Sewer leak/ground water??


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Old 04-19-04, 09:38 AM
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Sewer leak/ground water??

I have been told by a plumber that I have a sewer leak about 5 feet outside the foundation of my home. I get some water coming in from around the sewer pipe inside my basement, very small amounts of water though which I have not personally determined to be rain vs. inside water (laundry/etc.).

Here's my question, if there is a place for water to enter my basement around the sewer pipe from a sewer break, wouldn't ground water enter my basement the same way? If I fix the sewer break 5 feet out, wouldn't I still get ground water coming in? The plumber claims that if they fix the sewer break (for $1500!), that I won't get any more water in my basement. I don't see how this could be the case.

Thanks!
 
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Old 04-19-04, 12:58 PM
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You won't get groundwater infiltration into a basement unless the water table is above the floor of the building. If it were, you'd have a sump pump, do you? Dpes water enter through any fooor drains now? If not the water table isn't high enough to cause this water running in around the dewer pipe.

Gary Slusser
 
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Old 04-19-04, 02:04 PM
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Thanks for the reply! I do actually have a sump pump. Water does not come out of the drain.

If the sewer leak is 5 feet from the house, why wouldn't groundwater behave just like water from the sewer (i.e. find its way into my basement the same way)?

Thanks!
 
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Old 04-19-04, 02:12 PM
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Because water perculating down from the surface goes past the entry around the pipe. That water is not groundwater, it's surface water until it gets down to the water table which from there down is groundwater. The watew table is the saturated zone where all voids etc. are water filled; no air.

If your sump pump hole has no water in it, the water table (groundwater) is below the bottom of the hole.

Gary Slusser
 
 

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