Shallow well pump for weird sump?

[chufi]

Bought a house that is at the base of a hill and has a small spring under the foundation, there is a sump pit in the basement, but it is only 12" across and has a sewer pipe running through it (no sewer stuff emptys there, pipe just runs through.the pit. not sure if it was laziness or some weird inspection hole that got co-opted for the sump, built in 59) because of the pipe you can't get a sump pump very low, maybe 12 inches down, so there is still 12 inches of water under the base and it quickly fills up to 90% which is probably about the water level for the ground there.

My question is if I could use a small shallow well pump to get down past the pipe and have the outlet go to my sump plumbing. I know I'd need a tethered float switch to kick it on. Is that something that would work or a bad idea?

Having any groundwater here is unusual so not really any local companies to help me out. Would love to be able to hire someone to just dig a real sump pit next to it, but can't find anyone so far (in 94901)

Also curious if with this setup I could actually get a pressure tank and use it for irrigation, but I think I'd have to see how much water I could get out of it as a sump first.

Super interesting to learn about at the very least.

 

[Fitter30]

Small sump pump might work discharged through a check valve to pvc pipe out the side of the house to garden hose to sprinkler.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

Instead of a tethered switch, you could use one of those with electric probes.

There is also a tethered float switch. https://www.basementwatchdog.com/basement-watchdog-universal-dual-float-switch/
Pump continues to run for 10 seconds after the float detects the water has fallen.

 

[Breplum]

It is doubtful you could run off a pressure tank, but if you wanted, get a giant tank and pump into that tank which would then utilize either gravity or pressurizing tank system. A lot of expense unless you amortize over many decades, given the cost of water.
Certainly find a person to dig a new sump pit and drop a conventional sump pump down to dewater the sub area.

 

[Reach4]

I think he is thinking of a 1/2 HP shallow well jet pump, which stays above the water. 1-1/4 NPT suction pipe goes into the water.

 

[LLigetfa]

If the volume of water in the lower 12 inches is much less than in the top 12 inches, it would not be of any benefit to be drawing it down that far. To increase the range on tether type floats require a larger diameter pit so as not to snag the float on the side of the pit.

My sump pit goes deeper (into clay) than the coarse stone under the slab so drawing it down that low makes no sense. I gave up on using submersibles and now use a pedestal pump suspended in the pit.