How Sewage Pump Systems Operate

A sewage pump system is made up of a network of pipes that carry sewage from home and businesses to the main sewers. Ordinarily, the network of pipes relies on gravity for the waste to flow into the main sewer.

However, in low-lying areas where the main sewer sits on higher ground than the domestic sewage pipes, the sewage needs to be transported to the main sewer in a different way. This is where sewage pumping stations come in.

What is a Sewage Pumping Station and how does it work?

A sewage pumping station is made up of a large tank, known as a wet well, that acts as the receiver for sewage from a building or a group of buildings. Sewage from individual houses flows into the wet well.

The sewage will then sit in the well until it reaches a predetermined level. Once it reaches this level, a pump will kick in to pressurise the sewage so that it will travel out of the wet well, uphill, to a point where it enters the main sewer, or that it can then travel into the main sewer using gravity.

When do you need a Pump Station?

• When the cost of groundworks to allow sewage to flow by gravity outweighs the cost of a sewage pumping station.
• When the sewer line passes over a ridge.
• If basement floors are too low to allow sewage flow by gravity.
• Where gravity system has not been built.

Advantages of a Sewage Pump Station

• A pump station offers convenience when installing a sewage system, and has the potential of cutting construction costs.
• Pump stations are fitted with remote monitoring systems, which keep operators updated.
• Sewage is pumped automatically without any human contact, which eliminates the risk of health problems.
• Different sizes of pumps are available for domestic applications and commercial applications.
• The intake of the pumps is often wide to prevent blocking.
• Sewage pumping systems are fitted with alarms to alert you to problems with the system. This minimises the risk of sewage overflowing as you are alerted quickly.