Sump Pumps in Bonita, CA

Why does a Bonita home end up with a sump pump?

Usually because of age and slope. The median Bonita home was built around 1975, and houses from that era often sit on raised foundations. On a lot that drains toward the house, winter storms can leave water standing underneath, and a small pump in a low pit is a common remedy. Homes on sloping lots may also have garages or rooms set partly into the grade, and those low spots are where rain wants to collect. Properties with workshops or barns sometimes add their own pits.

What does Sweetwater require if I want a water-powered backup?

Sweetwater Authority supplies Bonita's water, and its cross-connection program requires backflow devices to be tested when they are installed and every year after by a tester the Authority certifies and approves. The customer pays for installation, testing, maintenance and repair. A backup pump driven by water pressure connects to the drinking water supply, so it would likely bring that yearly testing along with it. A battery backup gives similar protection during a storm outage without any connection to the supply. Sweetwater's customer service and after-hours line is (619) 420-1413.

Where should the water go, and who handles permits?

Pumped rainwater belongs in the yard, carried far enough from the foundation that it can't flow back. It shouldn't be piped into a sewer cleanout or a laundry drain, which are for wastewater. An ejector serving a lower bathroom is the exception, since it is built to discharge into the building drain. On permits, Bonita's status and permitting office weren't confirmed for this page, so check with the building department that covers your address, or ask the plumber, before adding discharge piping or an ejector.

A local note

Crawl space pumps are easy to forget. Each fall, open the hatch, pour water into the pit and watch the pump start, drain it and stop. Clear leaves from the outdoor outlet while you're at it, so the first storm finds the whole path open. If the pump hesitates, hums or leaves water in the basin, that is the time to call, while the weather is still dry and the crawl space is easy to work in.