CM Pump Station - Specifying the Right Product

In order to specify a pump station correctly, a certain amount of information is required. A site visit or drawing with levels is preferable but without these, for a private station we can talk through the information with the customer in order to ensure the correct CM pump station is being supplied and utilised.

Firstly, we need to know what type of flow the pump station will be discharging. If it's pumping storm/surface water, we need to know if there are any flow rate stipulations already in place as this will determine which pumps we use, and the diameter of the rising main.

If it is foul water, we will need to know any flow rates but also any storage requirements for the chamber. For this, we need to know estimates of how many people will be using the facilities daily. This might be how many houses (with how many bedrooms) will the pump station serve, or how many visitors/customers or employees are anticipated to use the pump station. This allows us to keep to 24 hour storage requirements as specified by building regulations.

For all stations, we need to know the depth of the deepest incoming pipe for storage & sump requirements AND how far & how high the rising main or discharge main will be, in order to determine the total design head.

There are other factors when specifying a pump station - is it being located in difficult ground such as a high water table? Or in a vehicular access? Does it state anywhere the pump station needs to be suitable for adoption? Is it coping with any corrosive materials in the water? Are any specialised alarms being specified such as a beacon or telemetry system? How far away will the control panel be located? Is a kiosk or extended cabling a better option if the control panel is more than 10m away? These are all things we consider when specifying a CM pump station and ensuring it is suitable for sites' needs. As well as offering support and advice on installation if required, and an ongoing pump station service contract, buying a CM pump station means you get years of experience.

Here's a handy checklist of what we might ask, so you can ensure you have all the information ready:

What is the pump station for - foul or storm water?
How much storage is required if it's foul? How many people will it service daily?
What is the required flow rate?
How long is the rising main? How far from the pump station to the receiving manhole?
How high is the rising main having to go? The height from the pump station to the receiving manhole?