this pretty cool (if you are on "city water"). When the power goes out water will drive the water out of low lying areas like a sump pump. There are several models and such...this was at the top of google: Basepump water powered backup sump pump that uses water pressure to pump water!

 

cool, but last month when we lost power, my "city water" was also out....lame-O

 

bummer! They SHOULD be on a generator if not tower/gravity fed. NORMALY they are, for fire dept. use. I am going to inquire about getting some of these at work where the power is unrealiable (THANKS PEPCO!). I think they are very practical and smart for people with basements.

 

We were trained on the use of a larger version of these for shipboard dewatering/damage control. Sounds counter-intuitive to pump water INTO a flooded space to dewater but it works really well.