How Prefabrication Changes the Economics of Pump Station Construction

The performance of a lift station is established long before it is a concrete structure containing pumps, piping and valves. Flow calculations, site elevations systems pressure and wastewater properties, peak conditions maintenance access, controls, and future capacity all influence the type of structure that will eventually be built.

The most important for project owners to ask when comparing the most reputable lift station designers is not who can create the pumps. The issue isn’t who can specify pumps and who can translate site conditions and operational requirements into a system that’s practical to build and operate as well as maintain.

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Gravity is not without limits

Gravity is usually the simplest method to transport wastewater, but the development pattern and terrain don’t always cooperate. It’s possible that new industrial, residential and commercial buildings are far, or too high. They could also be located in areas where gravity sewer extension is not possible.

The lift station is the mechanism that carries the wastewater to the next site of collection. But designing one requires an understanding of the normal operation as well as less convenient situations, such as peak inflow and pump maintenance or equipment malfunction, or future increases in demand.

Companies considered to be among the top in the industry of wastewater should consider the entire problem of conveyance rather than treating a station as if it were a single item.

Existing infrastructure makes the problem more complicated

Not only is new construction a problem, but it is also a major challenge. Municipalities are often required to repair or replace older stations while keeping vital sanitation infrastructures in operation.

Infrastructure in place, like wet wells and control systems, force mains site boundaries, downstream infrastructure can restrict the design. Engineers must consider what components can be left, what requires replacement and how the new components will integrate with the existing system.

Romtec Utilities offers pumping solutions for private, municipal, industrial, commercial and retrofit projects. Pumping systems are designed to meet the particular requirements of every project.

Stormwater is subject to different rules

The best stromwater system designers using the supplied search terminology must solve a different hydraulic problem. Stormwater systems can experience extreme volume fluctuations depending on the amount of rainfall as well as other factors like the area of drainage, capacity of detention, and the rate of discharge.

A facility that serves a detention basin for example could require holding runoff temporarily before pumping it at a set rate. Engineers must consider the flow rate, head’s condition, needs of the environment, flood-management objectives, and the particulars of the drainage system for which it is receiving.

Prefabrication Can Move Work Away from the jobsite

Field assembly is a complex process that may cause confusion in scheduling, errors delays, reversals, and even changes orders. Romtec Utilities prefabricates equipment before it gets to the sites of projects.

In a controlled atmosphere performing more assembly work and quality-control may reduce the amount of the amount of work that is done on the field. Romtec Utilities’s project-based approach can cut down on the duration required to set up certain types of installations.

A commitment to the success of engineering includes the commissioning process.

The installation of all components does not guarantee a station to be reliable. Romtec Utilities is an installation consultant and will monitor the process of construction from startup to control-panel checks, pump operation, testing the system, and also personnel training. The manual also contains information that users may refer to when maintain the system or contemplating expansion.

If you’re looking for the best lift station engineers, this final step deserves consideration. A good engineering project should produce more than a few drawings that are acceptable. The proprietor must be left with a functional system that is well-trained, a competent staff, helpful documentation and equipment designed to meet the daily demands of the station.