Christmas rain has people using their sump pumps

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – With all of the rain we’ve been getting, people are using their sump pumps to prevent water backing up into their homes. And the city is doing that as well with their axillary pumps to relieve pressure on the sewer system.

According to a city official, they have received calls regarding the water issue because we had over two and a half inches which has caused problems. Sump pumps flow to outside storm drains during the summer but are switched to sanitary sewer drains in the winter.

“In the summertime when we get heavy rains like that one of the things we want to do is ask residents to pump their sump pumps outside,” said Jim Hausauer, the water reclamation utility director. “But with that, you end up worrying about freeze up potentially having an issue inside the house. So in this scenario we have to actually allow them to continue to go into the sanitary.”

There is a 24-hour hotline to the city’s public works department if you are dealing with a water emergency in your home.