Quote:
Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy
It's the opposite around here...NOTHING can go into the storm drains, they are even trying to control the leaves, because the storm drains go right to the rivers. In the sanitary you are allowed a lot more because it goes to the treatment plant, but they really try to limit what you are putting in there, as you noted.
A weeping tile? What the heck is that? Actually, I can imagine what it is...wouldn't that freeze right up in winter?
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From what I gathered when I permitted my drain, around here they are more concerned with what chemicals go into the municipal drinking water system. Not that they are unconcerned about storm sewers; but I am not sure they aren't filtered in some way too (here, at least).
You've never heard of a weeping tile? I thought it was a pretty universal thing. A weeping tile is a system that's been around for hundreds of years. It's a pit dug around the outside foundation of a structure (usually all the way down so no freezing), you fill the bottom of the pit with pea gravel them put a tubed pipe with holes in it all the way around the perimeter. The pipe has a "sock" on it which is a light fabric that will let water into the pipe but not gravel/dirt; water weeps into this system and is deposited to (usually) a dry well, 4+ feet from the foundation. It's super common in any area that gets a lot of snow or has a lot of ground water (they were all over in California, and exist on 99% of houses here). You never see them, they just take ground water from against the foundation and move it. Sometimes if you have a lot of ground water the house will have a sump pump dug below the foundation (usually 2-4 feet), and the weeping tile will feed water to the sump to be drained into the sewers.
It sounds like a big deal, but a lot of houses already have them (I thought the OPs might since he is in MN); and they aren't very difficult to tie into from above ground. The ground level "intakes" are normally near basement windows and doors.
Weeping tile - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia