Yes, it cannot go directly into the sewer, and that is something that usually comes up during billing season, or during a buy/ sell experience. In our city, we’ve had higher bills than go through the meter, so our Public Works is inspecting basements for cheaters. So they basically just need to meter your water usage going into the sewer, which is completely logical. It actually shouldn’t cost that much, pvc is fairly cheap, your husband may be able to do it himself (depends on the inspector.)