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Shower Waste Pumps: The Complete Buying Guide
If you want a shower in a room where the waste can't fall naturally to the drain, a shower waste pump is what makes it possible. This guide explains how they work, when you need one, and how to choose the right pump or kit for your project.
What is a shower waste pump?
A shower waste pump removes used water from a shower tray, former or wet floor and moves it to the soil pipe when gravity drainage isn't available. Wherever the waste outlet sits at or below the level of the nearest drain — a basement, a ground-floor room over a solid concrete slab, a loft conversion, or a level-access wet floor — a pump does the job that a falling waste pipe normally would.
When do you need one?
- Below the drain line: basement and lower-ground shower rooms.
- Solid floors: ground-floor wet rooms and en-suites built over concrete, where you can't drop a waste beneath the floor.
- Level-access wet floors: where the former sits flush with the sub-floor and there's little or no fall to the waste.
- Loft and upper-floor conversions: where floor void is too shallow for a conventional trap and fall.
Peristaltic vs impeller pumps
Most problems people have with waste pumps come down to blockages and noise — and that's where pump design matters. A traditional impeller pump pushes water across a spinning rotor, which can catch hair and debris over time. A peristaltic pump, like the Contour P12, moves water through a single sealed tube by squeezing it, so nothing in the flow path can snag. The result is a pump that's effectively unblockable, near-silent and maintenance-free.
Pump-only or a full kit?
Contour's P12 range is sold in a few configurations so you only buy what your installation needs:
- Pump only (05PP01): the pump, flow switch and flexible pipe, for connecting to an existing 22mm waste. This is the most popular choice for retrofits and where the tray waste is already sorted.
- Kit A / B / D: the pump supplied with a matched trap or waste for specific tray and floor-former types.
- Link versions (-L): no flow switch, for wiring directly to a compatible shower.
Standard or “Link”?
A standard P12 includes a flow switch that senses when the shower is running and starts the pump. A “Link” version has no flow switch and instead wires directly into a compatible shower — such as the Redring Selectronic Premier WP, Mira Advance ATL Flex Extra or Triton Omnicare — which switches the pump on and off itself. If your shower isn't link-enabled, choose a standard kit with the flow switch included.
Key specifications to check
- Flow rate: the P12 pumps up to 12 litres per minute, comfortably matching electric and mixer showers.
- Connection size: 22mm inlet and outlet — compatible with all manufacturers' 22mm wastes.
- Mounting height: for full performance, fit the pump no higher than 350mm from the top of the waste outlet to the underside of the wall plate (500mm maximum, with reduced performance).
- Electrical: 24V DC motor via an IP65-rated control box suitable for bathroom zones.
Installation planning
Keep the run between the waste and the pump short — no more than 2 metres of flexible pipe — and mount the control box outside the showering area. The pump is not handed, so it fits either way round, which speeds up awkward installs. Because the P12 is maintenance-free with a 5-year warranty, there's no ongoing servicing to plan for.
Our recommendation
For the majority of retrofit and new wet floor installations, the Contour P12 Shower Waste Pump (05PP01) is the pump we fit and recommend most often — near-silent, unblockable and simple to install. You'll find full specifications, downloads and current pricing on the product page.
Frequently asked questions
Are shower waste pumps noisy? Peristaltic pumps like the P12 are near-silent — much quieter than older impeller designs.
Do they block up? Because water travels through a sealed tube, there's nothing for hair or grit to catch on, so the P12 is described as unblockable and needs no maintenance.
Can I use one with an electric shower? Yes — the standard P12 includes a flow switch for electric showers. Mixer showers need an additional flow switch, or you can use a Link version wired to a compatible shower.
What size waste do I need? The P12 connects to any 22mm outlet waste.