I recently purchased a home which was built in the late 1800's. It has a below-grade concrete stairwell walkout (from the basement to the backyard). When I first walked through the home I noticed that rain water had built up in the bottom of the stairwell but I assumed the drain was covered by leaves. After I purchased the home and cleaned the stairwell I noted there was no drain at all. When it rains the stairwell fills with water until there is approximately 1" of water and then it flows under the basement door and about 4 feet to an interior basement drain. The basement door appears to have been recently replaced, no doubt because this problem caused the previous door and frame to rot. I have tried a sump pump, but it requires 1.5" of water to turn on and by that time the water is already running into the house. I also thought about cutting in an exterior drain but I believe it is against code to mix runoff water with interior drainage. The last thing I have thought about is putting some type of lid over the stairwell. Anybody have any ideas? Im trying to remedy the problem myself but I am fresh out of ideas. Thanks!

I would temporarily cover the stairs well with plastic sheeting (supported as necessary across span of opening) to determine if that solves the problem, which it should unless there is undergroung water infiltrating, there is a leak through the stairway. If it works, get a permanent cover. If not, you need to find the source of the water and divert it to a location that doesn't cause damage. And you are correct, in most locations drainage cannot be disposed of in sewerlines.

Your other option is to cut the floor and dig a small sump pump pit just for the stairwell. A cover may be cheaper.

I'd go with digging a hole and using a drywall bucekt as a sump crock. You already have the sump pump. Make a cover out of treated 3/4" plywood.

Cut the landing, install deep collection bucket, cement around it, insert 1 1/2" Zoeller pump with auto-float into the bucket, run your electrical, run your discharge pipe away from the area.

Home Depot sells 12"x12"x12" plastic dirt collection bucket in garden drain department. It come with grate. It is made of high density plastic. You can fit small sump-pump in it. If the bucket is not deep enough for your pump, use 6" extension collar.

I appreciate all the ideas. Since I read your posts I have tried another sump pump with a backflow valve. The sump pumps didn't seem to have enough "umph" to pump the water up and out of the stairwell via a garden hose. Should the sump pump be able to pump the water out? What kind of cover could I get? I really appreciate any help, recent rains have brought more water in and the door frame continues to absorb the water.

If your pump uses a garden hose, you don't have a sump pump, you have a small utility pump.

If the pump can be located in a corner where one does not normally walk, I would use a drywall bucket with a lid or a 5 gallon paint bucket with lid. Get a submersible sump pump. Sump pumps are pipe with 1 1/2" or 1 1/4" PVC.
Cut off 2' of pipe and attach threaded adapter. Screw pipe in to sump pump. Set in bucked. Measure and cut hole for pipe and cord in lid. Drill a lot of small holes in lid to let water in. Also drill some small holes in bottom of bucket. That will let in any underground water under the slab into the bucket to be pumped away. It will also let the small amount of water remaining in the bucket, to drain away after things have dried out.

Place lid in corner about 2 inches away from each wall. Mark outline of lid with chalk or marker. Drill a series of holes in concrete 2" outside outline. Break out concrete and dig hole. Post hole diggers best. Set bucket with lid in hole. Top of lid should be slightly below surface of concrete. Fill in around outside of bucket with soil or gravel to bottom of concrete. Wrap edge of lid with some 2" wide 1/2" thick foam or door weather stripping. This will act as a spacer to keep concrete back from lid. Mix up bag of concrete and fill in around bucket and lid. Smooth between top of existing concrete and lid with trowel. After concrete has set up, remove lid, set pump in bucket and replace lid.
Either drill hole in wall and run cord inside to receptacle or run electric line to sump pump area and use rain proof outlet. Do not use GFI receptacle.
Attach additional piping with rubber coupling and clamps.

Whether on not you use a check valve depends on the size of the piping and the height of the wall. After installation is complete, test by running water in sump. Let it pump the water out. After the pump stops, if the water in the pipe, draining back down, causes the pump to come on again you will have to install a check valve. If you install a check valve and are in a climate where freezing is a possibility, you will have to install heat tape on the pipe. If you don't have to install a check valve you won't have to worry about freezing. If you have to install check valve, replace rubber coupling with rubber check valve.

Hey Tim,
Everybody's focusing on a sump pump;. I have a more passive solution. How about a catch basin,(see image) that discharges into a french drain,(see image) or perforated pipe, such as a drain field has. That way you're not dependent upon electricity just gravity. Regards, Tom