Question: What is the purpose of a sewer lift station?

Charlotte sewer lift station serviceAnswer: Sewer lift stations, also called sewage pump stations or waste stations, pump wastewater or sewage from a lower to higher elevation, especially in situations where the elevation of the source cannot rely on gravity or in cases when the excavation necessary to use gravity force is excessive.

Sewer lift stations are comprised of several elements, including the following:

  • A wet-well (a wastewater receiving well, typically protected by a screen or grinding that removes coarse materials)
  • Pumps and pipes plus valves
  • Lift motors
  • A power supply system
  • An equipment control and alarm system
  • An odor control system
  • A ventilation system

Sewer lift station equipment and systems usually are housed in an enclosed structure. Sometimes they are custom constructed on-site, and sometimes they are prefabricated.

The purpose of the lift station is to reduce the cost of sewer system operations; the pumping of wastewater via lift station reduces the cost of transporting wastewater when gravity is not optimal.