Are you aware June is Save a Pump Month?

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Because a pump is a terrible thing to waste…

    Pump station Water and waste operators everywhere know the work horses of any municipal water or waste water system is the pump.  That is why many officials in the public and private sector, as well as manufacturers have joined with Taylor Pump Stations in proclaiming June as save a pump month.

Save a pump month, How can I get involved?

So, what can we as professionals in the pump industry do to protect the pump motor and of course the pump end of this vital machine.  We must be aware of the importance of taking care of some basic preventative maintenance tasks that when done routinely will prolong a pumps life.  In the water and waste water industry it is primarily the roto-dynamic (centrifugal) pump that in many cases works around the clock 365 days a year.  It is an amazing machine, one worthy of being at the top of the asset management priority ;public work directors-supervisors and field technicians are very aware of the long term benefits of a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi and annual inspection & maintenance schedule.

Experienced public works employees and private sector tradesman recognize that it its not just servicing the pump and motor itself but caring for the key equipment and varying components of pumping station that can truly extend a pumps MTBF (mean time before failure).

So what better way to “stay in the flow” and keep the flow going for this first annual save a pump month than by following the “Big 10” pump maintenance items.

  1. Get a good base line of what is normal for your pumping operation. I.E. by using your eyes, ears, feel and smell you’ll begin to sense ahead of time any problems.  It’s a little “zen” but it works.
  2. It varies with the type of station but visually and operationally check  the on/off level switches for proper operation, I.E. make sure floats are not “ragged up” or tangled.
  3. Know enough of the alternating switch cycle that the lead/ leg pump operations is functioning.
  4. Your pumps need the proper amount of ” juice” and on a 3ph motor that means the amount of voltage per the name plate on all 3 legs, with the allowable voltage variance of approximately 5%.  Be sure to check the amperage that the motor is drawing, also available on the motors name plate. Given both inputs of voltage and amperage, the technician gets a good picture of  the electric motors operating condition; which is key to the proper operation of the sewage pump station.  Hazardous Voltages are present in motor control panels-don’t attempt to check voltage without proper training.
  5. Manually insure the alarm is working by operating the switch or test button, the same goes for the alarm light.
  6. Pay close attention i.e. be detailed in watching the read out of the PLC.  Pump fault readouts-levels or any other alarm function is of no benefit unless you’re monitoring the readout with the knowledge of what constitutes the abnormal.  I guess it goes without saying-you must be trained then use that training to understand the pumps vital signs.
  7. Check the seals on the MCC doors.  Insure the seal has not been compromised.  A 4x NEMA enclosure is not a 4x seal rated if damage has occurred to the door latch or gasket.
  8. Check for loose bolts and evident hardware deterioration-i.e. be a good housekeeper.
  9. Activate valves-to insure a unfrozen condition.  Grease when necessary-operate spring spring check valves-insure a good seal.
  10. Kind of a catch all-pull submersible pumps periodically for a visual operational check.  If at every maintenance interval a  digital laser ray thermometer is used for temp check of all mechanical equipment it will create a baseline to note any spikes in heat, indicating a problem.  Be constantly vigil of resonance or vibration.  Finally clean the pump basin out on a semi annual basis.  A word of caution here!  A sewage pump station is one of OSHA’S highest level danger  rated confined space environments.  Do not enter under any circumstance without following the regulations. The EZZ-Klean™ device as manufactured by Taylor Made Pump Stations is an excellent way  to clean a station without subjecting workers to the harmful environment below.

 

Each pump application will have its own set of plans.  But use these maintenance ideas along with your own and make June and every month trouble free in your pumps life.  Part of  save a pump month is getting this knowledge out there, so pass the information along.

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EZZ-Klean™ Installed in Sewer Lift Station

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A pump station gets the option to be pumped out the easy way, with the EZZ-Klean.™

A sewer lift station is being retrofitted in an RV park. The park has many children with in it. The owner wanted
the Vac Operator to have access to the sewage below with out the hazards of exposing the children to the open sewer pumping station.

References

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EZZ-Klean shipped with station

16″ Wide HDPE vacuum head, long sweep design shipped to Oregon Parks and Recreation along with new centrifugal pumps.

EZZ VAC by EZZ KLEAN

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EZZ VAC

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Available today at Oldcastle Wilsonville!

503-682-2844

www.oldcastleprecast.com

Many design professionals and municipalities are specifying the new and revolutionary EZZ Klean process to help clean and maintain we wells, tanks and deep inlets. This U.S. patented device reduces maintenance costs, increases worker safety, and extends pump life, in every application.

Pump Station Cleaning

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Pump station cleaning and safety is high priority!

The contents in a waste water pump station include decomposing organic products such as human fecal matter, other chemicals, and industry waste by-products. This mixture of hazardous waste requires a wet well that is functional at all times which means that pump station cleaning and maintenance with attention to detail is of utmost importance.

Keeping the pump station slab above the wet well and the pump station structure (if there is one) clean and maintained is very important  and adds to the mindset of the maintenance personnel to keep things clean and in working condition. At times the nature of the contents in the wet well itself discourages maintenance crews from paying too much attention to its maintenance.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”

Lack of proper maintenance procedures can cause overflow conditions. Such things as stuck floats, pump impeller jam-ups, and corroded, broken or disconnected electrical cables can lead to overflow situations. For example, floats will cease functioning properly if they are shrouded with rags, waste paper, other debris, and coated with scum. Periodic spraying from above with a strong stream of water from a hose will prevent this. Pump impellers can be jammed by rocks, sticks, rags.. etc.

There are solutions:

Pump Station Cleaning  can be a simple process. There are products available locally that supply a permanent High Density Polythylene (HDPE) wide mouth intake and HDPE pipe to the top with an easy connection  to a VAC Truck or similar equipment to suck out debris and muck.  Having a sloped floor towards the wide mouth intake adds significant efficiency. All this is done safely from above. HDPE is corrosion resistant to Wet Well contents. Efficiency is greatly enhanced if the Wet Well floor is sloped towards the wide mouth intake device.

Overflows, of course, are environmental hazards that will be scrutinized by regulatory agencies.  Fines and clean-up can lead to extraordinary costs.  A well planned pump station cleaning and maintenance program is essential.

The EZZ KLEAN and Storm Water Safety

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The EZZ Klean ™ goes to work protecting the pristine waters of the Umpqua Lighthouse Park.

LIghthouse

Photo Credit – puliarf

The Umpqua Lighthouse pump station at the park is in close proximity to the crystal clear waters of Lake Marie and less than a mile from the famous Salmon waters on Winchester Bay. A sewage over flow can occur with any sanitary pumping station and can be harmful to the environment. The environment needs its own safety beacon, similar to the Umpqua Lighthouse protecting the maritime industry.

Here is where the EZZ Klean™ Solution comes in.

The bright red EZZ Klean tube stands ready to help lower the effluent in the event of a power loss and subsequent pump shut down. The stationary tube with a quick connect top allows workmen to access the pump vault in a matter of a minute without looking for keys or special wrenches to remove hatches. In the case of the Umpqua Lighthouse pump station it is a dry deck wet well design so if the sewage rises to the dry deck level the waste water could wreak havoc on the close couple centrifugal pumps and electrical equipment. “An SSO is something we don’t even want to think about” said Mike Colllins Oregon State Parks regional manager out of Salem, “but with the high winds and many storms that buffet the coastal range. We looked at the EZZ Klean as added insurance towards protection of our beautiful park. As an added benefit we have many volunteers who work and add value to keeping our parks beautiful. We recognize that these folks do a great job but should a high alarm sound at one of our pump stations we wouldn’t want them near the dangers of a pump station. They could however point the Vac Truck operator to the” bright red flag” where the “pop top” opening at the EZZ Klean is located, till more skilled help arrives!”

The Umpqua Lighthouse pump station was recently updated with new close coupled “Dri-prime” pumps and a complete MCC and remote terminal alarm control units. With all this the park rangers know that the red light flashing is that of the Bright Red Beacon of the Umpqua Lighthouse and not the much smaller version mounted at the pump station itself.

Our products are available thru Oldcastle Wilsonville OR.

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United States Patent Awarded to EZZ-Klean™ Method

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The EZZ-Klean™ System by Taylor Made Pump Stations* now offers a safer and more economical system for cleaning sewage wet wells and pits, storm water Retention basins, digesters and grease interceptors.

Mark Taylor PatentCleanliness, and safety for maintaining pump station wet wells, vaults digester sumps or just about any container for liquid waste is of prime importance. The DEQ, EPA and OSHA are especially sensitive to the implications of maintaining the highest quality of these factors and have stringent regulations that need to be considered in order for owners and workers to stay in compliance. In the past, the methods used to do the work needed to satisfy compliance with regulations were time consuming and cumbersome. The new method called “EZZ-Klean™” has been tested and proven. It has earned a US Patent to save time, costs, improve safety and remain in compliance.

The Patent for the EZZ-Klean™ method is based on utilizing the benefits of a sloped floor along with a wide mouth opening at or near the bottom the vault with a pipe that is accessible to a vacuum source from the top of the vault. This is what Mr. Garret Pallo, Principle Engineer with Civil West, liked about the EZZ-Klean™ System. Civil West recently designed the EZZ-Klean™ into a pump Station in Myrtle Point, Oregon. This created a more efficient and effective cleaning process. It can just be cleaned from above with a spray of water. This method was inspired when Taylor Made Pump Systems became aware of the time it was taking for workers to clean in confined spaces while also being in compliance with Oregon OSHA standards. These standards address particulars such as cleaning sludge, rocks, sticks and even bones which are known to cause pump impeller problems.

Along with being able to save time and costs, safety was another consideration that the engineers of EZZ-Klean™ wanted to make sure to address with their method. What theycome up with is a system that makes fall protection, ventilation equipment, retrieval tripods, spending a large amount of capital investment and labor hours obsolete. The EZZ-Klean™ method allows for ease of use and maintenance so owners and workers can save time and money while staying safe on the job. The EZZ Klean™ Method can be purchased through Oldecastle Concrete Store.

*About Taylor Made Pump Stations:  An industry specialist in the construction and the installation of Prepackaged Pump Stations, Taylor Made Pump Stations installs and constructs branded, pre-packaged and owner designed Pump Stations. Fully licensed providers and installers, contractors, manufacturers, engineers, and SCADA personnel provide a full array of Pump Station services including lift station construction, consultation and installing pre-made and customized stations designed to fit the specific applications needed including automation options, low maintenance, on site bore drilling for field connections and more.

 

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3.6mg Water Reservoir Sealing Project

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Bandon Pump Station

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December 13, 2007
Mark Taylor
Taylor Site Development, Inc.
PO Box 1752
1501 Sage Rd. Ste. B
Medford, Oregon 97501

Re:         City of Bandon
Johnson Creek Sewage Pump Station Upgrade
101.51

To Whom It May Concern:

The contract for an upgrade to an existing sewage pump station located in the City of Bandon, Oregon was awarded to Taylor Site Development on March 16th, 2007.  Final acceptance of the pump station by the City was November 12th, 2007.

Since final acceptance, the pump station has performed without incident.  Further, during a recent high wind and rain storm, the new structure held strong.  The City recently expressed their pleasure with the overall performance of the improved pump station, both in general, and during the major storm event.

As the designer and main inspector, I worked closely with TSD on this project, and can verify that TSD performed the Contractor’s responsibilities as outlined in the contract requirements in a timely manner, and ultimately, has provided the City with a finished product with which they can be proud.

Sincerely,

Cedar Simmons, EIT
The Dyer Partnership

Engineers and Planners, Inc.

Government Projects

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Government Projects

Highland Pump Station

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Bandon Pump Station

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Ashland Pump Station (N. Main Street)

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North Medford High School

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