Create a box for a lift station in a civil plan and it’s simple to imagine it as a fully-functional piece of equipment.
Water comes from one place, passes through the station before it moves on to another place. It also depends on structural components such as power, control, and site access.
One aspect that could be useful for project teams looking to select the ideal lift station designer is to think about the interfaces as opposed to only what happens inside the station.
Image credit: romtecutilities.com
Start to go upstream from the Wet Well
Consider a new development of residential homes as an example. The wastewater is transported from the collection system to the lift station. The flow conditions in the incoming system as well as site elevations help establish what the station is expected to handle.
After the water has reached the well, another set engineering decisions begin. Pumps, valves, and piping, structural components, controls, and possibly auxiliary equipment must be suited to the specific application.
Romtec Utilities designs wastewater systems for municipal, commercial, and industrial sites as as applications for development.
This is because the specific project method can be important because changes to the flow of water can affect how the pumping system is required to do.
Keep an eye on the water beyond the Pumps
The engineering issue doesn’t end after the liquid is removed from the wetwell. The pumping system must move the liquid to meet the hydrodynamic conditions of the downstream system. The configuration of the pump and flow requirements are influenced by the flow requirements and required head conditions.
That connection is particularly important when evaluating the best wastewater designers. The specs of a pump can be amazing, but their performance must be logical within the entire hydraulic system.
Romtec Utilities can design the structural, mechanical, electrical and communications elements of a pumping station as an integrated system, helping coordinate the equipment with the conditions established for the specific project.
Stormwater has its own network of connections
Stormwater infrastructure differs. The runoff could enter a collection system from developed surfaces and later move through detention, treatment, drainage or flood-management infrastructure. When pumping is required the station is a link within a larger stormwater plan.
It is crucial for companies looking for the most effective stormwater engineers to take into account the site conditions, the rates of flow, head requirements, the environmental considerations and the surrounding stormwater plans.
Romtec Utilities offers customized stormwater pumps for residential, industrial commercial and municipal projects, rather than using a standard configuration.
Coordination Extends Above Ground Too
Not all interfaces require pipes. Electrical service is essential to support equipment. Communication and control systems must be designed to meet the requirements of the project. Contractors require appropriate plans and documents. Installation, startup and service may require physical access.
The documentation for the system is particularly useful because connections can have multiple participants and disciplines. Romtec Utilities can provide complete project plans and documentation, in addition to assistance to its systems during the initial phase of testing, commissioning and startup.
See Beyond the Station Boundary
If the external connections of a lift aren’t properly thought of, a well-engineered lift station can still be an element of a poorly coordinated project.
A better perspective of design will follow the water. Where does it originate? How did it get there? the station? What happens while it is there? What happens afterward? What infrastructure enables the entire process?
The answers to these questions change the concept of lift stations from an easy equipment exercise into a complex infrastructure project.