Waste Pump Problem:
- Safety concerns and confined-space entry when climbing 20 feet down through a 36-inch silo access
- Frequent pump clogs
- Disruptive shutdowns to repair
- Weekly cleaning of bar screens
- Quarterly septic tank cleaning
- Costly maintenance repairs
In-Line Pumping Project Overview
The Village of Sherman, a rural community of about 730 on the far west end of New York, has a 40-year-old 140,000 gpd (design) package treatment plant that achieves more than 99 percent BOD and TSS removal. The clean water plant’s chief operator needed to replace an aging lift station to reduce frequent pump clogging and bar cleaning concerns and improve safety issues related to the 20ft deep x 36in diameter silo that requires confined space entry gear to access.
The station originally used a pair of centrifugal pumps to lift the effluent to the plant head works where mop rag builds up in the wet well and causes the pumps to clog, resulting in shutting the station down before entry. Bar screens required weekly cleaning and a septic truck was called in every 2-3 months to clean the well. Disruptions were costly. The OverWatch® Direct In-Line system was the solution to their waste pump problems.
OverWatch® Direct In-Line Pumping Solution
An OverWatch® system delivers two 15 hp pumps, each having the ability to handle 100% of the normal flow while in a safe and clean dry pit environment. This station is notorious for I&I issues, with heavy rains and winter’s thawing, the system’s two pumps are able to operate in real time, adjusting to minimum and maximum flows.
With the frequent clogging and cleaning issues, the town selected to go with the DIPCut® impeller, allowing for self- cleaning operation of the pumps. When solid objects impede the impeller, the system’s Variable Frequency Drives (VFD) senses a higher torque and reverses the pump’s direction. The hinged vanes fold flat, exposing cutting knives which allows mop rags and other fibrous material to be shredded and removed.
The OverWatch® system was delivered ready to install. In just 11.5 hours, the wet well was transformed into a dry pit where the pumps sit just 10 feet below the surface without the need to retain liquid volume.
Clogs in the pit and bar screens are eliminated, saving the town costly labor & cleaning hours while providing a much safer and cleaner environment for their employees.
OverWatch® Results
- Confined space entry issues are eliminated
- Reduced maintenance costs by eliminating clogs
- Increased operational efficiency with fewer or no downtime disruptions
- Improved access to pump system equipment
OverWatch® Features
- Continuous monitoring and smart machine operation eliminates blockages/backups
- Self-cleaning with DIPCut® impeller design
- Simplified installation
OverWatch® Applications
- Retrofitting of current wet wells
- New pumping stations where excavation depths required are difficult or expensive to achieve
- Replacing pumps prone to ragging/clogging
- Areas where sewage odors are unpleasant to its environment
- Ejector pumps with high concentrations of Fats, Oils, Greases
