Evaluation of Wastewater Pump Stations
In June of 2011, the Town of Lunenburg selected Weston & Sampson to perform evaluation services for the town’s 10 wastewater pump stations.
The evaluations included inspection and data collection of all electrical, mechanical, and instrumentation equipment to evaluate the overall operation, performance, and reliability of the pump stations. All deficiencies were noted, and a prioritized capital plan was developed to allow the town to make repairs based on need and available funds.
Specifically, the evaluations included inspection of the motor control center (MCC) to determine the integrity and operation of relays, starter contacts, controls, and breakers; inspection of the level control system and current pump operating levels; inspection of the integrity of the mechanical piping, valves, fittings, and supports; inspection and testing of heating, ventilation, lighting, and dehumidification systems; inspection of electric motors to include amperage and voltage readings; mechanical integrity of the pump and motor appurtenances and wet well; condition of all equipment; a drawdown test to estimate pump capacity; investigation of the need for three phase protection; operation of pumps to obtain wet well levels and discharge pressure readings to determine pumping capabilities; and preliminary evaluation of SCADA options for each station.
The evaluations also included a review of pump station operations for average and peak flows, pump cycling, and pump certified curves versus existing pump suction and discharge gauge readings, where attainable. A final report was provided to address our recommendations to improve efficiency, performance, safety, and reliability; recommendations for options for improvements to pumping capacity; estimated construction costs for overall recommended station improvements/replacements; and a prioritized capital plan, with both short and long term improvement recommendations.