Knowing the differences between a lift station and a pumping station helps you make the best choices when installing and maintaining your Georgia pump systems. As part of sewage or water treatment, these pumping systems ensure your property can handle waste and water distribution properly. Both lift stations and pumping stations are used to move sewage or water when gravity cannot. Regular maintenance on both of these septic systems can greatly impact their respective longevity and overall effectiveness.
What is a Lift Station?
As an effective management system, lift stations move sewage material and wastewater from lower levels to higher levels based on your property. Using a collection system, lift stations are vital when the given area is compact or low-lying. Frequently, they are used to move wastewater from a residential or commercial area to a wastewater treatment plant. Many infrastructures use a lift station because they require less excavation to be installed, meaning they are a more cost-effective solution.
How Do Lift Stations Work?
Raw sewage is stored underground, often at lower elevations. In order to move the sewage to a wastewater treatment plant at a higher elevation, a lift station is necessary. Lift stations work by storing the raw sewage in a container called a wet well, which is designed to empty once it reaches a certain level. During the time the wastewater is stored in the wet well, it is continually tested and solid materials are removed.
Once the wet well is full, the lift station pump ‘lifts’ the sewage up using a pressurizer sewer force main. This drives the sewage to a higher elevation and sets it on a journey to the wastewater plant for treatment and recirculation.
What is Required for a Lift Station?
In order to qualify for and maintain a lift station, you are required to:
- Match pump capacity with the wastewater quantity and quality
- Operate reliably, without interruption
- Maintain streamlined maintenance and operation
- Not have restrictions for future capacity and expansion needs
- Avoid excessive odor release
- Have a minimal environmental impact on the immediate area
- Avoid overflowing and flooding
How Often Should Lift Stations Be Maintained?
Lift stations should be professionally maintained and thoroughly cleaned once a year. Commercial lift stations may even require more frequent maintenance depending on use. Make sure to contact Bynum Septic for regular lift station maintenance!
What is a Pumping Station?
Whereas lift stations collect and move quantities of wastewater and sewage, pumping stations move water that is free of sewage and solid materials. Frequently, pumping stations are used in conjunction with storm management systems or reclaimed water systems. They can operate on either a constant or intermittent basis. Regardless, just like lift stations, pumping stations move their content from a lower elevation to a higher elevation so it can be transported to the best area.
How Do Pumping Stations Work?
In much the same way as a lift station, water pumping stations have a chamber that holds water until the levels reach a certain point. These levels are monitored by a float switch that triggers the pump station to activate once it is switched on. The water is then lifted through a discharge system using a high-pressure pump and routed to a water treatment or storage facility. Fortunately, pumping stations do not require additional grinder pumps since the solids are already removed from the wastewater they process.
What is Required for a Pumping Station?
- Able to effectively move large amounts of water from a storm management system or a reclaimed water system.
- Some pumping stations operate constantly while others run in cycles. This requires the correct pump sizing and timing to coincide with the location and amount of rainfall.
- Pump stations that aren’t running need frequent maintenance to avoid float switch material deterioration. Without maintenance, the pump station may fail and cause unwanted flooding when activated.
How Often Should Pumping Stations Be Maintained?
Pumping stations should be professionally maintained and thoroughly cleaned at least once a year. Contact Bynum Septic for regular maintenance on your property’s pumping station!
Contact Bynum Septic for A Pump Station Vs. Lift Station!
Whether you have a lift station or a pumping station, your system will be ineffective without routine maintenance. Contact Bynum Septic for lift station repair, commercial pumping station installation, and maintenance near Lawrenceville, Lilburn, and the surrounding areas. Backed by 25 years in the business, we’ll ensure you have the best sewage or water management system for your property.
