• The contents of a sewage system contain bacteria and other health hazards.septic image by Trevor Allen from Fotolia.com
  
  Several types of sewage pumps are available that can be used in a home sewage system. Each type of pump performs a different function, making which pump to use a matter of both preference and situational need. In some cases, two or more pump styles can be combined in a single system. This is known as a pump package.
  
  

Function

• All home sewage systems (and the parts thereof) perform the same primary function: they remove and dispose of waste and wastewater from the home. Sewage pumps play an important part in that function. Some pumps assist in the processing of solid waste, while others provide the necessary force to move waste and wastewater from one portion of the system to the next. In the case of a pump package, a single pump might do both.
  
  

Grinder Pumps

• Grinder sewage pumps are used to assist in the processing of wastewater. They are outfitted with a cutting mechanism that allows them to grind solid waste as it is pumped through. This prevents the pump --- as well as the pipes that run from the pump to the septic tank --- from becoming clogged. A clogged pipe can back up an entire septic system, causing thousands of dollars of damage to land and property.
  
  

Ejector Pumps

• An ejector pump is used to force wastewater through pipes or into a septic tank above the source of the waste. This type of pump is particularly useful in cases of homes with basement bathrooms or laundry rooms. Some homeowners may also opt to purchase a pump that incorporates the grinder function as well, but it is not absolutely necessary.