Understanding the difference between pump stations and lift stations can help you manage your pump repair services more effectively. These systems are typically used as part of sewage and wastewater treatment plants. A pump repair service company can assist with maintaining these facilities in peak operating conditions. Regular maintenance can keep lift stations and pump stations working at full efficiency consistently.
Lift Station Pump vs Pump Station
What is the difference between a lift station and a pump station?
When it comes to lift stations, their pumps and pump stations, their roles are quite similar. However, there are quite a few differences.
Lift stations are responsible for pumping wastewater or sewage material from a lower elevation to a higher elevation. On the other hand, a pump station is designed to raise water, not sewage or wastewater, to a higher elevation.
The materials they contain and move are completely different. Lift station pumps and pump stations also have a certain number of considerations that must be addressed in their design.
Below we will break those down for you :
Lift Station Pump:
Requires grinder type pumps- Because sewage can carry debris, clogging can be avoided using a grinder pump to break this material down. If there is a clog, we offer lift station maintenance.
Sewage usually generates poisonous gases, therefore the area must be treated as a hazardous location.
Pumps must be programmed to start and stop. This will prevent the pump from cycling at all times. At times, this may require more than one pump.
When the pump is off, the time should be limited. If not, the sewage becomes septic.
In recent designs, the pump and motors are generally submersible pumps which means the problems of isolating the motor and pump from the sewage environment are limited.
Pump Stations
Pump stations also have their own criteria that must be addressed in its design.
Generally they move large amounts of water either from a storm management system or a reclaimed water system.
Some pump stations operate constantly while other run in cycles. Those that run constantly may be ones that transfer water from drainage areas to higher levels. These kinds of pump stations are influenced by the amount of rainfall where they are located. Such as a pump station in Florida may average a lot more rainfall than one located in Arizona. In some cases, there have been pump stations that reach levels of almost 20 inches of rainfall in just a few hours. The pump sizing and timing has to coincide with the location.
Pump stations that aren’t running constantly may experience float switch material deterioration. As a result, when the pump station needs to be activated, it may fail and cause unwanted flooding.
Hire a Professional Lift Station Company Today!
At Wind River Environmental we are equipped to handle all your lift station needs. If you are in need of a service give us a call, we are here 24/7 nights and weekends.
