Problem
At the water reclamation facility in the Jordan Basin (South Jordan Pump Station) area of Utah, ragging was a recurring issue, occurring at least once per week. Serving a population of 200,000 and processing 30 million gallons per day, the facility's four 125 hp pumps were frequently clogged by rags, causing audible cavitation noises and accelerating wear and tear, ultimately increasing the need for repairs. The maintenance team spent five to six hours manually de-ragging the pumps weekly, leading to hazardous working conditions. Workers were regularly exposed to raw sewage and sharp objects, posing significant safety risks. As a result, operational efficiency was further compromised by increased downtime, and maintenance costs continued to rise due to the frequent interventions required to address the ragging problem.
Solution
In 2016, the South Jordan Pump Station installed four DERAGGER systems with keypads to address the ongoing ragging issue. By leveraging Real Time Pump Protection, the DERAGGER systems detect the presence of rags and initiate an automatic cleaning cycle to clear the first rag, preventing any potential pump clogs. Since the installation, there has been zero ragging, and pumps no longer require manual lifting or cleaning. This improvement has not only enhanced operational efficiency but also resulted in significant maintenance and energy savings for the pump station. With the DERAGGER systems in place, the facility has saved an estimated three staff hours per month — equating to 312 hours annually and approximately $9,360 in cost savings per year. These reductions in both labor and maintenance efforts have greatly streamlined operations and lowered the overall costs associated with pump maintenance.
Kelly Petersen, Jordan Basin WRFBefore implementing DERAGGER, we were pulling pump inspection plates and cleaning by hand biweekly, if not weekly. But after installation of DERAGGER, we now go two or three months without having to clean by hand.
