The issue

While attempting to provide emergency backup power to its various wastewater lift stations, a southwest Florida municipality (as well as a neighboring city) experienced frustration with diesel-driven generators during inclement weather or power outages.

The municipality identified four problem areas with its current setup.

1. Generator accessories failed to indicate power loss during critical situations.
2. Efficiency losses of generators and electric pumps caused excessive fuel consumption.
3. Generators were often oversized, causing insufficient load on the engines.
4. Inflow and infiltration problems arose, as rising groundwater and floodwaters entered collection pipelines.

Municipality officials decided to explore the option of permanent, diesel-powered, dry-priming backup pumps as a more reliable and cost-effective replacement to the generators.

The solution

Thompson Pump was given an opportunity to meet with the municipality and illustrate all the advantages of a stationary Thompson Pump system for lift station backup. This meeting involved engineering consultants, contractors and municipal managers, who ultimately decided the best way to move water is with an emergency diesel pumping system.

“We just needed a chance to prove ourselves,” says David Perry, municipal sales manager for Thompson Pump. “We have a competitive advantage when you look at our product design, knowledge, experience and the unsurpassed level of service we provide.”

Thompson Pump submitted a proposal tailored to meet and exceed the municipality’s needs at each lift station. It highlighted Thompson Pump’s exemplary product performance during time of need; the reduced cost of operation when compared to generators; and the basic fact that pumps move water whereas generators do not. This detailed proposal explained all the different ways Thompson pumps would help prevent sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) at each lift station. 

The results

Thompson pumps demonstrated their true worth during Hurricane Irma, as the municipality lost power to all its 840 lift stations. Of those 840, approximately 11 Thompson pumps had already been installed. Each performed perfectly, automatically bypassing all the flow coming into each station, resulting in zero SSOs. In addition, it became readily apparent the pumps used far less fuel than the generators — important not only from a cost standpoint, but also because fuel was difficult to obtain during the hurricane.

“The municipality quickly discovered that Thompson Pump’s products, service team and engineering staff provided a night-and-day difference,” Perry says.

After its initial acquisition of Thompson Pump products in 2014, the municipality evaluated additional lift stations in need of emergency backup. They currently have 15 stationary Thompson pumps and plan to add more each fiscal year.