On a civil layout you can draw a box to mark a lift station. It’s then simple to envision it as a distinct piece of equipment.
The water is actually pumped from somewhere and then delivered to the facility. It also relies on structural components including power, controls, and access to the site.
If you’re looking for the top lift station designers, it is helpful to inquire whether the engineers take into account those interfaces as well as what happens inside the station.
Image credit: romtecutilities.com
Start Upstream of the Wet Well
Take a residential project that is being built as an example. Wastewater is pumped through the system of collection to the lift station. The station’s capacity is determined by the flow stream and the elevation of site.
Once wastewater reaches the wet well, a new set of engineering decisions begins. Valves, pumps, pipes and controls, structural elements and even auxiliary equipment have to suit the purpose.
Romtec Utilities designs wastewater systems that are suitable for commercial, municipal and industrial sites as well as development applications.
The project-specific approach is important because altering what happens downstream can affect what the pumping plant has to do.
Follow the Water Beyond the Pumps
The engineering issue doesn’t end once the liquid has left the wetwell. The pumping systems have to be capable of pushing the liquid according to the hydraulic conditions of downstream systems. The configuration of the pump and the flow requirements are affected by the required head and flow conditions.
That connection is particularly important when evaluating the best wastewater designers. It’s not sufficient for a pump to have impressive specs on its own. It should also perform in a way that is compatible with the hydraulic system.
Romtec Utilities can design the electrical, mechanical, structural, and communication elements of a pumping station in an integrated package, helping to coordinate the equipment according to the requirements of the project.
Stormwater is a system of its own
Stormwater infrastructure is different. Runoff from surfaces that are developed may be able to enter an infrastructure for collection and flow through drainage, detention or flood control. The station is a link to the larger strategy for stormwater when pumping is required.
It is important for organizations looking for the most effective stormwater engineers to take into account the specific conditions on the site, the flows, the head needs, the environmental concerns and the surrounding stormwater plans.
Romtec Utilities supplies customized stormwater pumping systems for residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal projects instead of relying upon one system for every project.
Coordination Extends Above Ground Too
There are many interfaces that do not involve pipes. Electrical service needs to be supported by the equipment. Control and communication systems must be designed to meet the requirements of the project. Contractors require plans that are appropriate and documentation. Access to physical facilities may be required for installation, startup, as well as later service.
The system documentation is useful because connections can include multiple disciplines and participants. Romtec Utilities offers complete plans and project documents. It will also assist the systems from startup through testing and commissioning.
View Outside the Station Boundary
A lift station may be engineered correctly as an independent facility but remain part of a badly coordinated project if its external connections haven’t received enough attention.
A better perspective of design is one that follows the water. Where does it originate? How do they get it to the station? What happens during its stay there? Where does it go following? What infrastructure is in place to allow the whole process to take place?
Answering those questions turns lifting station design from an exercise in equipment to an engineering project for infrastructure.