Problem: The County Home Lift Station operated by the town of Danville (Indiana) Wastewater Department sits downstream from a hospital, jail, and landfill. Clothing, needles, toothbrushes and other debris from these facilities repeatedly clogged the station’s three pumps, driving up costs and hindering productivity. The station required frequent emergency unclogging manually or with vacuum trucks, presenting biohazards for team members. Clogged pumps accentuated by large rain events put the jail, hospital, and town residents at risk.
Solution: The town chose a Pentair Hydromatic next-generation submersible pump, which uses a semi-open stainless steel impeller and self-cleaning cutter plate to eliminate tough clogs. The premium efficiency motor is oil-filled for lower running temperatures and has Class H insulation, increasing service life and saving energy. To combatting grease buildup and solids settling, the volute is mix-flush ready.
Result: At the first inspection, personnel noticed that the wet well was significantly cleaner with less trash and debris. “It does so much work for the other two pumps,” says Wayne Herring, wastewater operator. “We’re not clogging up.” Laborer Chris Tidd touted cost savings and improved work life: “We have 17 of these stations. If we have one of these in each station, the time freed up is drastic.” After a 90-day trial, the pump had passed over 17 million gallons of wastewater at 754 gpm and experienced no clogs. 763-545-1730; www.pentair.com
