# Using sump pump water for gardening?



## orionrogue

Ok, question first, explanation second:  Does anyone use their sump pump water for gardening?

I live in an area where the water table is quite high.  I have a sump pump installed in my basement, connected to a retro-fitted french drain system inside the home.  It does its job wonderfully, and we have never seen a drop of water in the basement.  However, this pump runs a LOT, dumping the water 4-5 gallons at a time 70 feet away to the edge of my property.  Since I'm thinking about having a garden this year, it seems a shame to pump thousands of gallons a year during the growing season when I could be watering my garden, or even my lawn with it.

Thoughts/comments/ridicule?


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## Highbeam

The sump water will be considered surface water. I wouldn't drink it but would absolutely water a garden with it.


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## fbelec

that is a great idea. i hope it work out for you.


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## esuitt

I went to a gardening class this past Saturday and one of the instructors said that any water will work as long as there is no grease mixed in. My wifes aunt swears by using dirty dish water. Last year I tried it and killed some of my cucumbers but then it had a lot of butter and oil mixed in it.


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## Highbeam

Dishwater can work great, especially if it is laden with old fashioned dish soap that contained lots of phosphates. It's kinda like miracle grow.

Remember that folks even collect gutter water in barrels for use on their gardens. Sump water will be cleaner than that unless you are unfortunate enough to have contaminated soil around your home from a failing septic or a fuel tank. 

In a pinch, with a few drops of bleach, I would drink sump pump water.


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## woodchip

Highbeam said:
			
		

> Remember that folks even collect gutter water in barrels for use on their gardens.




Rainwater is a million times better than tap water for plants, plants do not need treated water with all sorts of secret additives in it.

And my wife swears by rainwater for washing her hair!

Groundwater is going to be virtually the same as rainwater.


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## orionrogue

Thanks for the responses.  I figured that it'd be ok, and there isn't a septic unit within 50' of the sump (my own) and it is in good working order.  I need to rework the sump anyway because I want a backup 110V pump plumbed in, in case of mechanical failure.  When I do that, I'll probably upgrade to a pair of 1/2HP pumps.  That'll ensure that they can heft the water the extra vertical height into collection barrels.


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## Highbeam

woodchip said:
			
		

> Highbeam said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Remember that folks even collect gutter water in barrels for use on their gardens.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rainwater is a million times better than tap water for plants, plants do not need treated water with all sorts of secret additives in it.
> 
> And my wife swears by rainwater for washing her hair!
> 
> Groundwater is going to be virtually the same as rainwater.
Click to expand...


Sounds like you have a personal problem. I would much rather drink tap water that has been filtered and sanitized than drink water that washed bird turds off of my roof, pollen and dust out of the air, and picked up terrible pH levels from falling through the nasty atmosphere. Not all groundwater is created equal, some is shallow where surface conditions influence it and some is deep where it is really quite pure. In any case, it is NOT the same as rainwater. 

What do plants need from water? Really they need proper pH and no nasty contaminants. Same as you and me.


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## fbelec

i agree. i would not drink rain water or surface well water. at least in this day and age. but for plants, i'd use the sump water. it did run thru the ground a bit. i used rain water on the garden at my last house. two 60 gallon barrels. watered every other day with it only used the spigot twice. in the season. small quarter inch of rain would fill one barrel, and got the best veggie garden i've ever had. 10 foot tomato plants. the only thing about sump water that you might want to be careful about is using it directly from the sump. because of temperature. the water that comes from the sump is kinda cold. you put cold water on some plants and you'll shock um. if you spray cold water on a warm tomato you'll crack it. if you pump out to a barrel outside and let it sit for a little to temper it that would work.


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## Archie

Highbeam said:
			
		

> woodchip said:
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> Highbeam said:
> 
> 
> 
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> Remember that folks even collect gutter water in barrels for use on their gardens.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rainwater is a million times better than tap water for plants, plants do not need treated water with all sorts of secret additives in it.
> 
> And my wife swears by rainwater for washing her hair!
> 
> Groundwater is going to be virtually the same as rainwater.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Sounds like you have a personal problem. I would much rather drink tap water that has been filtered and sanitized than drink water that washed bird turds off of my roof, pollen and dust out of the air, and picked up terrible pH levels from falling through the nasty atmosphere. Not all groundwater is created equal, some is shallow where surface conditions influence it and some is deep where it is really quite pure. In any case, it is NOT the same as rainwater.
> 
> What do plants need from water? Really they need proper pH and no nasty contaminants. Same as you and me.
Click to expand...


Don't see anything about anyone wanting to drink it.


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## woodchip

fbelec said:
			
		

> I would not drink rain water or surface well water.



I often drink rain water. It is clean, and fresh, no artificial additives (except a little bird poo maybe) but I do boil it first. Makes great coffee. 

Actually, there is only one type of water, H2O.

There are loads of brands out there costing a fortune, often coming in little bottles with sporty labels for use in gyms. 
We have stacks of water falling out of the sky here in England, but spend a fortune bring water across from France because it's got a fancy label (Evian or Perrier).
But it's the same stuff, different packaging. Just far too expensive for the veg plot


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## woodchip

woodchip said:
			
		

> fbelec said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I would not drink rain water or surface well water.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I often drink rain water. It is clean, and fresh, no artificial additives (except a little bird poo maybe) but I do boil it first. Makes great coffee.
> 
> Actually, there is only one type of water, H2O.
> 
> There are loads of brands out there costing a fortune, often coming in little bottles with sporty labels for use in gyms.
> We have stacks of water falling out of the sky here in England, but people spend a fortune bring water across from France because it's got a fancy label (Evian or Perrier).
> But it's the same stuff, different packaging. Just far too expensive for the veg plot
Click to expand...


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## peakbagger

There is nothing wrong with using sump pump water as discussed but it really isnt a good thing to use the sump pump to pump directly. Most sump pumps are designed to move volume and dont generate much pressure, usually they are sized for about 15 feet of elevation or about 6.5 psi. If you screw a hose onto the line and maybe a nozzle, the pump may supply some water but at a lower volume. It also puts a lot of load on the motor bearings as you are operating pump away from its most efficient operating point. The better setup is to pump up to rain barrel with an overflow, then tap either a hose into the bottom of the barrel or install a booster pump on the discharge of the barrel. THis way the sump pump runs when it needs to and runs as designed.


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## heat seeker

woodchip said:
			
		

> We have stacks of water falling out of the sky here in England, but people spend a fortune bring water across from France because it's got a fancy label (Evian or Perrier).


[/quote]

Ever try reading "Evian" backwards?


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## orionrogue

woodchip said:
			
		

> ...We have stacks of water falling out of the sky here in England, but spend a fortune bring water across from France because it's got a fancy label (Evian or Perrier).



Well this isn't where I thought this thread would be going when I started it...

I'll say that I do enjoy San Pellegrino; it has a slightly salty-mineral taste that I find refreshing.  However, I'd be an idiot to buy it all the time.  I'll buy it the way I buy a soda, which is about once a week.  After that its filtered tap water and coffee.  We even bought a carbonator for the house so we make our own club soda at home (About $.40/liter).  When we redo the kitchen, I'm having a restaurant soda gun installed, which will drive that cost down lower.


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## granpajohn

Highbeam said:
			
		

> What do plants need from water? Really they need proper pH and no nasty contaminants. Same as you and me.



I wanna mention the pH, maybe.
I used to live in a  house with sump pump discharge to my front lawn. You have never seen grass that grew better, thicker, greener, and more weedless  than the patch at the outfall of that pump.
My theory is that the higher pH of the lime (i.e. portland cement) laden discharge water is what did it, along with the consistent water schedule. I never tested it, but as you may know, acid-loving plants such as azaleas suffer when planted near a concrete foundation. Thus the need for Holly-Tone. Grasses, OTOH, love lime to sweeten the soil. At least, in the clays of central Maryland.

Um, so you may want to run it by a piece of litmus paper.

In trying to make a long story short; I see I've written a confusing post. Oh well; take a stab at it anyway.


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## Dr.Faustus

thats a good use for sump water. before you go buy 150 dollar collection barrels, go to lowes or home depot. 8-16 dollars and you should be able to find nice large plastic garbage pails with lids. they make great collection barrels. just check the bottom for holes. most of the wheeled ones are not water tight but many without wheels are.


have the sump run into the pail but make sure you have a large enough overflow system to handle the output of the sump pump on its busiest days. use a small utility pump to get the water out of the pails and into the garden.

i have been meaning to do this project for myself for a long time, just havent gotten around to it yet. my garden perks up remarkable when it rains, yet the house water doesnt seem to have the same effect.


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## orionrogue

I don't know if this is feasible for you, but soda manufacturers get their syrups shipped in large, 50+ gallon food grade plastic barrels.  Once they're used, they can't be refilled so they either toss them, recycle them or give 'em away.  You might try a local soda bottler, or other food manufacturing that need to use a liquid in their process (think corn syrup, liquid food dyes, etc).  Might be worth making a few phone calls.


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## woodsmaster

Rain water is the best for most plants becouse the ph is usually neutral. I wouldnt think the ph would change much going down in the ground 8' . My well is about a 10 on ph, not so good for plants.


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## Lumber-Jack

woodsmaster said:
			
		

> Rain water is the best for most plants becouse the ph is usually neutral. I wouldnt think the ph would change much going down in the ground 8' . My well is about a 10 on ph, not so good for plants.



Actually rainwater is generally more acidic than neutral ph, and in some places it can be very acid.


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## woodsmaster

Carbon_Liberator said:
			
		

> woodsmaster said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rain water is the best for most plants becouse the ph is usually neutral. I wouldnt think the ph would change much going down in the ground 8' . My well is about a 10 on ph, not so good for plants.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Actually rainwater is generally more acidic than neutral ph, and in some places it can be very acid.
Click to expand...


Yes pure rain water is 5.6 slightly acidic. Pollution and other things can make it more acidic. Sorry for the confusion.


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## Backwoods Savage

Several years ago a local business had a large supply of blue barrels but I don't remember what they originally held. I bought 9 or 10 of them and have a small trailer. I think I can get 8 barrels on the trailer. A neighbor has a pond 1/4 miles from us and I get many loads of water through the summer to use on the garden and fruit trees. I'll also use it on some of the deer food plots we have. We live on yellow sand so water goes through this like through a sieve. Therefore, we have to water a lot during dry years. but it does not work bad at all. It takes about 20 minutes to fill the barrels and another 20 to empty them plus the time to haul it. Not bad and worth a lot during dry years.


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## fbelec

one other place to get a barrel is a car wash. they buy their soap in it. just have to wash it out. i got two 60 gallon white barrels for free. i just had to ask. they use them for their trash at the vacuum stations.


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## esuitt

Local water treatment plants usually have their supplies delivered in plastic 50 gal drums.


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