or two?

Whichever you choose, a high-level alarm is essential, so you know before the pit overflows.

Keeping it working

• Never flush wipes, sanitary products or fat. They jam pumps. See flushing wipes.
• Have the pumps, floats, valves and alarm serviced regularly.
• If the alarm sounds, stop using the low fixtures and call us.

Other options

For a single toilet and basin, a macerator unit is sometimes an alternative where allowed. See macerator toilets. We'll look at your layout and give you options, with a fixed price before any work starts.

In southern Eastern Suburbs homes

Homes on sloping blocks in Maroubra and Coogee with lower-level rooms, and low-lying homes in Botany, are where we most often install and service sewer pump-out pits.

Related help: macerator toilets, reflux valves, stormwater pumps and blocked drains. Local pages: Maroubra, Coogee, Botany and Little Bay.