Sanitary Sewage Ejector/Lift Station Installation Guidelines - Plumbing Code Requirements

Oct 25, 2026

Uploaded by gewufjwa

Sanitary sewage ejector/lift station installation guidelines outline key plumbing code provisions for proper drainage slopes, when sewage ejector pumps are permitted, and the documentation needed before installation. Requirements specify recording invert elevations, minimum pump capacity at vertical lift height, discharge line sizing, and limitations on horizontal discharge length to achieve effective return to gravity drainage. The guidance also covers gravity drain sizing calculations, pressure-rated discharge piping with accessible check and shutoff valves, sump cover tightness, and venting rules, with recommendations for long or high-lift scenarios.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryTechnology

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Sanitary Sewage Ejector/Lift Station Installation Guidelines

Drainage slope requirements

Sewage ejector pump installation conditions

Capacity, discharge piping, and valve requirements

Sump venting and drainage connections

Long discharge line recommendations

Sanitary Sewage Ejector/Lift Station Installation Guidelines | For information on Permit Applications and the County’s InSite Public Portal please use this link
[https://www.sccgov.org/sites/d](https://www.sccgov.org/sites/d)[ ](https://www.sccgov.org/sites/d)pd/Iwantto/Permits/Pages/Dev[elopmentPermitApplications.as](elopmentPermitApplications.as)px
To schedule a Building inspection please use the InSite Public Portal for information on how to set up an account and for scheduling information use the following link
[https://www.sccgov.org/sites/d](https://www.sccgov.org/sites/d)[ ](https://www.sccgov.org/sites/d)pd/DocsForms/Documents/InSite HowTo ScheduleInspections Online. pdf
Follow this link to the 2019 CA Plumbing Code
[http://epubs.iapmo.org/2019/C](http://epubs.iapmo.org/2019/C)PC/index. html
Planning and Development Permit Center
70 W Hedding Street East Wing, 7th Floor San Jose, CA 95110 Phone: (408) 299-5770
Email to:
[PLN-PermitCenter@pln.sccgov.org](PLN-PermitCenter@pln.sccgov.org) | CPC 708.1 Building drains and sewers should slope in practical alignment with a uniform slope of ¼”/ft or 2% . Where this slope is impractical due to the depth of the street sewer, structural features, location of other utilities, or the arrangement of the building, a 4” drain or sewer may slope at 1/8”/ft or 1%, where first approved by the Building Inspector.
CPC 709.1 Sewage ejector pumps should only be installed where minimum slope for a gravity drainage system cannot be obtained. Invert elevations of the building drain and sewer tie-in point must be recorded and provided to the building inspector prior to installing a sewage ejector system.
CPC 710.3 Sewage ejectors receiving the discharge from a toilet must have a capacity of not less than 20 gpm at the vertical lift height with a minimum 2”discharge line. Horizontal discharge lines must be as short as possible and should only lift effluent as high as needed to return to a gravity drain system. This usually requires the sewage ejector to be located adjacent to the tie-in point.
CPC Table 703.2 Gravity drain lines receiving the discharge of a sewage ejector pump serving a toilet must be 4”(20 GPM X 2 = 40 Min. DFU)
CPC 710.4 The discharge pipe from a sewage ejector pump must be pressure rated and be provided with an accessible check valve and a gate or ball valve. The connection to a horizontal gravity drain shall be from the top with a wye branch fitting.
CPC 710.10 Sump covers must be tight fitting and gasketed. The sump must have a 2” vent extended through the roof or connected to the house venting system, where permitted. Fixtures draining into the sump must be trapped and vented as required by applicable sections of the Plumbing Code for gravity systems.
For long discharge lines or high lifts, grinder pumps are recommended.

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FAQs

When may sewage ejector pumps be installed instead of a gravity drainage system?

They should only be installed where the minimum slope for a gravity drainage system cannot be obtained.

What documentation is required before installing a sewage ejector system?

Invert elevations of the building drain and the sewer tie-in point must be recorded and provided to the building inspector prior to installation.

What are the discharge line and capacity requirements for a sewage ejector receiving a toilet discharge?

The ejector must have a capacity of not less than 20 gpm at the vertical lift height, with a minimum 2-inch discharge line.

Oct 25, 2026

Uploaded by gewufjwa