Yeah, if you are on a sewer system that will be your easiest solution, no question.
I'm also on a septic-type system so I can't just dump hundreds of gallons down the drain each week. I have a 1200-ish gallon utility pump permanently linked to all my tanks, all lines controlled by valves. The outflow from this is directed to one of two disposal methods, depending upon the season and whether or not I want water for plants, etc. The selection is made using a three-way valve.
In warm weather, and if I don't need the water somewhere else outside (I usually do...) then the outflow is permanently attached to the outgoing drain line from my basement sump pump, which in turn leads to a buried outdoor line that leads out into the fallow field adjacent to my lawn (still my property). This keeps the lawn dry and requires no attention or maintenance.
Turning the 3-way to the other setting, the water is pumped directly to an outside faucet that is fed only from this source, not hooked up to my domestic water at all. This makes it easy, in summer, to hook up a hose to the faucet and then use the water to irrigate gardens, flowerbeds, etc. Best of all, in winter I still attach a hose to that outdoor faucet and run it a ways out into that same adjacent fallow field, so the water pools and freezes out there rather than in my yard. In serious cold weather, water won't soak into the frozen ground; it'll just pool up and freeze, causing slip hazards and often backing up over the outflow and damaging or blocking it.
Yes, it's a PITA dealing with a garden hose in sub-zero temps. You must attach it and lay it out quickly, before it gets too stiff; I've even had them snap in extreme cold if I tried to manipulate them more than a few minutes after taking them outside. You also must go out as soon as you finish draining in cold weather...I mean go out right now...and pick up the hose, draining and coiling it quickly before it stiffens and freezes. But...the outside faucet is really nice for summer gardening use. If I were on a sewer system, I'd still probably set up that part of the system just for easy access to large quantities of nutrient-rich water for my gardens.
I'm also on a septic-type system so I can't just dump hundreds of gallons down the drain each week. I have a 1200-ish gallon utility pump permanently linked to all my tanks, all lines controlled by valves. The outflow from this is directed to one of two disposal methods, depending upon the season and whether or not I want water for plants, etc. The selection is made using a three-way valve.
In warm weather, and if I don't need the water somewhere else outside (I usually do...) then the outflow is permanently attached to the outgoing drain line from my basement sump pump, which in turn leads to a buried outdoor line that leads out into the fallow field adjacent to my lawn (still my property). This keeps the lawn dry and requires no attention or maintenance.
Turning the 3-way to the other setting, the water is pumped directly to an outside faucet that is fed only from this source, not hooked up to my domestic water at all. This makes it easy, in summer, to hook up a hose to the faucet and then use the water to irrigate gardens, flowerbeds, etc. Best of all, in winter I still attach a hose to that outdoor faucet and run it a ways out into that same adjacent fallow field, so the water pools and freezes out there rather than in my yard. In serious cold weather, water won't soak into the frozen ground; it'll just pool up and freeze, causing slip hazards and often backing up over the outflow and damaging or blocking it.
Yes, it's a PITA dealing with a garden hose in sub-zero temps. You must attach it and lay it out quickly, before it gets too stiff; I've even had them snap in extreme cold if I tried to manipulate them more than a few minutes after taking them outside. You also must go out as soon as you finish draining in cold weather...I mean go out right now...and pick up the hose, draining and coiling it quickly before it stiffens and freezes. But...the outside faucet is really nice for summer gardening use. If I were on a sewer system, I'd still probably set up that part of the system just for easy access to large quantities of nutrient-rich water for my gardens.
