Hi everyone,
I have a finished basement. There is an old double porcelain sink and on the opposite wall a toilet which is in front of the old cast iron lead joined main drain.

I would like to install a sink and shower in the bathroom. I had a plumber look at it and he mentioned something about a waste water ejector pump. How is such a device installed. The floor is concrete and I would suspect that I have to cut into it to install the drain and it would have to run into some sort of tank or something below the floor to hook this pump up to.

Can anyone tell me about such a system ot suggest an alternative?

Thanks

Hey Ron,

You haven't given me enough details to answer. Is the sewer main under the cement or above it? No matter where it's at you're going to hafta break open the floor. But your question's confusing. The fact that you have fixtures already installed tells me the main's under the cement but your plumber wants to install a holding tank and ejector pump and that would indicate the main is above the cement. If the main's under the cement then your plumber's attempting to sell you something you don't need. If it's over the cement floor then the toilet has to be set up on a platform higher then the sewer main. So which is it? I'll wait on yout reply. Tom

Hi speedball,
The main drain for the house is directly behind the toilet. The toilet is mounted on the concrete floor. I don't think there is enough room benind the toilet to tap into the main drain. I t appears theat whoever installed thetoiled did break up the concrete to install the toilet. Also the drain is the old lead filled cast iron type. My kitchen sink which is on the opposite wall ties into the main drain about 2 feet off the floor. Let me know if you need any more info.

Thanks,
Ron

Good morning Ron,

If the house main is located under the floor then why in the world would your plumber suggest a holding tank and ejector pump? You have options.

1- You can break the floor up and cut a wye in where the toilet set to pick up the lavatory and shower and move toilet over a few feet.
2- You can break up the floor and connect the lavatory drain to the existing kitchen drain and connect the shower drain to the lavatory drain where it will be wet vented by the lavatories VTR (vent through roof.)
Whatever you do will involve jackhammering up the floor, but I fail to see the advantage in the extra expense of installing a ejector system. Good luck, Tom