Because your primary sump pump is vital to your home’s safety in the event of a flood or water inundation, a backup sump pump is critical in the event it fails. Rising ground water, local flooding, a catastrophic indoor water line rupture or a sewer backup can pour hundreds of gallons of water into the basement, ruining possessions and damaging the structure of the house. A sump pump that activates automatically and pumps water out through a discharge line is your first line of defense against water damage. But what if it fails?