Originally used in Europe, submersible wastewater pumps were first seen
in the U.S. Market in the mid-1950s. They became popular in the early 1960s when a guide
rail system was developed to lift pumps out of well pits for easy maintenance and repair.
This ended the dirty and sometimes dangerous task of sending people into the sewage or wet
pit.Submersibles are now the dominant pump in the municipal lift station market. They
are used primarily for wet-pit sewage lift stations and for industrial sump or process
effluent applications. Submersibles offer these advantages:
- low initial cost since they involve only one pit and less auxiliary equipment is
required than for dry well/wet well installations;
- low operating costs;
- safe and quiet installations;
- a minimum of unsightly above-ground equipment; and, above all,
- reliable operation over a long life.
A submersible lift station includes not only the pump-motor unit, but sophisticated
electrical and mechanical controls, piping and a wet well with an access frame and cover.
Submersible pumps are also widely used to handle suspended solids effectively and
efficiently.
SWPA's members manufacture submersibles that handle 2-1/4-inch and larger solids and
have a minimum 3-inch discharge. It is estimated that SWPA's member pump companies
manufacture and sell more than 75% of these pumps in the United States.
