What is the difference between a sewage ejector pump and a sump pump?

Although sump pumps and sewage ejection systems, commonly referred to as “lift stations”, look similar at a glance, it’s important to know the difference between the two. Simply put, sump pumps handle and remove ground water, whereas sewage ejector pumps handle and pump domestic sewage produced by the use of plumbing fixtures in a home.

Sewage ejector pumps are necessary when the level of the sewer line is above the lowest plumbing fixture or drain line within a home. This is standard and necessary where a plumbing fixture has been installed in a basement with no previous plumbing, or commonly in new construction where an old home was demolished and replaced with a new home containing a basement. The level of the municipal sewer line cannot be lowered, so the home has to rely on a pump to “lift” the sewage to a point where it can naturally drain to the sewage by force of gravity. Sewage ejector pumps are typically identified by having a sealed lid with 2 pipes, whereas sump pumps often have only 1 pipe and may or may not have a sealed lid.