Free checklist
Sewage ejector pump annual maintenance checklist
The annual sewage ejector service is the deep pass: the measurements, cleanings and tests a quarterly round doesn't reach. This checklist keeps the full service on record with the photos that make it defensible later. Work is commonly verified against IPC / UPC plumbing codes, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo evidence it needs
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.
Notice, lockout and exposure
Owner and occupants told the basin is out of service
Owner told the outage window, and occupants told through the owner not to use fixtures draining to the basin until the ejector is back in service.
No photoEjector circuits locked out and tagged before the cover opens
Each pump circuit and the panel feed locked and tagged by each worker, proven dead. Run checks use the temporary release: pump reseated, people clear, run, then re-locked.
Basin entry held to the confined-space permit
Pump raised by its lifting chain or rail from the rim; if anyone must enter, it's on the site's permit with continuous air monitoring, an attendant and a rescue plan.
No photoBiological exposure controls in place for the open basin
Gloves, splash eye protection and coveralls worn, wash water and disinfectant at hand, and the pulled pump and debris bagged or set in a tray, not on the floor.
No photo
Basin and gas safety
Space ventilated and basin cleaned out
Area aired and atmosphere checked before opening, then grease cap, rags and settled solids removed from the basin down to the floor.
Cover gasket resealed and vent re-proven
Gasket replaced or reseated, all bolts torqued and the vent confirmed clear before the cover goes back on so the pit is gas-tight again.
Pump condition
Ejector pulled, impeller and cutter inspected
Pump raised out, impeller or grinder cutter checked for stringy debris and wear, seal area dry, cord jacket intact.
Ejector reseated on its discharge fitting and cords secured
Pump seated on its rail or base elbow without a cocked seal, lifting chain hung within reach of the rim, and cords tied off above the float travel.
Run current observed against nameplate
Amp draw read during a run and compared to the motor nameplate, listening for a binding or overloaded motor working against packed solids.
Motor winding insulation read against last year's value
Circuit re-locked after the run, winding insulation resistance read with a megohmmeter against last year and the manufacturer's limit; a falling trend flags water in the motor.
Check valve opened and flapper and seat inspected
Gate valve stroked closed end to end, check valve opened, flapper, seat and hinge cleared of grease and rag, then the gate valve reopened fully with no packing weep.
Controls and redundancy
Float tree cleaned and levels set to the drawings
Grease and scum cleaned off the floats and tree, each float set at the start, stop, lag and alarm elevations from the drawings or manufacturer, cords tied clear of travel.
Duplex alternation and lag callout tested where fitted
Controller stepped so each ejector takes a turn as lead and the lag pump proves it starts and carries the basin on high water.
No photo
Return to service
Locks cleared and ejector run through a full cycle
Locks and tags removed by whoever hung them, panel back in auto, and a test volume run so the pump starts, empties the basin and the check valve holds.
Alarm reported live and service readings logged
BAS operator or monitoring company told the high-water point is back in service, and amps, insulation reading and cleanout findings logged as next year's baseline.
No photo
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Basin opened without ventilating first, exposing the tech to sewer gas in a confined pit.
- On a duplex pit the lag ejector has sat idle for a year and is seized, only found when the lead pump can't keep up.
Verified against
Common questions
6 answers
- What does this sewage ejector pump annual checklist cover?
- 15 items across 5 sections, covering notice, lockout and exposure, basin and gas safety, pump condition, controls and redundancy, and more. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The plumbing service tech on the annual service, with the space ventilated and the basin gassed before opening.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Once a year, the one visit where the sealed basin is fully opened, so scheduled when the area can be aired out and traffic kept clear.
- Why do these items ask for a photo?
- 10 of the 15 items call for photo evidence, 12 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a sewage ejector pump annual inspection?
- Basin opened without ventilating first, exposing the tech to sewer gas in a confined pit. On a duplex pit the lag ejector has sat idle for a year and is seized, only found when the lead pump can't keep up.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 12 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.
See all 508 checklists · 6741 items and 5984 photo requirements in total.