There are several ways that a municipal water treatment plant can deal with the flow of wastewater through it, with one of the main choices being whether to use dry pit pumping or only use wet pumps. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages and can be seen in municipal use throughout the country.
In this article, we wanted to briefly discuss the dry pit method, and how it can affect operations within a municipal water treatment facility.
What Is Dry Pit Pumping?
A dry pit pump, as the name suggests, is a pump that’s not submerged in water. It’s installed into a facility (usually below ground) which is adjacent to a wet pit (sump) filled with wastewater. From there, the pump pulls water and other waste materials from the wet pit.
What Are the Benefits of Dry Pit Pumping?
The biggest advantage is that the pumping equipment is out in the open and easily accessed. Since the pump is not submerged, it’s extremely easy for workers to repair and maintain – without the need to wade into the wastewater.
This, of course, means there are also far fewer safety risks when working on dry pit pumps.
Another major advantage is that a wider variety of pumps can be utilized in a dry pit pumping scenario. Pumps intended to be submerged into wastewater have to be properly prepared and have significant precautions taken against their being clogged or otherwise fouled by the wastewater.
What Are the Disadvantages to Dry Pit Pumping?
The big drawback is the complexity of the setup. Dry pit pumping requires a larger amount of space, and structures/piping designed specifically to support the pumping. Plus, there is the need to dig two pits, rather than one.
So, dry pit pumping is substantially more expensive to implement, although its long-term maintenance costs will tend to be lower over time.
In addition, because dry pit pumps are almost always underground, this makes them vulnerable to flooding. The pump motors are generally not shielded against immersion, so a flood could do significant damage to the entire setup.
FloRight Supports Municipal Water Treatment Facilities
FloRight Pump & Controls specializes in pumps and pumping systems for a wide variety of applications, including municipal water treatments. We have state of the art equipment along with highly trained workers who understand the problems that can occur during wastewater treatment. For repairs, installations, or any other problems just contact us!
