Pump Station Repair
Government restrictions and requirements often frustrate homeowners, business leaders, and municipal governments. At their most basic level, these rules are in place to protect others. Regulations serve a purpose but can feel like an affront to progress. In the case of our client, improper repairs to a municipal sewer pump station left an entire community without the ability to perform needed property upgrades.
The problem: an unexpected accident and subsequent repairs
Emergency situations often have a “make the decision and ask for permission later” aura surrounding them. A car accident significantly damaged our client’s municipal sewer pumping station. The damage necessitated emergency repairs to maintain the health and safety of the region.
Unfortunately, this approach meant that the project lacked the required permits. To some, this might sound like a case of missed paperwork. However, as anyone with extensive experience in engineering and sewer operations can tell you, these permits do more than grant permission. They’re the written sign-off that all parts of the repair project were completed within EPA guidelines so that wastewater contamination is prevented at each stage of the process.
The lack of official permits meant that this vitally important piece could not be verified. Therefore, with the pump station out of compliance, no homeowner was legally allowed to perform upgrades or repairs to their home if it involved the connected system. This created havoc for the community and lasted for over four years.
The process: a complete review and permit application
Our project scope consisted of several steps to ensure that the pump station could be certified as compliant. The first of these, the design phase, included a comprehensive review of the existing sewer pump infrastructure. Based on our analysis, we developed a plan that would address inadequacies and bring the repaired pump station up to code.
The second phase consisted of flow studies to ensure that there were no weaknesses in the system that would allow for backflow. This also incorporated reviewing our proposed upgrades from the design phase.
Next, we applied for the necessary permits. We were meticulous in our work here as a reassurance to regulators who had concerns over the existing station’s earlier repairs. We made modifications as requested and complied with additional work revisions within the allotted timeframe.
The goal: a quick turnaround for all parties involved
The four-year lapse in this situation had created frustration for community leaders and residents alike. Our goal was to maintain compliance with all parties involved while, at the same time, minimizing the project’s timeline.
The outcome: we obtained successful approval of the permit and received project sign-off
From start to finish, we were able to bring the pump station back into compliance within an astonishingly short six-month timeframe. Residents in this community now can legally and safely perform repairs to their homes, upgrade them, and live with the assurance that there is no threat of wastewater contamination.
We can help with a wide range of engineering problems
Our team’s commitment to quality and expediency is one of the hallmark characteristics of our operation. We can assist your community with this or other similar needs as well. Send us a message today and we’ll schedule a time to chat about how we can help.