Romtec Utilities is well versed in projects on the West Coast, particularly in the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. The Nielsen Industrial project is located just north of the Oregon border in Vancouver, Washington, an area in which Romtec has completed numerous sewer lift station projects.
Located at the northeastern edge of Vancouver on NE 117th Ave, this lift station will service a small industrial development as the city continues to grow and push its borders out. The Nielsen Industrial Subdivision that the sewer lift station will be serving involves roughly four acres of land for industrial construction. The developer of this property, 117th Ave Properties (Ascend Holdings) is local to the Vancouver area.
The Nielsen Industrial lift station will be owned by the Clark Regional Wastewater District (CRWWD) after the start-up and commissioning of the system. Romtec Utilities has provided numerous lift stations owned by CRWWD, and is familiar with their standards for sewer lift stations, a huge benefit for the customer.

In the Nielsen Industrial system, the pre-cast wet well has a 5’ inner diameter (ID), but is a total of 22.66’ in depth. At the bottom of the wet well sit two 3 horsepower (HP) Flygt Submersible pumps, making this a “duplex” system. The Flygt pumps are controlled by a MicroLogix 1400 controller, which will receive signals from the level sensing to start and stop pumping cycles.
The level sensing device in this station is a multitrode probe. Conductive probes are used primarily in municipal water systems and are a reliable option for level sensing without the need for moving parts. Probes work by conducting a small electrical current through the water, providing accurate measurements with a small margin for error. Even though they do utilize electrical currents, when installed with an MTSIB intrinsically safe barrier, the energy levels from the probes are considered too low to cause ignition in hazardous environments.
The environment inside of wastewater wet wells can be hazardous. The production of Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) gas by the wastes can create an environment that is combustible. Intrinsically safe barriers are important in these environments to reduce the risk of combustion in the gasses, which can cause not only damage to the system but also health concerns for the area around the system. Romtec Utilities experts evaluate the system and situation to determine which level sensors would be best suited for the environment, taking many factors such as water composition, movement, safety, and the customers’ needs/wants into consideration.
Rotschy, Inc. (a local general contractor) brought this project to Romtec Utilities. Since Rotschy and Romtec Utilities have provided numerous lift stations for the CRWWD, both companies were familiar with the requirements and the process by which the project would progress. Romtec Utilities is proud to have worked with Rotschy to provide other lift stations for the Clark Regional Wastewater District, and we both look forward to future projects in the Vancouver area.