SEWAGE PUMP STATIONS

A Brief History: Late 1800s to Present

Early designs: large, built-in-place redundant systems serving sections of large metropolitan areas.

With urban sprawl, large systems were gradually replaced by multiple smaller pumping stations.

Scaled-down versions of the built-in-place pump station were replicated worldwide at great expense.

Submersible sewage pumps and precast concrete changed the need for pump stations with above-ground superstructures and drywells.

Extreme costs led to alternate structural media such as steel and fiberglass.

Built-in-Place Pump Station

Storm Water Pump Station
Conventional Field-Built Storm Water Pump Station

Steel Dry Pit Pump Stations

Early Submersible Pump Station
Early to mid-1960s

Serviceable Items in Wet Well:

• Check Valves
• Gate Valves
• Junction Boxes
• Pumps
• Floats

Submersible Pump Station Rail System
Mid-1970s To Present

Very early stations did not employ rail systems.

Fiberglass Pump Station

Pros

• Corrosion-resistant structure
• Most complete upon arrival to job site
• Extremely light weight
• Adaptable to most pump manufacturers
• Easy to fix in the field

Cons

• Product Costs: High; influenced by oil costs
• Shipping costs: Based on volume: high price to ship by air
• Difficult to seal penetrations
• Always requires additional ballast
• Size limitations – approximate max diameter 72”; approximate max depth 30’
• Fiberglass made with solvents, oil products; not environmentally friendly; fixes made with hazardous substances
• Single source manufacturer requires special tools and skills to fabricate

Steel Submersible Storm Water and Sewage Pump Stations
1950s to Present

Steel: Structure Pros and Cons

Pros

• Low initial cost
• Light weight
• Relatively low cost shipping
• High degree of completeness when arriving at job site
• Usually one-piece construction