Category Archive

The term “packaged pump station” has grown in popularity over the years, and it is not without good reason. Pump stations are sophisticated systems that require extensive engineering, and many people assume “packaged” means an off-the-shelf system engineered as a one-size-fits-all solution. This would indeed make purchasing pumping systems as easy as buying a car, but this approach is flawed and is not what “packaged” actually means. Labeling a system as a package describes a pumping system that is engineered as a single, functional unit and not an assortment of components. Each package is designed for the unique requirements of the specific project.

In this final blog discussing water types and pump station design, we will look at how sources of clean water can carry specific design implications. Clean water is in many respects the easiest water to pump. By definition, clean water is free from grit and solids and has no unusual water chemistry, eliminating a lot of the major concerns for engineering a pump station. However, there can be differences in the design of a pump station to suit some applications better than others.

Industrial water is the center of this week’s discussion on water types. In the previous two entries, wastewater and stormwater were discussed to show how the source of the water flow into the pump station can implicate the design of the system. This is also true with industrial water except that industrial water is not actually a water type. Industrial water is wastewater, stormwater, or clean water from or on an industrial facility. The reason to classify industrial water as a separate water type is to underscore the importance of specifying an industrial application. The major design implications as related to the source of industrial water are based on the industry for which the pumping system is designed.

In last week’s blog, the topic of water was discussed to show how different sources produce different water. Romtec Utilities understands that the source of water can have far reaching implications on a pump or lift station design. Wastewater was the main topic of the previous blog, but now we will look at stormwater. Like wastewater, stormwater can be evaluated largely by the source of its flow, but unlike wastewater, stormwater can also be evaluated by where it is getting discharged from the pump station. First, let’s look at stormwater as it relates to its source.

Romtec Utilities designs site-specific pump and lift station systems for every type of water. In the pumping industry, we typically define water types as fitting into wastewater, stormwater, industrial water, or clean water, but these are very broad and inexact terms. Romtec Utilities begins each pump station design by asking about what type of water is being pumped. Knowing the sources and conditions of the water ensures that a new pump station design will perform correctly for a long time. In this week’s blog, we will look at wastewater.