In article , jd says...

Hi folks,
the drain pipe for our sump pump is buried but the end pokes out of a hills
ide into open air. every year, it gets an ice plug in it, so the sump pump
can't pump....

The water levels start rising before the ground thaws, so the basement
always gets water in it i nthe spring. As son as the pump pipe thaws, it can
pump out the water, so everything is OK..
any ideas on how to keep the drain pipe from freezing?

Sounds like it's not pitched correctly. Water shouldn't gather there to form an
ice plug. Fix that.

Banty