Sewer Pumping Stations

Pumping stations in sewage collection systems, also called lift stations, are designed to handle raw sewage that is fed from underground gravity pipelines. Sewage is fed into and stored in an underground pit, commonly known as a wet well. Electrical instrumentation is installed to detect the level of sewage. When the level rises to a predetermined point, a pump will be started to lift the sewage upward through a pressurized pipe system (sewer force main or rising main) from where it is discharged into a gravity manhole again. From here the cycle starts all over again until the sewage reaches its point of destination – usually a treatment plant. Pumping stations thus are used to move wastewater to higher elevations.