Sump Pumps in El Mirage, AZ

El Mirage sits on the west bank of the Agua Fria River near Luke Air Force Base. Settled by migrant farm workers in the early 1930s, it keeps its farming roots while growing an industrial base, and its homes are slab-built. Pump pits are more likely in warehouses and shops than in houses, but a low residential lot can need one too.

What to do now

1. Turn off power to the pump at the breaker if water is near the outlet.
2. Reset a tripped GFCI once; if it trips again, leave it for the plumber.
3. Look at the discharge outlet for a blockage, a kink or a disconnected joint.
4. Stop using any sink or toilet that drains to an ejector.
5. Get stock, tools or furniture off the floor.
6. Call and describe what the pump does and how fast the water is rising.

Symptom and likely cause

Cost factors

• A switch or valve repair versus a new pump
• Residential sump, commercial pit or sewage ejector
• Cleaning silt from the basin
• Rerouting the discharge
• Battery backup or high-water alarm

The City of El Mirage runs its own water system, which also serves the Original Town Site of Surprise, and its own wastewater collection and reclamation facility. That sewer is not the place for storm water. If you want a backup pump driven by water pressure, El Mirage City Code puts the customer in charge of testing and servicing backflow assemblies at least once a year, using a certified tester from the city's list. Building Safety says permits are needed for new construction and some repair work, so ask the plumber about yours.

For a business, mention whether the pit sits under a loading dock, in a mechanical room or beside equipment that cannot get wet, and whether the building has to stay open during the work. Those details change how the job is scheduled and what backup makes sense.