Running Waste Line Into Downspout

IceShadow

Gold Supporter
TFP Guide
Jun 8, 2019
4,581
Milwaukee, WI
Pool Size
20000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Currently my waste line is underground 1.5" PVC that runs out to the back of my small suburban lot. This puts the water coming out right down into the yard of a neighbor. I've worked to clean up a rock bed channel that someone must have put together to make the water go to the edge of their lot where it can run to the street, and the neighbor insists they don't mind the water, but who knows if they'll be my neighbor forever and I still see a LOT of water going on their property when I have to do things like drain the pool down below the returns for closing. It's also not how you're supposed to discharge water in my municipality - you're supposed to discharge to sewer grate, street, or storm sewer line.

My downspouts go underground and when we had someone there to work on the gas lines and repave our street last summer, I confirmed with them that the downspouts do discharge into the storm sewer. So, I'd like to add a valve to redirect water to my downspout near my equipment pad, instead of my neighbor's lawn. (I'll leave that line instead of abandoning it because you never know what will happen, but I plan to use a 3-way diverter on my waste PVC line to do this.)

A photo of the downspout I'm looking to use is below. I plan to have the waste line run low along the ground around the corner of my chimney, around the metal box (which was probably an air intake for the chimney at one point but now seems to be sealed up with concrete), and into the downspout. Is there a better way than just cutting a hole in the downspout slightly larger than the pipe, having the pipe go in to the downspout by 1/4" or so, and then siliconing the Crud around the opening? I doubt anyone makes a downspout tee to a 1.5" PVC connection. I could put unions on this run so it can be disconnected if necessary, too, and put one union right by the downspout. Any suggestions?

Photo of the downspout to left of pad:

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Further back (you can see the waste line coming out toward the house from the MPV):

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Assuming that there is PVC in the ground, I'd cut the downspout about 1-2' above ground. Put a Tee on top of the pVC in the ground, then a section of pipe, then this:

1681406700056.jpeg

Hook your waste/drain to the Tee.
 
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I guess I can dig a bit and see what's underground. Here's another downspout which I am assuming is similar to this one.

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I don’t know alot about gutters but that metal connection doesn’t seem like it is going to stand the test of time. This all looks like a nightmare to try to clean out if they get clogged. A connector like poolstored posted is what should be connected to your gutters entering the ground or at least something made of plastic. I hope for your sake that there is actually pvc or corrugated drain pipe somewhere down in there.
Also, you’re going salt, a pvc to pvc connection is the best solution.
 
I don’t know alot about gutters but that metal connection doesn’t seem like it is going to stand the test of time. This all looks like a nightmare to try to clean out if they get clogged. A connector like poolstored posted is what should be connected to your gutters entering the ground or at least something made of plastic. I hope for your sake that there is actually pvc or corrugated drain pipe somewhere down in there.
Also, you’re going salt, a pvc to pvc connection is the best solution.
OK, let me see what's there!
 
Find out what type pipe is underground. If it's 3" or 4" drain pipe (corrugated or solid) you can install a Wye connector and plumb the drain line to it. There are some Wyes that have the larger 3" or 4" for the straight thru flow and a smaller diameter opening for a smaller pipe. Lots of options.

I agree with @Mdragger88 that the metal going into the ground isn't a long term solution. You can run the plastic stuff to one foot or so above ground level and then paint to match house or downspouts. The adapter @PoolStored referenced is what connects the rectangular downspout pipe to the round drain pipe.
 
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Whatever it is, it’s lasted for 30 years. The house was built in around 1994.

I’ll still dig down a bit and see what’s under the surface. It’s possible that over 30 years the flowerbeds have built up higher than they originally were, and there could be PVC or drain pipe a little further down.
 
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I did dig down a bit and just kept hitting metal. The metal downspout goes into some sort of metal underground. I guess I’ll just keep digging until I hit something else (hopefully not my shovel through drain tile or anything).

IMG_9038.jpeg
 
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I had one downspout installed similarly into plastic flexible drain pipe, at one corner of the house, going under a sidewalk to a outlet in the yard. Then noted a small "sink hole" in that area, and the cinderblock foundation crumbling. $1000 later, the foundation guy noted that because there was no seal between the downspout and the pipe, during heavy rain it was easy for the water to back up and pool right at the foundation, eventually causing the block to fail. A normal downspout to direct all the water onto the sidewalk now gets it far enough away to not be a future issue. Pumping pool discharge I imagine would just compound the possible issue.
I'm reworking my pool discharge tomorrow. For years, have had an old plastic flower planter, about 12"x30" sunk in the ground. Holes drilled in it, and rocks underneath, creating a sump basin. 2" pipe running on the ground from the multi-port discharge to the sump, with a 45 at the end to direct the water down into it. The sump prevents the jet of water from the discharge from doing any erosion to the area. It of course is too small to handle any volume itself, but the overflow does spread out calmly to the garden/lawn area around it. With the new fence, the wife didn't like the long 2" pipe, so I am moving the sump to another area. Works well whether doing normal backwashing, or pumping several inches out of the pool due to a monster rain event. At most a 10x10 area getting wet, but it soaks in quickly, and does not create a mud bog. Lawn in that area is the best in my whole yard. For winter closing, I get out the 100' roll of flexible flat hose so I can direct the discharge instead to the street and storm drain. In my county, have to make sure there is 0 chlorine before I can do that. But I typically close in late Oct., and water temps are at 50 or lower and on their way to -20, so not as much concern about algae at that point.
 
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