Create a box around a lift station on a civil layout and it’s easy to imagine it as an independent piece of equipment.
The water actually comes from a source and sent to the facility. Controls, power access to the location as well as connections to the surrounding infrastructure are all important.
One thing that is useful to project teams trying to select the ideal lift station design is whether they think about the interfaces as opposed to only what happens inside the station.
Image credit: romtecutilities.com
Begin to ascend the river from the Wet Well
Consider a residential development. The waste water flows through the collection systems to the lift station. The flow conditions in the incoming system as well as site elevations help establish the amount of waste that the station is expected to handle.
Once the wastewater has reached wet wells the next set of decision-making begins. The valves, pumps, piping, structural components, controls, and perhaps auxiliary equipment should be appropriate to the purpose.
Romtec Utilities designs wastewater systems for municipal, commercial, and industrial sites as in development applications.
The specific approach to a project is important since changing what happens upstream can alter what the pumping facility has to do.
Follow the water beyond the pumps
The engineering issue doesn’t cease after the liquid has left the well. The pumping system has to move the liquid to meet the hydraulic conditions in the downstream system. Station design and the selection of pumps are influenced by necessary flow rate and head pressure.
That connection is particularly important when evaluating the best wastewater designers. It is not enough for a pump to boast impressive specs on its own. It has to also function effectively within the hydraulic system.
Romtec Utilities has the ability to design the structural components that comprise mechanical components, electrical components, as well the communication systems of a pumping station in a comprehensive package. This enables the system to be coordinated with the specifications set for the specific project.
Stormwater is a system of its own
Stormwater presents a different infrastructure problem. Runoff from paved surfaces can enter an infrastructure for collection and later pass through drainage, detention or flood management. Pumping stations form part of a wider stormwater management strategy.
It is crucial for companies looking for the most effective water designers to think about the specific conditions on the site, the flow rates, the head requirements, environmental aspects and the stormwater plans that surround it.
Romtec Utilities offers customized stormwater pumps for industrial, residential, commercial and municipal projects, instead of having a standard setup.
Coordination Extends Above Ground Too
There are many interfaces that do not involve piping. Electrical service needs to be supported by the equipment. Control and communications systems have to be designed to fit the needs of the project. Contractors need to have the proper plans and documents. Access to the physical location may be required for installation, startup and then later for service.
These connections can involve several disciplines and project participants, making detailed documentation of the system particularly important. Romtec Utilities offers complete plans and project documents. It will also assist the systems from startup through testing and commissioning.
Explore Beyond the Station Boundary
If the external connections of a lift aren’t properly taken into consideration, a properly-designed lift station can remain a component of an uncoordinated project.
A better perspective of design is one that follows the water. What is its source? What conditions do it have to pass through to get to the station? What should it do while there? What happens when it’s out? What infrastructure is in place to allow the whole process to work?
When you answer these questions, the design of lift stations is something more than just a device. It’s now component of infrastructure engineering.