Surge relief valves protect wastewater lift station
Problem: A major freeway project required the city of Phoenix to relocate a wastewater lift station into a hilly area with significant elevation changes. The new station discharges to an existing force main, making it susceptible to transient pressures when pumps cycle on and off. Without targeted protection, rapid pressure spikes — water hammer — could have damaged the force main, valves and pump equipment, jeopardizing reliability and increasing maintenance costs.
Solution: To control transients at the source, engineers installed 8-inch APCO SRA-3000A Surge Relief Angle Valves. Each valve was set to open at 135 psig, giving the system a fast-acting “safety outlet” that discharges pressure only when the setpoint is exceeded, then reseats to maintain normal operating pressure. This configuration limits the magnitude and duration of surge events associated with pump starts and stops in the lift station’s force main environment. DeZURIK PEC Eccentric Plug Valves were selected as isolation valves, providing reliable shut-off and service access while complementing the surge relief strategy.
Result: Following commissioning, the SRA surge relief valves have performed as intended — relieving transient overpressure conditions during pump cycling and helping prevent line damage in the force main system. By mitigating water hammer in a topographically challenging setting, the station maintains stable operation, protects downstream assets and reduces the risk of unplanned outages tied to surge events. The combination of purpose-set surge relief (135 psig) and robust isolation via PEC Eccentric Plug Valves supports safer, more predictable operations for the relocated lift station, aligning with the city’s reliability goals amid changing infrastructure demands. 320-259-2000; www.dezurik.com
Vertical turbine pump installed in new pump station
Problem: The Davis Aqueduct in Utah has supported Davis County’s water supply since the 1950s, delivering water to hundreds of thousands of residents. Located along the Wasatch Fault, the aqueduct required a major resilience upgrade to protect service continuity during seismic events. Weber Basin Water Conservancy District needed a high-horsepower pump capable of handling sudden system pressure changes while avoiding traditional surge tanks, which add cost, space demands and long-term maintenance complexity. The solution also had to meet current demand and support future system expansion.
Solution: Trillium Flow Technologies supplied a 1,500 hp Floway vertical turbine pump as the centerpiece of the new pump station. The pump integrates a performance-engineered flywheel to provide surge control, eliminating the need for large surge tanks. Its vertical turbine design supports high-horsepower municipal applications while maintaining efficiency and reliability under seismic conditions. Engineered for continuous operation during seismic-related disturbances, the pump protects aqueduct integrity and water delivery. To support long-term growth, two additional Floway cans were installed for future pump additions, enabling scalability within the same resilient infrastructure footprint.
Result: The vertical turbine pump now anchors the Davis Aqueduct’s seismic resilience strategy. The system delivers reliable water service to approximately 650,000 residents with built-in surge protection and no surge tanks. The utility achieved reduced infrastructure footprint, optimized project cost and simplified construction, while securing future-ready capacity for both treated water and irrigation demand. 832-200-6220; www.trilliumflow.com
Cutter pumps power new lift station for apartment complex
Problem: A brand-new apartment complex in Florida urgently needed a lift station that could handle heavy daily use. Reliability and longevity were nonnegotiable, as only one lift station would serve the entire complex. The project required a complete packaged station, including a basin, pump and control panels.
Solution: The apartment complex owner contacted Custom Pump & Control, which partnered with Tsurumi Pump to support the lift station project. Tsurumi’s pumps and rail station were readily available and shipped immediately, ensuring that the project stayed on track. Two 100C47.5 cutter pumps, a rail station and control panels were installed at the site. The C Series cutter pumps excel in wastewater applications, as they are built to seamlessly handle wipes, diapers and other nonflushable matter.
Result: The pumps met their design point on the first run, allowing the apartment complex to promptly move forward with operations. Since installation, the lift station has continued to successfully support the needs of the complex and is anticipated to run for decades to come. 888-878-7864; www.tsurumipump.com
Pumps enable utility to focus on efficiency
Problem: Upper Blackstone Clean Water owns and operates an advanced wastewater treatment facility serving the communities within Worcester and six other surrounding towns throughout central Massachusetts with an average daily flow of 36 mgd. When the utility needed to replace their peristaltic hose pumps, they knew the importance of finding a pump that could pump thickened sludge for dewatering, but they were also focused on the cost efficiency when investing in a new pump.
Solution: After evaluating replace-in-kind options and reviewing other positive displacement pumps, the utility partnered with Penn Valley Pump to implement Double Disc Pumps within their facility. With few moving parts and minimal wear, the pump requires little maintenance, helping reduce overall life cycle costs. The maintain-in-place design allows the plant to rebuild the pump quickly without removal from the frame or disturbing the piping.
Result: After a successful six-month trial as part of the company’s swap-your-pump program, the utility purchased a total of four units for their dewatering operation and two units for scum transfer so the facility could confidently continue the process of purifying water for its communities. 800-311-3311; www.pennvalleypump.com
City utilizes antiragging technology to save substantial costs
Problem: Palestine, Texas, home to over 18,000 residents and processing 25 mgd of wastewater, faced persistent clogging in its sewer system due to improperly flushed items, including wipes, plastics, clothing, rags and trash bags. These materials aggregated into dense “rag balls” that frequently obstructed pumps, leading to frequent and costly equipment downtime. Manual cleaning of three return-activated sludge pumps required 21 weekly interventions, totaling $3,000 in maintenance expenses each week. This process was not only time-consuming, but also posed safety risks to maintenance personnel.
Solution: After years of research, the city installed three DERAGGER systems from Industrial Flow Solutions, one for each pump at the plant. The systems were designed to continuously monitor the pumps’ amperage, voltage and hertz outputs, detecting potential overloads and clogs in real time. They utilize Real Time Pump Protection, which automatically reverses the impeller blades’ direction upon detecting a blockage or a rag, effectively clearing the obstruction without manual intervention. This preemptive action not only prevents pump shutdowns but also ensures uninterrupted operation of the wastewater treatment process.
Result: Eight months post-installation, no pump shutdowns were reported, resulting in substantial cost savings exceeding $100,000. DERAGGER significantly improved operational efficiency, reduced maintenance downtime and enhanced safety for maintenance personnel. “It’s an incredible solution to an age-old problem,” says Tim Perry, Public Works director. 860-631-3618; www.flowsolutions.com
