How Much Does It Cost to Run a Sump Pump in District of Columbia? (2026)
A sump pump draws 400 to 1,500 watts but only runs when the pit fills. In dry seasons that may be minutes a day; in a wet spring it can run for hours.
A typical sump pump (800 W) costs $0.20 per hour, or about $2.93 per month at 0.5 hours a day in District of Columbia. Cheap to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 400 W | $0.098 | $0.049 | $1.46 | $17.80 |
| Typical 800 W | $0.20 | $0.098 | $2.93 | $35.61 |
| High 1,500 W | $0.37 | $0.18 | $5.49 | $66.77 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 0.5 h/day ≈ 146 kWh per year.
One hour of a sump pump (0.80 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 4.4km in an electric car
- 8.0hours of TV
- 18hours of a laptop
- 89hours of an LED bulb
In District of Columbia, with electricity at 24.4¢ per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical sump pump costs $0.20 per hour and about $35.61 per year at 0.5 hours a day. That is about 33% more than the national average for the US ($2.20 per month), because electricity in District of Columbia costs 24.4¢ per kWh against 18.3¢ nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 5.1 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a sump pump
- Fix grading and gutters so less water reaches the pit in the first place.
- Check the float switch. A stuck float can run the pump continuously.
- Size the pump correctly. An oversized pump short-cycles and wears out.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a sump pump cost to run?
About 0.4 kWh a day at 30 minutes of run time. Far more during storms.
Does a sump pump use electricity when not pumping?
No. It draws nothing until the float switch closes.
Should I be worried about a sump pump running constantly?
Yes. It usually means a stuck float, a high water table, or a failed check valve.
Cost by region
US states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Canadian provinces
Related appliances
- Well Pump1,100 W typical
- Air Compressor1,500 W typical
- Table Saw1,800 W typical
- Shop Vacuum1,200 W typical
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz