Efficient Lift Station Design: A Trio of Solutions for Pumping Wastewater

Pump stations are an integral part of wastewater collection and treatment systems. Their
applications can be quite varied: lift stations in the collection network pump raw sewage up to a
level where gravity can take over; pumping systems within the treatment plant move effluent
through various treatment stages or deliver it from the plant to agricultural users and others.
While wastewater pumps have a common function––moving fluid where gravity can’t––the
design of any individual pump station can depend on many factors.
Choosing the right pump station design for the application is a matter of balancing personal
preference with the requirements of the job, the necessity for energy efficiency and the need for
pump station reliability. This presentation examines three very different pumping system
designs, and weighs the advantages and disadvantages of each in the context of real-world
applications.