Sump Pump in Arlington, VA

Warning signs worth acting on

• The pit is full after a storm and the motor never kicked on
• You can hear the pump humming, but the outside discharge stays dry
• It cycles on and off every few seconds even in light rain
• Water rushes back down into the basin each time the pump stops
• Efflorescence, a damp carpet edge or a musty smell along a foundation wall
• The breaker or GFCI outlet trips when the motor starts

The Arlington picture

Arlington is a county with no separate city government, so the county runs everything from permits to pipes. Its housing has a median build year of 1976, and much of it sits in established single-family neighborhoods around the Metro corridors in Clarendon and Ballston. Plenty of those homes have full or partial basements, and finished rec rooms below grade raise the stakes when a pump quits.

The County's Water, Sewer, Streets Bureau runs both water and sanitary sewer, with wastewater treated at the County's Water Pollution Control Plant. That sewer is meant for household waste, so a sump hose run into a laundry tub or floor drain should be moved outdoors. For water turning up where it should not, including in the street or a meter box, the County keeps a 24-hour emergency hotline at 703-228-6555.

Considering a backup pump that runs on water pressure? It connects to your drinking water line, which makes it a cross connection. Arlington's Cross Connection Control Program inspects residential cross connections after installation, and permits that include a backflow device need a final cross-connection inspection. A battery backup skips that step entirely.

What moves the price

• Swapping a float switch or check valve versus replacing the whole pump
• A sump pump for groundwater or a sewage ejector for a basement bathroom
• A cracked liner, a pit with no lid or a basin packed with silt
• Rerouting a discharge line that dumps water against the foundation
• Adding a battery backup or a high-water alarm
• Night, weekend or storm-day calls

When you call

The number on this page links you with an independent plumber who works in Arlington. Say whether water is rising now, how deep it is and whether the pit handles groundwater or sewage. If water is near an outlet or extension cord, shut that circuit off at the panel before stepping in. The plumber can tell you whether the work needs a County permit through Permit Arlington.