MultiTrode’s Family of Products can be used in a wide variety of applications – water reservoirs, effluent pits, reuse water, water tanks/reservoirs, basement sumps, potable water – even stormwater!

Our recent experience in the City of Zephyrhills (Florida) is a case on point. They needed a simple method of detecting water levels to avoid repeated stormwater flooding, and we were up for the challenge.

Case Study – City of Zephyrhills
Stormwater Pump Controls

Zephyrhills is located in Pasco County, on a ridge that divides the Hillsborough River Basin from the Withlacoochee River Basin. Lake Zephyr, an integral part of the City’s stormwater drainage system, eventually flows south to the Hillsborough River. Although most of the City is drained by surface swales, their structural drainage system includes 2 retention ponds with pumps, emergency generators and force mains. The larger pond is East off US 301 and North of 6 Avenue. The smaller pond is West of 1 Street and South of 14 Avenue. Both ponds are almost completely utilized.

The Challenge
The larger stormwater pond acts as a reservoir, temporarily collecting surface water run-off from surrounding streets. Two large pumps transfer the water to Lake Zephyr, located approximately two miles from the collection area. Last year, level switches controlling the two 40 horsepower pumps failed and the water level rose high enough to cause flooding in surrounding streets and a fire station.

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MultiTrode News Level Sensing, lift station, MTR, probe, storm water, storm water pump controls, stormwater, stormwater pump controls, unreliable level sensing

Combined Sewer System (CSS)  A CSS is a sewer system that transports both sanitary wastewater and stormwater.

In dry weather, all flow goes to a wastewater treatment plant. In wet weather, capacity may be exceeded. Unfortunately, most CSSs are designed to discharge excess flow directly to surface water such as rivers, streams, estuaries and coastal water.

Sanitary Sewer System (SSS)  A SSS is sewer system that conveys domestic, commercial and industrial wastewater to a treatment plant, with limited amounts of infiltrated groundwater and stormwater.

SSSs are not designed to collect large amounts of stormwater runoff from weather events. Areas served by SSSs have a separate storm water system to collect and convey runoff from rainfall and snowmelts.

Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) CSO is Overflow from a Combined Sewer System.

Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) SSC is Overflow from a Sanitary Sewer System.

What’s the Big Deal with CSOs and SSOs?
Both CSOs and SSOs contain untreated or partially treated water. Whether they are caused by a limited capacity, line breaks, blockages or lapses in maintenance, overflows release microbial pathogens, pollutants and toxins to surface waters – all of which negatively impact the environment and human health.

What Has Been Done?
CSOs are a nationwide problem. In 1994, the federal government developed the CSO Control Policy which suggests that States:

• Implement a tracking method, preferably the permit program created by the federal Clean Water Act
• Develop Long-Term Control Plans (LTCPs)
• Communities implement CSO controls as soon as possible

What Technology is Available?
Readily available options range from large-scale capital improvement projects to improved maintenance practices. A community’s action plan would be influenced by the size and type of system, the problems they are experiencing, their performance goals and available resources.

In the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s 2004 “Report to Congress on the Impacts and Control of CSOs and SSOs”, the EPA categorized technologies used to address CSOs and SSOs into 5 categories:

1. Operation and Maintenance Practices
2. Collection System Controls
3. Storage Facilities
4. Treatment Technologies
5. Low-Impact Development Techniques

MultiTrode Can Help
MultiTrode takes pride in designing, manufacturing and marketing pump station management systems that improve the integrity of the nation’s wastewater infrastructure and protect both the environment and public health. We offer a wide range of products including complete control panels, pump station controllers, pump station supervisors, RTUs, liquid level sensors, liquid level relays, SCADA software and web-based monitoring and control solutions.

MultiTrode utilizes technological advancements to provide sophisticated solutions to every day challenges. Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA) ranks among the more noteworthy of these tools. SCADA can be used as a safeguard against overflows and to gain centralized electronic control. Utilized as a broader management tool, SCADA can reduce staff overtime, help in preventive maintenance scheduling and enhance the operational cost efficiencies of a utility. Read more…

Industry Clean Water Act, Combined Sewer Overflow, Combined Sewer System, CSO, CSS, liquid level sensors, Pump Station Management, Sanitary Sewer Overflow, Sanitary Sewer System, sewer, sewer system, SSS, stormwater, water