A lift station can eventually be transformed into a concrete structure packed with pumps, piping, valves, controls, and electrical devices, but its performance is largely determined much earlier. Flow calculations, site elevations as well as system pressure and wastewater characteristics, peak conditions, maintenance access, controls and the capacity of the future will all determine what will ultimately be constructed.
The primary question crucial for owners of projects to ask when comparing the best lift station designs is not who can specify the pumps. It’s who is able to interpret the site’s conditions and operational needs into a complete system that remains practical to construct, operate and maintain.
Image credit: romtecutilities.com
Gravity Limits Itself
Gravity is generally the most efficient way to convey wastewater, but the development pattern and terrain aren’t always in sync. The newest commercial, residential and industrial areas are usually too high or distant from gravity sewer system.
The lift station is the device that transports the wastewater to the next collection point. The design of a lift station requires an understanding of the operation of a typical system as well as less convenient situations such a peak inflow or maintenance of pumps malfunctioning equipment or future rises in demands.
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 current infrastructure makes it difficult to solve the puzzle.
It’s not just the construction itself that is an issue, but also the challenge of new construction. Municipalities often have to upgrade or replace aging stations while keeping vital wastewater infrastructure functioning.
Existing wet wells, force mains electrical services, controls, site boundaries, and downstream infrastructure can constrain the new design. Engineers must determine what can remain, what needs replacement and how the new elements are to be incorporated into the current system.
Romtec Utilities has experience in municipal, private and commercial applications, as well as retrofit and replacement projects. This allows pumping systems be adapted to the owner and operational needs of each project.
Stormwater has different rules
The best designers of stromwater systems using the search terms available must overcome a different hydraulic issue. Stormwater systems are susceptible to extreme volume fluctuations depending on rainfall and other elements like the area of drainage, capacity of detention, and discharge rate.
A facility that serves a detention basin, as an example, may need to hold the runoff for a short time and then pump it at a controlled rate. Engineers must consider the head and flow conditions, water quality requirements, flood-management targets as well as the features of the receiving drainage system.
Prefabrication allows you to shift the work off the site
The complex field assembly creates the potential for scheduling conflicts, installation errors, change orders, and delays. Romtec Utilities prefabricates equipment before it gets to the sites of projects.
When you complete more assembly and quality control work in a controlled manner it can cut down on the amount of work required on the ground. In accordance with the plan approach explained by Romtec Utilities, certain projects that would normally require weeks to complete could be reduced to a few days depending on project conditions.
A commitment to the success of engineering includes the commissioning process.
A station doesn’t have to be verified simply because each component has been installed. Romtec Utilities offers installation advisors to assist with construction that includes starting up, control panel checks pumps, operation testing, and training for personnel. Documentation also gives operators details they can reference when maintaining the system, or considering the possibility of expansion in the future.
The owners who are searching for the best designers of lift stations must be aware of this last stage. The end result of good engineering must be more than a set acceptable sketches. The proprietor must be left with a system that works and well-trained staff, as well as helpful documentation and equipment specifically designed to handle the operational requirements of the station.