For new, large housing developments that cannot connect to the main sewer by gravity, packaged pumping stations perform a vital task and must be designed to water company standards, writes Helen Wilson, Industry & Infrastructure UK manager at Xylem.
Packaged pumping stations are factory-built systems which pump wastewater and stormwater from a site into a public sewer network for treatment and disposal. The systems are typically used where a development cannot connect to the public sewer system by gravity – perhaps it is situated below the network, in a remote or inaccessible location or is a considerable distance away from the main sewer, making a traditional gravity-based system not feasible or cost effective.
Post-installation, packaged pumping stations in England and Wales are adopted by the local water company which will take over the management of the asset and provide services to the customer. Therefore, the station must comply with the industry’s Sewage Sector Guidance (SSG), a suite of documents that sets out sewerage adoption requirements. The SSG was introduced in April 2020, as it was recognised that water companies were the most suitable owners of the country’s sewerage network.
Support at every stage
A market leader in submersible pumps, Xylem supports property developers through each stage of the process, including design, installation, compliance, commissioning, and maintenance.
Xylem’s design engineers have in-depth knowledge of wastewater and stormwater management and, as a long-term supplier to the water sector, we have a complete understanding of the latest regulations to adhere to. The team liaises with water companies at the earliest stages to ensure the pumping station meets full design criteria – including for location, size, pipework, valve layout, pump types, level and control specifications – enabling a smooth adoption and transfer of the asset.
In the design phase of a new project, an S104 legal agreement will need to be made with the local water company. This is usually completed before construction of the pumping station has started to ensure it is completed to the required specifications. Xylem’s turnkey service includes providing a pre-adoption advisory service and full technical submission to be used to apply for an S104.
After Xylem receives the required information and documentation from developers, we aim to spec, price and supply pumping stations within four to six weeks. To avoid any site-specific issues, Xylem’s experts will work with the developer to clarify details such as, where will the station be situated? Does it have clear access? Has the correct access cover been specified and, importantly, has a groundwater survey been carried out?
Once installed, a pre-adoption onsite inspection is carried out to ensure all works have been completed as per the design. This meeting normally includes representatives from the water company, the developer and the Xylem engineering team.
Comprehensive range
Xylem offers a comprehensive range of packaged pumping stations which provide efficient and reliable pumping for new housing, from single dwellings through to major developments. They are simple to install and maintain and designed to be fully compliant with the standards required by water companies.
The pre-assembled units are fully kitted out with components including pumps, pipes, valves and controls and are available in a number of designs and sizes. They can be easily delivered to site and installed to suit programmes of work, saving onsite build-time and reducing disruption.
Designed to deliver maximum efficiency, Xylem’s packaged pumping stations, utilising our industry standard Flygt submersible pump range, will provide decades of service and, in the long term, be more efficient than alternatives such as septic tanks or onsite treatment units.
The key maintenance requirement is for at least one service visit per year to lift and check the electrical pumps. If the station is found to receive large volumes of unflushable items, such as wet wipes and nappies, we would recommend up to four visits per year.
Xylem provides a fully comprehensive aftercare service, including 24/7 real time monitoring and emergency site attendance, preventative maintenance contracts, workshop repair, with genuine parts and refurbishments.
As urbanisation increases and we expand into more remote and inaccessible areas, the need to efficiently pump wastewater to treatment works becomes an ever more crucial consideration. From concept to completion, Xylem can assist at every stage of a project.
For more than 60 years, Xylem’s Flygt brand has continuously raised industry standards for compact, trouble-free pumping, with solutions that reduce complexity and costs, including:
Flygt Standard Pump Station (SPS) Series – a cost-effective solution, ideally suited to developers and contractors. Designed by Xylem, the comprehensive range comprises a variety of tank sizes and pump options and can be tailored to suit any application.
Flygt Concertor – the most intelligent wastewater pump on the market, bringing smart and interconnected solutions to wastewater pumping. The Concertor is capable of sensing the operating conditions of its environment, adapting performance in real time and providing feedback to operators. Using advanced software functionality and state-of-the-art hardware, the Concertor delivers clog-free pumping, energy efficiency, and adaptive pump performance to meet system demands.
Xylem provides:
- Pre-sales support from our technical sales team
- Ability to meet your program requirements
- Dedicated design and contracts engineers
- Project drawings and documentation
- Competitive prices
- Xylem’s own Flygt Pumps
- Xylem’s digital remote monitoring and control
- Planned Maintenance Agreements (PMA)
- 24/7 nationwide emergency service support
Offering full turnkey solutions from the design and installation to commissioning and maintenance, Xylem supplies a range of readily available packaged pumping stations compliant with the latest SSG.
Find out more about Xylem’s solutions for packaged pumping stations here.