The performance of a lift station can be established long before it is a concrete structure with valves, pumps and piping. The structure is influenced by a variety of elements, such as calculation of flow rates, elevation of the site the system pressure, water quality and top conditions access to maintenance controls and future capacity.
For project owners comparing the top lift station designers The most important question isn’t about who can provide pumps. It’s about who can interpret the site’s conditions and operational requirements into a complete system that’s practical to construct, operate and maintain.
Image credit: romtecutilities.com
The limits of gravity are not unattainable.
Gravity is the most efficient way to move wastewater. However the development patterns and terrain do not always work to favor this method. The new residential, commercial and industrial properties are often too high or far away from the gravity sewer system.
A lift station will provide the required force mechanically to move water from one location in the collection system to another. But designing one requires an understanding of both normal operation and less favorable situations, like high inflow, pump maintenance or equipment malfunction, or potential increases in demand.
The companies that are deemed to be among the best in the wastewater industry should look at the entire issue of conveyance, rather than treating a station as if it were an isolated piece of equipment.
The existing infrastructure complicates the puzzle
The only problem is not new construction. Municipalities often have to repair or replace older stations, all while keeping their essential wastewater infrastructure in place.
Existing wet wells, force mains electric services, controls, site boundaries, and downstream infrastructure may limit the design. Engineers must consider what components can remain, what needs replacement and how new parts are to be incorporated into the current system.
Romtec Utilities works across municipal, private, commercial industrial, retrofit and replacement applications. This allows pumps to be designed to meet the unique needs of the owner and operation of each project.
Stormwater Follows Different Rules
The best stromwater system designers using the supplied search terminology must solve a different hydraulic problem. Stormwater systems can experience dramatic variations in volume, based on rainfall, drainage area, detention capacity, and allowable discharge rates.
For example, a station that serves a detention site might need to hold the runoff before pumping it out at a predetermined rate. Engineers should consider the flow and head conditions, environmental demands and objectives for flood management, as well as the particulars of the drainage system used to receive it.
Prefabrication could move work from the worksite
Field assembly is a complex process that may cause confusion in scheduling, errors, delays, and change orders. Romtec Utilities performs significant prefabrication of equipment prior the installation location.
By completing more assembly and quality control tasks in a controlled setting, you can reduce the amount of construction required on the ground. Romtec Utilities’s approach to projects can speed up the duration required to set up certain installations.
Commitment to engineering success includes commissioning
The placement of all components is not enough to make a system reliable. Romtec Utilities offers installation advisors to help with the construction process such as startup check of the control panel, pump operations, system testing and employee training. Documentation is also available to give operators information on how to keep the system running and think about expansion in the future.
People who want to find the best designers of lift stations should pay attention to this final step. The final product of quality engineering will be more than a set acceptable sketches. The station owner should leave with a working system, well-trained personnel, helpful documentation and equipment made to be able to handle the daily demands of the station.