336-431-5852
aceavant@aceavant.com
5358 Poole Rd, Archdale, NC 27263
336-431-5852
aceavant@aceavant.com
5358 Poole Rd, Archdale, NC 27263
Sewer pump station construction, wet well installation, and sanitary sewer lift station work for commercial and industrial site development across North Carolina
We self-perform wet well excavation, structure installation, pump setting, valve vault construction, and force main connection as a single coordinated scope.
Pump station construction is sequenced with gravity sewer and force main installation so the full system is ready for startup testing at the same time.
Submersible pump setting, guide rail installation, discharge piping, and valve vault assembly are part of our pump station construction scope.
We coordinate with electrical contractors on controls, telemetry, and power supply so mechanical and electrical work are sequenced correctly.
We coordinate inspections, startup testing, and documentation with the receiving municipality through the full acceptance process.
We provide ongoing maintenance and inspection programs for commercial lift stations after construction is complete.
We respond to pump station failures and sewer lift station emergencies on commercial properties with the equipment and crew to restore service fast.
Pump station construction handled alongside gravity sewer, force main, and wet utilities by the same team and point of contact.
A sewer pump station, also called a lift station, is a below-grade structure that collects sewage from a gravity sewer collection system and pumps it under pressure into a force main that carries it to a higher elevation, across flat terrain, or to a municipal connection that the gravity system cannot reach without going prohibitively deep. Pump stations are used on commercial and industrial development sites when the site topography or the location of the municipal sewer connection makes it impossible to convey sewage entirely by gravity. They are also used in municipal sewer systems to manage flow across terrain that does not allow continuous gravity drainage across the full collection system.
Lift station and pump station are terms used interchangeably in the sanitary sewer industry. Both describe the same type of structure: a wet well that collects sewage by gravity and submersible pumps that discharge it into a pressurized force main. Lift station is the more common term in municipal sewer system discussions. Pump station is used more broadly and applies to both sanitary sewer and water system pumping facilities. For the purposes of sanitary sewer construction on commercial development sites, the two terms describe the same scope of work.
A sewer lift station is required when the gravity sewer system serving a development cannot convey sewage to the municipal connection by gravity alone. This happens when the site is at a lower elevation than the municipal sewer connection and gravity flow would require a pipe to be installed at a depth that is impractical or cost-prohibitive to excavate. It also happens when the development is located across a topographic high point from the municipal connection, making it impossible to route gravity sewer to the connection without going over terrain that breaks the continuous downhill slope gravity sewer requires. On large commercial developments, lift stations are sometimes used to serve low areas of the site that cannot drain by gravity to the main collection system without excessive trench depth.
Wet well excavation is one of the most critical operations in pump station construction. Wet wells are typically installed at significant depth, and excavation in the saturated soils common at low points where pump stations are located requires dewatering, shoring, and careful excavation sequencing to maintain stable trench walls and a dry working environment for structure installation.
The wet well is the below-grade structure that receives the incoming gravity sewer flow and provides the storage volume that allows the pumps to cycle on and off rather than running continuously. Wet wells are typically constructed from precast concrete sections, fiberglass, or cast-in-place concrete depending on the size, depth, and project specification. We install wet wells to the design dimensions and invert elevations, sealing sections and penetrations to prevent groundwater infiltration and sewage exfiltration.
The incoming gravity sewer main is connected to the wet well at the design invert elevation, with the connection made watertight and any required energy dissipation installed to prevent erosion inside the wet well from the incoming flow.
Submersible sewage pumps are set in the wet well on guide rail systems that allow the pumps to be raised and lowered for maintenance without personnel entering the confined space. Pump setting includes guide rail installation, pump connection to the discharge header, and float switch or level sensor installation for pump cycle control.
The valve vault is an adjacent below-grade structure that houses the isolation valves, check valves, and flow measurement equipment on the pump discharge piping. We construct valve vaults as part of the pump station scope, installing the discharge piping from the pump wet well through the vault and connecting to the force main at the vault outlet.
The force main is connected to the pump station valve vault discharge at the design alignment and depth, completing the pressurized conveyance system from the pump station to the gravity sewer connection point.
Pump station controls including the control panel, telemetry, and alarm systems are installed and coordinated with the electrical contractor responsible for power supply and controls wiring. We coordinate the mechanical and electrical scope so the two are sequenced correctly and the system is ready for startup testing when both are complete.
The completed pump station is started up and tested under operating conditions before it is submitted for municipal acceptance. Testing confirms that pumps operate correctly through their control cycle, that the force main holds pressure, and that all alarms and telemetry are functioning as designed.
Commercial pump station construction differs from residential sewage ejector pump installation in scale, complexity, and the regulatory requirements that apply to the finished structure. A residential sewage ejector pump is a small packaged unit installed in a building basement to lift sewage from a below-grade fixture to the gravity sewer lateral. A commercial sewer pump station is a site utility structure that serves an entire development, is dedicated to the municipal sewer system after construction, and must meet the design, construction, and testing standards of the receiving municipality before it can be accepted into public ownership.
We build commercial pump stations to the municipal authority’s standard specifications, coordinating material submittals, inspection hold points, and startup testing with the authority throughout the construction process so the station is accepted and placed into service on the project schedule.
After a commercial lift station is constructed and dedicated to the municipal system, maintenance responsibility typically transfers to the municipality. On privately owned pump stations serving commercial and industrial properties, ongoing maintenance responsibility stays with the property owner. We provide commercial pump station maintenance programs for privately owned stations including scheduled inspection and cleaning of the wet well, pump performance testing, valve and control system inspection, and emergency response when the station fails or alarms.
Pump station maintenance is not optional on a functioning sewer system. A pump station that is not maintained fails without warning, and a failed pump station means sewage backs up into the collection system it serves, potentially surfacing through manholes or backing up into buildings. We provide maintenance programs that keep privately owned stations functioning between the scheduled visits and respond quickly when emergency conditions require it.
Pump station failures on commercial and industrial properties require immediate response. When a lift station stops pumping, sewage backs up into the gravity collection system within hours depending on the flow rate the station serves. We respond to pump station failures and sewer lift station emergencies with the equipment, replacement parts, and experienced crews to diagnose the problem and restore service as quickly as conditions allow. Emergency response covers pump failures, control system failures, wet well damage, and force main breaks between the pump station and the gravity discharge point.
In addition to sanitary sewer pump stations, some commercial and industrial sites require water pump stations that boost water pressure in the distribution system or move water between storage facilities and the distribution network. Water pump station construction involves similar civil and structural work to sewer lift station construction but with different mechanical and controls requirements suited to potable water service. We construct water pump stations to the civil engineer’s design and the local water authority’s specifications, coordinating material submittals and inspection requirements through the acceptance process.
Pump station construction is typically on the critical path of commercial sewer system installation because the gravity sewer collection system cannot be placed into service until the pump station is complete, tested, and accepted. We sequence pump station construction to be ready for startup testing at the same time as the gravity sewer and force main systems it connects, so the full sewer system can be submitted for municipal acceptance as a complete installation rather than in disconnected phases.
At project completion we provide startup test records, pump performance data, control system documentation, and as-built information on wet well dimensions, invert elevations, pump settings, and force main connection details as part of the project closeout package. We coordinate the final inspection and acceptance walkthrough with the receiving municipality and remain available to address any deficiencies identified during the acceptance process before the station is dedicated to public ownership.
A sewer pump station is a below-grade structure that collects sewage from a gravity sewer collection system and pumps it into a pressurized force main for conveyance to a higher elevation or across terrain that gravity sewer cannot traverse.
The terms are used interchangeably in the sanitary sewer industry. Both describe a wet well structure with submersible pumps that discharge sewage into a force main. Lift station is the more common term in municipal sewer discussions.
A lift station is required when the site cannot drain by gravity to the municipal sewer connection, either because the site is at a lower elevation than the connection point or because the route to the connection crosses terrain that breaks the continuous downhill slope gravity sewer requires.
Pump station construction includes wet well excavation and installation, sewage pump setting, guide rail and discharge piping installation, valve vault construction, force main connection, controls and electrical coordination, and startup testing before municipal acceptance.
Yes. We provide scheduled maintenance programs for privately owned commercial lift stations including wet well cleaning, pump performance testing, valve and control system inspection, and emergency repair response.
A sewage ejector pump is a small packaged unit that serves a single below-grade fixture in a residential or small commercial building. A commercial lift station is a site utility structure that serves an entire development and is built to municipal standards for dedication to the public sewer system.
Yes. We self-perform pump station construction alongside gravity sewer, force main, and wet utilities installation as an integrated sewer scope coordinated by the same team.