Private Sewage Pump Stations

[schnauzers]

Anyone on here familiar with these systems?

We are moving into a house that has one that serves just the one property but the vendors say they are totally unaware of it yet there is a box on the side of the house with an alarm and strobe, after asking for more information we have now found out it is a single pump system. Due to this never being serviced should we get this checked out prior to completing ? How reliable are these?

Many thanks in advance

 

[HERTS P&D]

How long have they lived there?

Andy

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Too many factors involved to say anything specific, any evidence of the Manufacturer? Pumping Stations are very common, so it's not unknown territory for the experts. Basic rule would be the same as with any WC's, stick to the 3 p's, (pee, Poo and (Toilet) paper, and it should give you many years of trouble free service. I cannot believe the Vendors are 'Unaware' though, they've either had it put in or were informed on purchase!

If you're brave, lift the lid and look down it, if there's evidence of rubbish, (wipes, rag, fat), anywhere then you may be looking at a heap of trouble, if it looks fairly clean, so far as sewage can be 'clean', then you may well be ok.

Little that can be done in the way of servicing, basically if the pump, (or any of the other components), fail, it's usually a simple replacement, and as above, be mindful of what you flush. Simply put, sanitary products, cotton buds, condoms etc will jam the pump.

I'd be mindful of it's retention capacity too, in the event of a power failure, how long are you likely to have before it's full?

 

[bernardgreen]

In 1980 we installed a MonoPumps Mutrator which was trouble free, it was replaced only when the babbling brook flooded the site and the system was under water.

The replacement was a MonoPumps Grifter which is still in use with the new owner and has been trouble free, only the float switch needed replacement.

As mentioned pee, poo and tissue are the only things to put down the toilet. We had people visiting who did put a tampon that jammed the macerator. It was only an hours work to clear it. ( tactfully the day after they had left ) The collection tank should be large enough to take at least a days waste in case the pump cannot be run for some reason.

I know of one case where the house owner genuinely was unware there being an active sewage pump getting there sewage up to the main sewer in the road.

 

[schnauzers]

Thanks for replies, the current owners have lived at the property since 2013 ( it was a new build) , all we know is the system was made by a company that is no longer in business and it is a single pump system that serves just the one property. I guess our worry is the unknown of having such a system that could fail at any time and I like to know how things work especially when it comes to sewage as at the moment we have a septic tank where we live and we hoped we would move somewhere that would just have a simple sewage system without the worry of pumps failing. I have spoken to a local company that installs these type of systems and he did say they do need regular servicing ( I realise he would say that as they want us to get it serviced)

 

[bernardgreen]

Mono pumps are still in business, this is a link to the Grifter we installed, https://www.mono-pumps.com/grifter_pump_system.

 

[BoilerBob]

Most pumps are flygt or abs good pumps in a single station not necessarily
macerator pumps the pits are easy to clean out with a rake and bucket on a rope,I used to put them in and service them and was a service engineer. Bob

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

I wouldn't worry too much, a single pump shouldn't be a major issue. I'd keep the number of a suitable supplier/maintenance company handy, for the event of failure. Also may be worth checking if the local Council offer a septic tank emptying service, or again, a local contractor who offers the service, so chamber can be emptied in the event of a dire emergency.

In the event of failure it would hopefully be a matter of lifting the dead pump, disconnecting power supply and outlet pipework, then reconnecting the new before lowering it back in to commence pumping.

 

[just pumps]

Current owners didn`t know it was there - yeah right!
Be careful, very careful.

 

[just pumps]

Most pumps are flygt or abs good pumps in a single station not necessarily
macerator pumps the pits are easy to clean out with a rake and bucket on a rope,I used to put them in and service them and was a service engineer. Bob

May be in the old days but now you find all sorts of unknown pumps around.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

May be in the old days but now you find all sorts of unknown pumps around.

Have to say, most of the time on AW it seems to be either Sulzer (ABS) or Xylem (Flygt) who service/maintain pumps. Not seen anyone else really.

 

[BoilerBob]

Yup used to ppi work for AW when I lived in Lincoln. Bob

 

[just pumps]

Have to say, most of the time on AW it seems to be either Sulzer (ABS) or Xylem (Flygt) who service/maintain pumps. Not seen anyone else really.

AW is mainly commercial sized gear isn't it?
There used to be 3 or 4 companies in the Thames Valley area when it was doing them.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Varies a lot, depending on area. Go out in the Fens, and you can find a series of small pump stations, simply as a gravity sewer of any distance is nigh on impossible, so may just be a chamber with a single small pump, to move sewage a mile up the road to the next one.

Where I live, the town in the main is on a gravity sewer, with the odd pumping station to move the flow from small areas along to where gravity can take over, until the point where it reaches the site of the former town sewage works, whereby it's then pumped through a 900mm main to a large site taking flows from the surrounding area.

 

[BoilerBob]

I’ve worked on fen pumps which can shift 10 tons per second old Gwinnes pumps massive brutes. Bob