Case Study: Freeing 40,000 litres of sewage
Just weeks before carrying out our first maintenance service at a newly renovated commercial complex, PASLR received an emergency call out that the sewage chamber which serves fifteen of the complex’s units was overflowing.
“Upon arrival, we initially suspected the issue was due to a surface crust preventing the float switch from operating,” explains Kelvin Boyd, Pumps Team Leader. “This type of build-up can occur in larger chambers where there isn’t enough water flow, common in developments that are not yet fully tenanted.”
Our experienced pump technician attempted to manually pump the chamber down. While both three-phase pumps were activated, the water level didn’t drop, which was puzzling as the electrical readings didn’t suggest a blockage.
With no immediate solution, the technicians had no choice but to arrange a sucker truck for the following day.
“When the technician returned with the truck, he began pumping out the chamber to gain better access to the pumps. It became apparent that the chamber was significantly larger than initially estimated – approximately 40,000 litres. We then had to organise a 10,000 litre high-capacity truck from Hamilton to assist and speed up the process,” says Kelvin.
After several loads and trips to dispose of the waste, the technician discovered that the entire base of the chamber was obstructed by bricks and rocks – likely left behind during the renovation and upgrade works. These materials had been preventing the pumps from operating correctly.
The sucker truck was able to remove the debris, restoring proper pump function. Weight and chains were also added to the float switches to help them break through any future crust build-up and continue operating effectively under similar conditions.
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If your water or sewage pump has stopped working or is on the blink, call us on 0800 255 786.
