Replacing an Aging Lift Station Without Creating a New Infrastructure Bottleneck

The performance of a lift station is determined long before it becomes a concrete structure containing pumps, pipes and valves. The final design of a lift station is determined by a variety of variables that include the calculation of flow, elevations on the site, system pressures as well as wastewater characteristics, peak conditions, accessibility to maintenance, control systems and the future capacity.

When project managers are comparing the most effective lift station design the most relevant question isn’t simply who can specify pumps. It’s who is able to transform the operational and site conditions demands into a total system that remains practical to construct, operate and maintain.

Image credit: romtecutilities.com

Gravity Has its Limits

Gravity is the most efficient means to transport wastewater. However, terrain and development patterns can not always be in the direction of this method. It’s possible that new residential, industrial and commercial sites are too in the air, too far away or situated in areas where gravity sewer extension is not feasible.

A lift station is the required force mechanically to move wastewater toward the next location in the collection system. The design of a lift station requires understanding the operation of a normal system as well as other situations that are less convenient, for instance, peak inflows pumps, maintenance of pumps or equipment malfunction, or future increases in demand.

Companies considered among the best wastewater designers should therefore evaluate the entire conveyance problem rather than treating the station as an isolated piece of equipment.

The existing infrastructure can make the puzzle more difficult

Not only is new construction a problem, but it is also a major challenge. Municipalities are often required to repair or replace older stations, all while keeping their essential wastewater infrastructure functioning.

Existing wetwells, forcemains electric services and controls along with the site’s boundary, as well as downstream infrastructure could limit the new design. Engineers need to determine what elements can be reused and what needs to be replaced as well as how the new components will fit into the current system.

Romtec Utilities offers pumping solutions for municipal, private industrial, commercial, and retrofit projects. Pumping systems are designed in accordance with the specific needs of each project.

Stormwater has rules that are different

The most skilled stormwater system engineers should use the provided search terms to resolve any hydrologic issue. Stormwater systems can undergo dramatic variations in their volume, based on rainfall, drainage capacity, and discharge rates allowed.

Stations serving detention basins for example, might need to temporarily store the runoff before pumping it out in a controlled manner. Engineers need to consider the rate of flow, the conditions of the head, the conditions of the environment, the flood-management objectives, and the particulars of the drainage system receiving it.

Prefabrication could move work From the Jobsite

Complex field assembly introduces opportunities for problems with scheduling, installation issues changes, delays. Romtec Utilities prefabricates equipment before it is delivered to project sites.

By completing more assembly and quality-control work within a controlled atmosphere You can cut down on the amount of work required on the ground. Romtec Utilities’ approach to project management can speed up the amount of time needed to construct certain installations.

The process of commissioning is key element in engineering Success

A station isn’t proven simply because every component has been put in place. Romtec Utilities is an installation advisor, and will be there to guide construction through startup, control-panel check, pump operation, testing the system, and personnel education. Documentation also gives operators details they can use when repairing the system or considering future expansion.

Owners who are looking for the most talented designers for lift stations must pay attention to this final stage. A successful engineering project must result in more than just a set of acceptable drawings. The station owner must have a functioning system, trained staff, efficient documentation and equipment that is designed to meet the demands that the station is likely to encounter in the course of daily operations.

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