Check valves are an important component of any lift station design. Without check valves, the pumps and wet well of a lift station can be subject to damage from backflow. Backflow occurs when the lift station pumps stop operating and the water in the force main and discharge piping flows back into the wet well. In virtually every case, the backflow creates high levels of hydraulic pressure that pumps and wet wells are not designed to handle. The solution is a check valve. This simple device is available in several models and configurations and each variety can impact the design and cost of a lift station system.
