Xylem Designs Permanent Backup Pump Solution To Prevent Another Overflow In Jonesborough

In spring 2016, a significant rain event sent the Jonesborough Wastewater Department in Tennessee back to the drawing board. In spite of upgrades to the Jonesborough wastewater treatment plant in 2014, and a reduction in inflow and infiltration (I&I) in 2015, the rain event in 2016 caused overflows at the pump station located in the plant.

Realizing that additional steps were needed to properly address longterm prevention of future sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs), the Town of Jonesborough brought in the local Xylem branch team to design a permanent solution that wouldn’t require revamping the entire pump station. A typical fix for a municipality or utility would be to install a backup power generator, but Xylem engineers saw that this type of solution wouldn’t help Jonesborough if the station’s pumps or generator’s switch-gear failed – and wouldn’t allow for additional flow capacity brought on by severe rains.