Ground water sump pit oddity

[Jerry Simon]

Third time in last 20 years I have ever seen this; a copper water supply line ran over and just down into the ground water sump pit, with a shut-off valve at the end of the feed. For some reason, these three folk wanted to be able to run water into their ground water sump pit. Why?

[fyrmnk]

To be able to more easily test it periodically perhaps?

[kurt]

Flush out stinky crap from a leaking sewer...(?).

[John Kogel]

Flushing the lead solder out? Maybe just a drain for winterizing.

[Jim Katen]

Third time in last 20 years I have ever seen this; a copper water supply line ran over and just down into the ground water sump pit, with a shut-off valve at the end of the feed. For some reason, these three folk wanted to be able to run water into their ground water sump pit. Why?

They wished to create a cross connection so that they'd get more "minerals" in their drinking water.

[Tom Raymond]

So they could prime it. The damned things always run dry.

[Mike Lamb]

I know of at least one gentleman who told me he removes his sump pump every year and hoses it down outside to keep the screen clean or something like that. With a spigot at the pit life becomes infinitely easier?

[asihi]

A crude attempt to create a water powered backup sump pump?

[Jerry Simon]

A crude attempt to create a water powered backup sump pump?

You got it, although not crude. Followup with client found out a water-powered back-up pump was once installed.