How old is America’s wastewater infrastructure?

Much of the country’s infrastructure was built in the 30 years after World War II. Although age is a key indicator of a system’s health, equally important is the way the system has been maintained. A well-maintained system can operate effectively for a significant period of time.

All products have a life cycle – the clothes you wear, the desk you’re working on, the chair you’re sitting in – everything. The same is true for the nation’s infrastructure, and each of its components:

Components & Life Cycles

Collections: 80-100 Years

Treatment Plants (Concrete Structure): 50 Years

Treatment Plant Mechanical/Electrical Equipment: 15-20 Years

Force Mains: 25 Years

Pump Stations (Concrete Structure): 50 Years

Pump Stations (Mechanical/Electrical Equipment): 15 Years

Interceptors: 90-100 Years

What is the state of the Union?

Among the many challenges facing our water and wastewater systems are:

• Large Capital Investment
• Aging Workforce
• Lack of New Skilled Workers Entering the Marketplace
• Increased Regulation
• Disengaged Public
• Interdependence on the Energy Sector

Estimates of national investment needs range from $300 Billion to $2 Trillion over the next 20 years.

Today’s population is benefiting from the investments made by past generations. Looking forward, the EPA is promoting practices that encourage utilities to address existing needs so that future generations will not be left to rebuild a crumbling infrastructure. This is referred to as “Sustainable Infrastructure”.

The Four Pillars of Sustainable Infrastructure are better management, efficient water use, full-cost pricing of water and a watershed approach to protection. The EPA believes this will help utilities to operate more sustainably now and in the future.

MultiTrode Can Help!

Our technologically advanced products have been developed with system efficiency and easy interface in mind. With the push of a button, our smart pump controllers will help you:

• Promote effective utility management
• Minimize operations cost
• Facilitate effective asset management
• Improve maintenance and capital investment planning
• Reduce energy cost & CO2 emissions
• Increase system-wide efficiency

Learn more about the innovative Level Sensing Probe and intuitive MultiSmart Pump Station Manager. Read more…

Industry efficiency, environmental, Level Sensing, MultiSmart, probe, Pump Controller

Drawings of new pits come through my desk nearly every month and most have the MultiTrode Level Sensing Probe already specified, but from time to time I see a ball float right at the top to indicate high level and an alarm. The following figures show the backup level sensing configuration with a ball float and how that configuration matches with the backup Fail Safe Probe sensor design.
 

Proposed Tank Level With Ball Float

Proposed Tank Level With Fail Safe

It seems no one ever thought of changing the ball float to a new and more advanced Fail Safe Probe and install the Fail Safe Relay as well. Ball floats have their place; but when mission critical high level flow’s need a mission critical alarm, a Fail Safe Probe is the best bet together with a Fail Safe Relay.

Those who are familiar with the probe would know that the 200mm single sensor probe has just one wire, but the Fail Safe has two. The Fail Safe Controller will “integrate the loop” to check for continuity of the circuit; and if there is a break in the cable it will close a relay that will warn that, the integrity of the probe to do its job has been limited or has failed. Handy if you have a sewerage pumping station near a creek or river where people swim a lot. Read more…

In the well, Industry Backup Level Sensor, Ball Float, Fail Safe Probe, Level Sensing, probe