Building Code Glossary
Sewage Ejectors: Building Code Definition
How the IPC 2009 define sewage ejectors, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.
On this page
Last updated September 7, 2026 · Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The [ICC code library](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes) publishes the current model text and the [ICC adoption maps](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/) show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Direct answer
Sewage ejectors is a defined term in the International Plumbing Code (IPC) 2009, in Definitions. The code's own words are: “A device for lifting sewage by entraining the sewage in a high-velocity jet of steam, air or water.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IPC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 5 chapters of this corpus, most often in Vents (IPC 2009), Vents (IRC 2009), Definitions (IPC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted. Record the jurisdiction, the adopted edition, the application date and any local amendment that rewrites the definition before you use it on a live project, because a term redefined by amendment changes every requirement that depends on it.
Content and cited inputs reviewed by Scott Barrington, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.
What does this term mean?
Sewage Ejectors — IPC 2009, Definitions:
A device for lifting sewage by entraining the sewage in a high-velocity jet of steam, air or water.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Sewage Ejectors is defined once in this corpus, in the Definitions chapter of the International Plumbing Code (IPC) 2009:
A device for lifting sewage by entraining the sewage in a high-velocity jet of steam, air or water.
Where sewage ejectors is used in the code
The term appears in 5 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Vents | IPC 2009 | 6 |
| Vents | IRC 2009 | 6 |
| Definitions | IPC 2009 | 2 |
| Sanitary Drainage | IPC 2009 | 1 |
| Sanitary Drainage | IRC 2009 | 1 |
The term in use
How the code actually writes about sewage ejectors, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
Building sump vent sizes for sumps with sewage pumps or sewage ejectors, other than pneumatic, shall be determined in accordance with Table 916.5.1.
The terms sewage ejectors is built out of
The definition above leans on 2 other defined terms. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what sewage ejectors covers:
- Device — IRC 2009: Aunit of an electrical system that carries or controls electrical energy as it principal function.
- Sewage — IRC 2009: Any liquid waste containing animal matter, vegetable matter or other impurity in suspension or solution.
Sewage Ejectors: what to open, and in what order
Every row is a document this term depends on. The ICC code library and the ICC adoption maps cover the middle rows.
| Check | Where | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Read the definition in the adopted IPC | Definitions | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Vents (IPC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Vents (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Definitions (IPC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Sanitary Drainage (IPC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Device | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Sewage | |
| Local amendment to any of the above | Jurisdiction's amendment list |
A research aid, not a code determination. The authority having jurisdiction decides which edition and which amendments apply.
Where can you explore related guidance?
Sources and method
Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The ICC code library publishes the current model text and the ICC adoption maps show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Source links
Frequently asked questions
What is the code definition of sewage ejectors?
The International Plumbing Code (IPC) 2009 defines it in Definitions as: “A device for lifting sewage by entraining the sewage in a high-velocity jet of steam, air or water.” The 2009 model text is reproduced here; the definition that binds your project is the one in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted, as amended locally.
Which parts of the code depend on sewage ejectors?
In this corpus the term is used across 5 chapters, led by Vents in the IPC 2009. Those are the sections whose scope moves if the definition is amended locally, so read them together with Chapter 2 rather than on their own.
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