& C O L L E C T I O NS Y S T E M G L O S S A R Y

SUMP PUMP

City of Ann Arbor

Foundation – A foundation is thebottom part of a building. It’s theelement that anchors the building tothe ground and transmits thebuilding’s gravity load directly to theearth. Water damage weakens yourhome’s foundation and can causeserious structural damage.

Footing Drain – A footing drain is asmall (usually 4” in diameter)perforated pipe, installed around theoutside of basement footings. Thepurpose of footing drains or foundationdrains is to collect ground water andkeep it away from your foundationwalls.

301 E. Huron Street

Ann Arbor, MI 48104 www.A2gov.org

Sump Pump – A sump pump is a mechanical device that sits in a pit in yourbasement. Sump pumps are part of a foundation drainage system designed todirect ground water away from the house’s foundation.

Sump Pump Internal Discharge Line – Your sump pump pumps water out of thesump pit through an internal discharge line that exits your home and connectsto an external discharge pipe outside your home.

Check valve – A check valve is a type of “one-way” valve that allows water tomove in one direction only. The purpose of the check valve is to prevent waterthat’s being pumped out of the sump pit from flowing back into the sump pit.

Sump Pump External Discharge Line – The internal discharge pipe inside yourhome is connected to a discharge pipe outside your home. The externaldischarge pipe is connected to a curb drain that sends the water to the City’sstorm water collection system, or to a drainage area in your yard.

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Air gap – An air gap is a space between the outletof one pipe and the rim of the receptor pipe. Thepurpose of the air gap is to allow for emergencyoverflow in the event of an issue in the externaldischarge, the curb collection system or thestormwater system.

SUMP PUMP& C O L L E C T I O NS Y S T E M G L O S S A R Y

Air gap

Cleanout – A cleanout is a capped pipe, whichprovides access to the exterior discharge line,allowing people to cleanout blockages in the line.Clogs in the line are the responsibility of theproperty owner, as is keeping the cleanout clearof blockages. It’s a good idea for homeowners toknow where each cleanout is located and to keepthe surrounding area clear.

SUMP PUMP& C O L L E C T I O NS Y S T E M G L O S S A R Y

Tap - A tap is a connection from a residentialsewer lead to the City’s sanitary or storm sewersystems.

Curb drain – a curb drain is part of the stormdrainage system designed to collect stormwaterfrom homes or buildings and transport it to anoutlet.

Storm sewer – A storm sewer is a drainage andcollection system designed to collectprecipitation and runoff from streets, yards,parking lots and rooftops. The storm watercollection system transports storm water anddischarges it to rivers, streams and drains.

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Cleanout

Curb drain

Storm sewer outlet

Curb drainCurb drain

SUMP PUMP& C O L L E C T I O NS Y S T E M G L O S S A R Y

Catch basin - A catch basin is a part of a stormdrain or sewer system that is designed to trapdebris so that it cannot enter the drainagepipes.

Right-of-Way – A right-of-way is a right tomake a way over a piece of land, usually to andfrom another piece of land. A type of easementgranted or reserved over the land fortransportation purposes, this can be for ahighway, public footpath, rail transport, canal,as well as for utilities, such as electricaltransmission lines, oil and gas pipelines, watermains and sanitary and storm sewers. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes ofmaintenance or expansion of existing services.

Drainage – Drainage is the soil’s ability toallow water to pass through it. Dense soil willhold water, while loose soil will allow water topass through quickly. Drainage also refers tohow and where water flows on a piece ofproperty. One of the most common causes ofbasement water problems is poor exteriordrainage.

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Catch basin

Right-of-way

Drainage

SUMP PUMP& C O L L E C T I O NS Y S T E M G L O S S A R Y

Grading – Grading means creating a levelbase or specified slope to improve drainagearound a building. One of the mostcommon causes of water in basements ispoor drainage. This can sometimes becorrected by grading.

Pitch – The pitch or slope, rise, grade orincline is the tangent of the angle of thatsurface to the horizontal.

Swale – a swale is a low tract of land, oftenmoist or wet, sometimes built to managestormwater. Swales can be a natural orman-made feature.

Low spot – A low spot in a yard or a swale,can collect water, causing wet and marshyland.

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Grading

Pitch

Swale

Low spot

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Berm - A berm is a naturally occurring or man-made mound of earth. In landscaping, berms areoften used to provide privacy, directstormwater flow and add variation to alandscape.

Floor Drain - The floor drain is usually round,and about 4 inches in diameter. The purpose ofthe floor drain is to capture any water thatcollects in the basement. For that reason, thefloor around the drain is sloped to direct waterto the drain.

Trap - A trap is a bend in a piping system,typically under a floor drain, wash basin orlaundry tub, that always holds water, to preventsewer gases from entering buildings.

Backflow preventer - A backflow preventer is atype of “one-way” valve that allows water tomove in one direction only. This device isinstalled onto your plumbing system to protectyour drinking water and the city water supplyfrom contaminants.

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Backflow preventer (RPZ valve)

Trap

Floor drain

Berm