PROBLEM:
Pump ragging was a major challenge for the wastewater team at the City of Greensboro, NC, which serves over 285,000 residents and processes more than 30 MGD of sewage. Regular clogs from rags, wipes, and debris hindered pump efficiency and led to costly, time-consuming maintenance. Clearing these clogs required lifting heavy pumps and exposed workers to dangerous hazards like sharp objects and raw sewage, increasing the risk of injury.
The frequent maintenance efforts consumed significant time and resources, delaying critical tasks and compromising the facility’s overall efficiency.
Faced with these challenges, the team recognized the urgent need for a safer and cost-effective solution that could be implemented quickly and offer a short return on investment (ROI).
SOLUTION:
In 2017, the Greensboro team installed six DERAGGER® systems to address the ongoing pump ragging issue. These systems utilize Real Time Pump Protection™ to detect the presence of rags and automatically trigger a cleaning cycle, clearing the first rag before it can cause a clog.
Since the installation, ragging has been completely eliminated, and pumps no longer need to be manually lifted for clog removal. This has resulted in zero instances of ragging. As a result, the team can now redirect time and resources to other critical maintenance projects. The DERAGGER system not only provided a quick return on investment (ROI) but also significantly reduced safety risks for employees by eliminating the need for hazardous, hands-on pump maintenance.
Energy and cost saving calculations are as reported by City of Greensboro, NC.
