Is this a sump pump pit? can I fill it in?

I just bought this house in Georgia. It has a full basement, and is on a slightly slopping lot (the front of the house is maybe 3 feet below ground and the back is at grade)

Toward the back of the basement(at grade), there looks like what used to be a sump pump pit. It's about 3feet deep, with maybe 8 inches of water. I dont see the need for a sump pump , at grade. I'd like to fill it in...it's pretty disgusting, during a heavy rain, the water level increases about 2 inches...the basement stays mostly dry

Also, they have stubbed out 2 1 1/2 and 1 3 inch pvc , this just drains into the sump pump pit....strange!


Thanks

There are obvious drains coming into that pit.
There is probably one leaving it as well.
I would not recommend filling that pit.
You may however put a good sealing cover on it.
A pit of this nature should be for ground water only and not sanitary drainage.

Sump Pit

With the pipe that you have stubbed into the pit I would guess they come off the rough-in you have in the basement; somebody just didn't install a sewage ejector into the pit. If you ever plan to use the rough-in you can't fill the hole.

pit

From the looks of that "pit" whatever it is, I doubt that it would EVER comply with the requirements for an ejector pit. It might be pushing it for a sump pit. Is it concrete lined or just a hole in the ground?

Thanks all for your responses ...hj, it's just a hole in the ground, not lined. My theory is that it was intially to be used as a sump pump (which explains the galvinized pipe near the "pit"} when it wasn't really needed they hooked up the washer through the pump discharge pipe, and at some point were going to place a sewage ejector in the pit (which explains the several pvc pipes that empty into it) but never got around to it.

ronchee said:

Thanks all for your responses ...hj, it's just a hole in the ground, not lined. My theory is that it was intially to be used as a sump pump (which explains the galvinized pipe near the "pit"} when it wasn't really needed they hooked up the washer through the pump discharge pipe, and at some point were going to place a sewage ejector in the pit (which explains the several pvc pipes that empty into it) but never got around to it.

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I am not too sure about your analysis. My experience has been that the 4" PVC pipe that you see is under the slab and is used to catch rising water under the slab and redirect it into the sump pit. A sump pump could then get rid of this water to prevent a flooded basement. I don't think it was ever intended to handle sewage.

99k said:

I am not too sure about your analysis. My experience has been that the 4" PVC pipe that you see is under the slab and is used to catch rising water under the slab and redirect it into the sump pit. A sump pump could then get rid of this water to prevent a flooded basement. I don't think it was ever intended to handle sewage.

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Weepers would not stub out of the slab as pictured and are run around the perimeter of the foundation, not under the center of the floor. This might be regional but most contractors use "Big-O" for drainage nowadays too. Although they still sell it, I haven't seen solid PVC weepers being used in a long time.


What you have appears to be a "rough in" for a ejector pit. If you are not going ahead with the bathroom, i suppose you can cap the pipes and fill the hole with dirt and gravel. If you decide to proceed at a later date, you'll just have to dig it out again. The pipes will still be there.