Concrete has been a primary building material for in-ground wet well and vault components for decades. Concrete is widely used because of its durability, low cost, and workability. In most pump and lift station projects, concrete is the chief building material, but there are major difference between assembling a precast concrete structure and pouring the concrete onsite. Romtec Utilities uses precast concrete because it requires smaller installation crews, is more time-efficient, and can be fully tested.
Reducing the size of the installation crew can lead to an overall decrease of the installation cost, especially on prevailing wage jobs. Cast-in-place concrete for wet wells requires intricate molds to be constructed and then removed when the concrete has cured. The construction of molds frequently involves heavy site work that can necessitate large crews. The excavation and site work for this type of construction will take much longer than using precast concrete.
All of the structural components for a precast concrete pump station will arrive at the same time onsite. With Romtec Utilities, this shipment is scheduled so that installation can begin immediately after the site preparation has been completed. Valve vaults and meter vaults typically arrive with the major mechanical components preassembled, so these units need only be lifted into the hole and leveled. The wet well is stacked in barrel sections and sealed at the joints in a quick and easy process. The final product is just as reliable and durable as a cast-in-place structure.
Romtec Utilities tests all the structural concrete components before the pieces are shipped. This process ensures that the precast concrete wet well and vault structures are pressure tested and water tight. Concrete that is cast-in-place is difficult to repair if leaks occur after casting. Adequate testing means that precast concrete components rarely require any field work to repair leaks or cracks.
The benefits of precast concrete structural components for packaged pump stations add up to one simple benefit. It costs drastically less than cast-in-place concrete for the same functionality. It can be installed with a smaller crew; installation can be scheduled almost to the hour; and pre-testing promises no extensive field-work or repairs. Precast concrete pump stations are one option offered by Romtec Utilities for affordable and reliable structural components.
Contact Us to get an estimate for your package pump station project, or visit our Technical Information page to get more information on precast concrete or fiberglass wet wells.