# Sump Pump Water for irrigation???



## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

I have been watching gallons of water be pumped out of our basement the last week. I was down there today staring into the clear puddle wondering this: 

could we be saving this water for watering the garden? Does anyone do this? Is there any reason not to? The water has seeped in through the fieldstone foundation (melted snow) and is just running like a river right into the sump pit. I could easily reroute the hose into a catch barrel. Would we need to filter it somehow if we wanted to use it for irrigation in the months to come? Toss goldfish in it? Just wondering.. seems like a waste of perfectly (otherwise useful) water.


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## B & B Farms (Jan 12, 2011)

I have thought about this many times, however our sump shoots out a pipe 6' underground into drainage tile that eventually comes out to the ditch down the road.

My Auntie's sump shoots out a flexible hose that runs way out to the edge of her yard, and when I say shoots it SHOOTS out, the hose actually jumps several inches up off the ground! We have been trying to think of ways to reuse the water at Auntie's but the force of the water keeps being an issue.

Allene


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## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

Hmm.. I'm not sure what the force is on our hose to be honest. My basic question is would the water be safe enough to reuse on a garden without some sort of treatment.. and considering it would be stored in huge collection barrels in the basement until it was used. The water looks good and can't be any worse than anything else right?? LOL


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## Dave in Ohio (Jun 11, 2002)

It should be fine for use on the garden...the only concern is if it would have gas or other petroleum products in it...you can also use gray water for the garden....dishwasher water, laundry water, bath water all but toilet water and you can use all the above for flushing toilets if the need ever would occur.. the sump water could also be used for drinking cooking water if a good filter is used.


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## B & B Farms (Jan 12, 2011)

RunBunch, I don't see why you couldn't use it, like I said I am trying to figure out how to use it an my Auntie's. We have a huge garden over there, alone with our two big gardens here!

If it doesn't have an oily sheen or is smelly it should be fine. Do you really want to lug water from your basement out to your garden, my Auntie's sump hose goes up and out a basement window...if you ran some more hose you could divert it to outside and never mind the lugging water!!!

Allene


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