The City of International Falls’ Sanitary Sewer Ordinance prohibits sump pumps and/or foundation drains that are connected to the sanitary sewer service and main lines, referred to as “cross-connections”. Sump pumps and foundation drains must be directed outside of homes/businesses onto lawns, street curbs, road ditches or into storm sewers.
In August 2021, the City of International Falls will begin inspecting homes and businesses to verify compliance with this ordinance. These inspections will be performed by Widseth and Associates, Inc. (Widseth) for the City of International Falls. You will receive a notice from Widseth in July to set up an in-home inspection during the month of August. The average inspection will take between 10 and 20 minutes. Inspectors will be looking in your basement to ensure that sump pumps that are present are properly connected and that the connections are made with rigid PVC-type pipe, not flexible hoses. A detail of a proper system is attached to this letter. After the initial inspection, a second inspection may be conducted with a televising camera to televise the service from the home or business to the sanitary sewer main to check for foundation drain cross-connections. Homes with a correct connection or system will be issued a “passed inspection” document. All homes and businesses need to be inspected whether or not there is a sump pump.
If you have a non-compliant sump pump and/or foundation drain, you will be required to correct the deficiencies and have the installation re-inspected, before being issued a “passed inspection” document. You will have 90 days to correct a cross-connection after notification of the issue. Extensions are available for those who request them for valid reasons.
If you have any questions, or want more information, please contact City Engineer Curt Meyer with Widseth at 218-308-2603.
Sump Pump Diagram