The state of Texas has experienced unprecedented population growth since 2020 but the infrastructure of the Lone Star State wasn’t prepared to service over 2 million more residents. (Texas Population by Year – 2025 Update | Neilsberg) Infrastructure in Texas is being expanded and improved at a faster pace in order to keep up with demand. Developers and engineers alike are coming up with unique ways to tackle this growth without getting held back by red tape and excessive regulation. Only an hour from the heart of Dallas is the City of Van Alstyne, this small city found their booster station struggling to keep up with demand. Romtec Utilities resolved this issue with the use of Victualic’s flexible couplings and quickly got a booster system online to serve new homes in a matter of months.

The City of Van Alstyne needed a functioning booster station by May of 2024 and reached out to Romtec Utilities in January that same year. The current booster station was housed inside of a building and the city intended to add a skid outside of the building that would tie into the main system. Not only were we working up against a tight timeline, but the proposed area for the skid was tight, with very little room for flexibility.

The tight timelines associated with this project vastly determined the design. Every Romtec Utilities pumping system comes with all major components for a complete package. This includes mechanical, structural, electrical and communications design and supply.

Romtec Utilities provided a complete plan set for this project which was reviewed directly by the City. This simple review system was an important factor in getting this project designed, purchased, prefabricated, and delivered in time.

It was the control panel in particular which determined that Romtec Utilities would design and supply three individual, independent skids to the City. A single control panel design would have been custom and not met the required timeline for the project so Romtec Utilities specified an off-the-shelf control panel offering.

The City of Van Alstyne, TX provided us with design criteria on which the system was based. Romtec Utilities emphasizes the importance of providing a system that the owner is comfortable with in terms of design and maintenance. We believe that every system is unique to its water type, location, and ownership. In this case, Romtec Utilities designed the system in a three-skid configuration with the ability to add a fourth skid down the line to service more homes.

Romtec Utilities pumping systems come predominantly prefabricated by our technicians. This is a significant part of the Romtec Utilities offering as it saves installers time on site and owners money on installation. We prefer to prefabricate our systems for many reasons. Not only is it a generous savings of time and money for our customers, but it also allows Romtec Utilities technicians greater control over the quality on the system. Prefabrication leads less to chance in the field. It is also this hands-on experience which gives us insight into how these systems work and how they can be expected to perform.

The challenge of this pumping system is that a concrete slab is never truly flat, even with the best engineering and materials. Every concrete slab adjusts according to the land on which it was constructed, and when that foundation moves, the pumping system which it is supporting, adjusts along with it.

Having three separate skids bound together by piping on the Romtec Utilities designed foundation was only possible with the right components. The movement of the slab was likely to disturb the fit of the connections on the booster system.

That’s why Romtec Utilities engineers incorporated Victaulic couplings into the design. Victaulic manufactures couplings that are flexible to adjust to the foundation as it settles and evolves. For this project, Romtec Utilities engineers specified the Victaulic Grooved Coupling Style 31, the Stainless Steel Flexible Coupling Style 77s, and the Victaulic Flexible Coupling Style 75.

The Victaulic couplings will allow for the natural settling of the foundation, and the movement of where the three skids join without disturbing the function of the overall system. This same concept will allow a fourth skid to come in at an undetermined time, what is likely to be years in the future, and fit appropriately alongside the existing three skids despite the movement that is guaranteed to occur with the passing of time. A typical flange would likely come with complications for this application as they are too rigid and would not allow for the adjustments in placement that Romtec Utilities engineers are anticipating.

Romtec Utilities delivered the prefabricated skid mounted booster system within 5 months of receiving the signed purchase order, a remarkable timeline for a project at this level. The new system pumps 2500 GPM, daily, via (3) 74 PSI Ebara pumps at 834 GPM per pump. On top of completing this booster system, Romtec Utilities prepared the city for future growth, going above and beyond to ensure that the City of Van Alstyne is ready for more development when the time comes.

The skid Romtec Utilities designed and delivered will act as a booster station for one year, at which point it will operate as a transfer skid to fill a newly constructed water tower. The skid is fed by two above grade tanks and will be piped into an 16” existing pressure main.

It is the kind of forward thinking and deeper understanding of pumping systems found in this project that sets Romtec Utilities apart. We are not simply designers or manufacturers, we are engineers, and technicians who experience real world applications of our products, allowing us to advance our understanding of these systems and identify issues that could affect our systems long term. We are dedicated to providing the very best and understanding pumping systems at a higher level to ensure success. This includes a stronger understanding of our products as well as those of the vendors we work with. This knowledge of our partner’s products allows us to use the right products for the best applications. It is this dedication that results in great projects and long-lasting systems.