Sump Pumps in Canton, GA

Canton's housing and water

Canton, the Cherokee County seat on the Etowah River, began as a denim mill town and grew fast as a suburb after 2000. Census survey figures put the median home at 2005, with about 13% built before 1980. Most pumps here are builder-installed units that are now reaching middle age, while older houses near downtown may have pumps added over the years.

The City of Canton runs its own water and sewer, treating Etowah River water at the Bobby E. Bishop facility and billing both monthly. Water outages, leaks and sewer emergencies go to the city's Operations Department. Sewer lines are meant for household wastewater, so a sump pump draining into a laundry sink or cleanout should be rerouted to the yard.

No city backflow program was found in the sources for this page, so check with the plumber and the Water Department before adding a backup that runs on water pressure.

Side by side

Watch for

• A pump that won't start with water in the basin
• Long run times with little effect
• Frequent short cycles
• A wet crawl space or basement after rain

Best time to act

A dry spell is the time to test the pump and swap out a tired unit. Canton's Building & Safety Services handles permitting through an online portal, so if your job adds piping or wiring, the plumber can tell you whether a permit is needed.

When you call, describe what the pump is doing, where the pit is and whether water is rising now. Turn off the pump's breaker before going near water by an outlet. A quick photo of where the discharge pipe ends outside can also help the plumber see whether water is circling back toward the house.