The Real Reason Your Pumps Fail

A common misconception when a pump goes down in wastewater applications is that the pump is always the source of the problem. The reality is that many — if not most — failures occur because of the system’s impact on the pump or because of other external environmental/operational factors.

Pumps are only one part of a system consisting of many parts that impact their operation, and continually repairing failed pumps without determining the root cause of the failure is all too common. Doing so can be very expensive over time, and it can also lead to stressful situations. In the common duplex pump station scenario, for example, a downed pump can cause much concern because with one pump down, the single remaining pump is all that stands between an operational station and a potential sewage overflow.