Pumping stations , also called pumphouses , are public utility buildings containing pumps and equipment for pumping fluids from one place to another. They are critical in a variety of infrastructure systems, such as water supply, drainage of low-lying land , canals and removal of sewage to processing sites. A pumping station is an integral part of a pumped-storage hydroelectricity installation.
63-700: Twyford Waterworks is a preserved pumping station and waterworks situated close to the village of Twyford and the city of Winchester in Hampshire , England. It is a scheduled monument and now operates as a museum . The site is leased by the Twyford Waterworks Trust and is open on selected days during the year. The waterworks were originally built for the South Hampshire Water Company in 1898 to supply water to Winchester and Southampton . They were extended over
126-422: A Hathorn Davey triple expansion steam pumping engine dating from 1914, and three Babcock & Wilcox boilers dating from 1906, 1903 and 1916 respectively. There are also three diesel engines , supplied by Ruston & Hornsby and dating from the 1930s when the plant was updated. The site also encompasses a water softening plant, fed by the pumping engine, and three lime kilns that were used to supply
189-424: A sewer force main if the sewage is transported some significant distance. The pumping station may be called a lift station if the pump merely discharges into a nearby gravity manhole. From here the cycle starts all over again until the sewage reaches its point of destination—usually a treatment plant. By this method, pumping stations are used to move waste to higher elevations. In the case of high sewage flows into
252-402: A well into a reservoir Used to pump drinking water from a reservoir into a water supply system. Navigable A body of water , such as a river , canal or lake , is navigable if it is deep, wide and calm enough for a water vessel (e.g. boats) to pass safely. Navigability is also referred to in the broader context of a body of water having sufficient under keel clearance for
315-401: A chain off of the duckfoot and up the two guide rails to the maintenance (normally ground) level. Reinstalling the pumps simply reverses this process with the pump being remounted on the guide rails and lowered onto the duckfoot where the weight of the pump reseals it. As the motors are sealed and weather is not a concern, no above ground structures are required, excepting a small kiosk to contain
378-598: A concept pioneered during the Victorian era in places like The Fens in the UK. The introduction of "package pumping stations" has modernized drainage systems, allowing a compact, efficient solution for areas where gravity drainage is impractical. Water pumping stations are differentiated by their applications, such as sourcing from wells, raw water pumping, and high service pumping, each designed to meet specific demand projections and customer needs. Wastewater pumping stations, on
441-488: A direct transit of Mud Pond by canoe , within a tract of private property surrounded by public land within the Adirondack Park . In New York State, waterways that are 'navigable-in-fact' are considered public highways , meaning that they are subject to an easement for public travel, even if they are on private land. Brown argued that because he recreationally 'navigated' the waterway through private property, it
504-459: A dry well or pump house and usually consist only of a wet well. In this configuration, submersible sewage pumps with closely coupled electric motor are mounted within the wet well itself, submerged within the sewage. Submersible pumps are mounted on two vertical guide rails and seal onto a permanently fixed "duckfoot", which forms both a mount and also a vertical bend for the discharge pipe. For maintenance or replacement, submersible pumps are raised by
567-437: A high-level alarm indication, in the event of pump failure; and possibly a guide-rail/auto-coupling/pedestal system, to permit easy removal of pumps for maintenance. Traditional site constructed systems have the valve vault components installed in a separate structure. Having two structural components can lead to potentially serious site problems such as uneven settling between components which results in stress on, and failure of
630-403: A large open passage so as to avoid clogging with debris or winding stringy debris onto the impeller. A four pole or six pole AC induction motor normally drives the pump. Rather than provide large open passages, some pumps, typically smaller sewage pumps, also macerate any solids within the sewage breaking them down into smaller parts which can more easily pass through the impeller. The interior of
693-402: A result the site has unusual and valuable parcels of land including scrub, tall grassland and chalk meadow. The essential base of the wildlife element is the diverse collection of native plants, over 200 species in all, that provide the habitat for butterflies, bumblebees, dragonflies, moles, rabbits, badgers, songbirds, hawks and many other species. Management of the land is undertaken so that
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#1732791153229756-457: A sewage pump station is a very dangerous place. Poisonous gases, such as methane and hydrogen sulfide , can accumulate in the wet well; an ill-equipped person entering the well would be overcome by fumes very quickly. Any entry into the wet well requires the correct confined space entry method for a hazardous environment. To minimize the need for entry, the facility is normally designed to allow pumps and other equipment to be removed from outside
819-437: A small river may be navigable by smaller craft such as a motorboat or a kayak , but unnavigable by a larger freighter or cruise ship . Shallow rivers may be made navigable by the installation of locks that regulate flow and increase upstream water level , or by dredging that deepens parts of the stream bed . Inland Water Transport ( IWT ) Systems have been used for centuries in countries including India, China, Egypt,
882-511: A specific pump controller. RTUs are very helpful in remote monitoring of each pumping station from a centralized control room with SCADA (Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition) systems. This setup can be helpful in monitoring pump faults, levels, and other alarms and parameters, making it more efficient. A pumped-storage scheme is a type of power station for storing and producing electricity to supply high peak demands by moving water between reservoirs at different elevations. Typically, water
945-466: A vessel. Such a navigable water is called a waterway , and is preferably with few obstructions against direct traverse that need avoiding, such as rocks , reefs or trees . Bridges built over waterways must have sufficient clearance . High flow speed may make a channel unnavigable due to risk of ship collisions . Waters may be unnavigable because of ice , particularly in winter or high- latitude regions. Navigability also depends on context:
1008-551: A water-body is presumed non-navigable with the burden of proof on the party claiming it is navigable. The U.S. Forest Service considers a waterbody not navigable until is adjudicated otherwise. see Whitewater v. Tidwell 770 F. 3d 1108 (2014). Therefore, and public rights associated with navigability cannot be presumed to exist without a finding of navigability. 'Navigability' is a legal term of art , which can lead to considerable confusion. In 2009, journalist Phil Brown of Adirondack Explorer defied private property postings to make
1071-516: Is a list of those described in this encyclopedia. In the UK, during the Victorian Era , there was a fashion for public buildings to feature highly ornate architecture . Consequently, a considerable number of former pumping stations have been listed and preserved. The majority were originally steam-powered, and where the steam engines are still in situ , many of the sites have since re-opened as museum attractions. Used to pump water from
1134-407: Is available, back pumping systems may be employed. Water is extracted from the canal below the lowest lock of a flight and is pumped back to the top of the flight, ready for the next boat to pass through. Such installations are usually small. When low-lying areas of land are drained, the general method is to dig drainage ditches . However, if the area is below sea level then it is necessary to pump
1197-479: Is built into the system so that in the event that any one pump is out of service, the remaining pump or pumps will handle the designed flow. The storage volume of the wet well between the "pump on" and "pump off" settings is designed to minimize pump starts and stops, but is not so long a retention time as to allow the sewage in the wet well to go septic . Sewage pumps are almost always end-suction centrifugal pumps with open impellers and are specially designed with
1260-409: Is channeled from a high-level reservoir to a low-level reservoir, through turbine generators that generate electricity. This is done when the station is required to generate power. During low-demand periods, such as overnight, the generators are reversed to become pumps that move the water back up to the top reservoir. There are countless thousands of pumping stations throughout the world. The following
1323-431: Is fed from underground gravity pipelines (pipes that are sloped so that a liquid can flow in one direction under gravity). Sewage is fed into and stored in a pit, commonly known as a wet well . The well is equipped with electrical instrumentation to detect the level of sewage present. When the sewage level rises to a predetermined point, a pump will be started to lift the sewage upward through a pressurized pipe system called
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#17327911532291386-413: Is itself a rare survivor, along with a similar engine which drives the winch to operate the railway incline. The Diesel House - The increase of the population of the area in the 1920s and 1930s led to a large expansion of the waterworks. The Diesel House was built to house diesel pumping sets to supplement the steam engines. It contains two Ruston sets, one to raise water from a new well under
1449-451: Is not possible. A package pumping station is an integrated system, built in a housing manufactured from strong, impact-resistant materials such as precast concrete , polyethylene , or glass-reinforced plastic . The unit is supplied with internal pipework fitted, pre-assembled ready for installation into the ground, after which the submersible pumps and control equipment are fitted. Features may include controls for fully automatic operation;
1512-505: Is not sufficient to prove that a waterway is a public highway in New York State. The US Supreme Court had also found that use of modern water craft insufficient evidence to support a finding of navigability In India there are currently three National Waterways totaling a distance of 2921 km. They are: It is estimated that the total navigable length of inland waterways is 14500 km. A total of 16 million tonnes of freight
1575-495: Is operated by Southern Water who, as the privatised successors to the Southern Water Authority, retain ownership of the site. The Steam Engine House - The Engine House contains the 1914 Hathorn Davey triple expansion steam engine which could pump up to 11 megalitres of water per day up to the service reservoir. The well is situated in the adjacent room behind the bricked-up archway. The pitman (which
1638-498: Is preserved in the Boiler House) was connected to the crank at the end of the engine and protruded through the archway to operate the well pumps. The engine also drove pumps situated beneath it to pump the water up to the reservoir. The same well provides water today using submersible pumps driven by A.C. electric motors. The Boiler House - In the original part of the building are two Babcock & Wilcox boilers, one of which
1701-634: The Claverton and Crofton Pumping Stations , are preserved as museum attractions. Examples such as land drainage in the Netherlands water supply in Hong Kong and agricultural drainage in Iraq, underscore the vital role these facilities play in supporting modern infrastructure, environmental management, and energy storage. In countries with canal systems, pumping stations are also frequent. Because of
1764-523: The Clean Water Act. Therefore, the Clean Water Act establishes Federal jurisdiction beyond "navigable waters" extending a more limited federal jurisdiction under the Act over private property which may at times be submerged by waters. Because jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act extends beyond public property, the broader definitions of "traditional navigable" and "significant nexus" used to establish
1827-472: The Haines’ patent filters in the tanks on the south side of the filter house. After filtration the water was pumped up to the service reservoir. On the other side of the central gangway are two small pumping sets typical of private supplies: a Crossley gas engine driving a Climax pump, and a Lister diesel engine driving aTangye pump. The external shape of the building is unusual in that the downside edge of
1890-715: The Mud Pond rapids." However, New York's highest court, the New York Court of Appeals overturned the lower court decisions, and sent the case back to the trial court for consideration of "the Waterway's historical and prospective commercial utility, the Waterway's historical accessibility to the public, the relative ease of passage by canoe, the volume of historical travel, and the volume of prospective commercial and recreational use." The decision by New York's highest court established that recreational 'navigability' alone
1953-603: The Netherlands, the United States, Germany, and Bangladesh. In the Netherlands, IWT handles 46% of the nation's inland freight ; 32% in Bangladesh, 14% in the United States, and 9% in China. What constitutes "navigable" waters can not be separated from the context in which the question is asked. Numerous federal agencies define jurisdiction based on navigable waters, including admiralty jurisdiction, pollution control, to
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2016-493: The U.S. This statute also requires a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for any construction in or over any navigable water, or the excavation or discharge of material into such water, or the accomplishment of any other work affecting the course, location, condition, or capacity of such waters. However, the ACOE recognizes that only the judiciary can make a definitive ruling as to which are navigable waters.33 CFR 329 For
2079-585: The accumulation of sedimentary mud that created the land initially. Elsewhere, pumping stations are used to remove water that has found its way into low-lying areas as a result of leakage or flooding (in New Orleans , for example). In more recent times, a "package pumping station" provides an efficient and economic way of installing a drainage system. They are suitable for mechanical building services collection and pumping of liquids like surface water, wastewater or sewage from areas where drainage by gravity
2142-474: The building and one to supply the service reservoir. The Transfer House - A third pumping set was later added in 1934 to transfer water from Twyford to Yew Hill service reservoir, was delivered before the completion of the diesel house. It was placed in its own ‘temporary’ wooden hut where remains to this day. The railway was built in 1903 to serve the kilns and the boiler house. It was the most efficient way of moving bulk materials such as coal and chalk around
2205-686: The chalk grassland plant species thrive and particular plants such as nettles, hemp agrimony and ragwort do not become dominant. A pond was installed so that a wider selection of species will use the site. Pumping station Pumping stations are designed to move water or sewage from one location to another, overcoming gravitational challenges, and are essential for maintaining navigable canal levels, supplying water, and managing sewage and floodwaters. In canal systems, pumping stations help replenish water lost through lock usage and leakage, ensuring navigability. Similarly, in land drainage, stations pump water to prevent flooding in areas below sea level,
2268-450: The demand or projected demand is reasonably defined, and is dependent on a combination of customer needs and fire flow requirements. Average annual per-capita water consumption, peak hour, and maximum daily can vary greatly due to factors such as climate, income levels, population, and the proportions of residential, commercial, and industrial users. Pumping stations in sewage collection systems are normally designed to handle raw sewage that
2331-467: The ebb and flow of the tide, and those inland waters that are presently used, or have been used in the past, or may be susceptible for use to transport interstate or foreign commerce while the waterway is in its ordinary condition at the time of statehood. Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403), approved 3 March 1899, prohibits the unauthorized obstruction of a navigable water of
2394-458: The efficiency and monitoring capabilities of pumping stations, essential for modern systems. Pumped-storage schemes represent a critical use of pumping stations, providing a method for energy storage and generation by moving water between reservoirs at different elevations, highlighting the versatility and importance of pumping stations across sectors. Some pumping stations have been recognized for their architectural and historical significance, e.g.
2457-417: The electrical switchgear and control systems. Due to the much reduced health and safety concerns, and smaller footprint and visibility, submersible pump sewage pumping stations have almost completely superseded traditional sewage pumping stations. Further, a refit of a traditional pumping station usually involves converting it into a modern pumping station by installing submersibles in the wet well, demolishing
2520-644: The flow from non-navigable tributaries in order to protect commerce downstream, [ US v. Rio Grande Irrigation , 174 U.S. 690, 708 (1899)], [ Oklahoma v. Atkinson , 313 US 508, 525]. Also, the Clean Water Act has introduced the terms "traditional navigable waters," and "waters of the United States" to define the scope of Federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act. Here, "Waters of the United States" include not only navigable waters, but also tributaries of navigable waters and nearby wetlands with "a significant nexus to navigable waters"; both are covered under
2583-465: The licensing of dams, and even property boundaries. The numerous definitions and jurisdictional statutes have created an array of case law specific to which context the question of navigability arises. Some of the most commonly discussed definitions are listed here. Navigable waters, as defined by the US Army Corps of Engineers as codified under 33 CFR 329 , are those waters that are subject to
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2646-426: The navigable water was conveyed to the state as part of the transportation network in order to facilitate commerce. Most states retained title to these navigable rivers in trust for the public. Some states divested themselves of title to the land below navigable rivers, but a federal navigable servitude remains if the river is a navigable waterway. Title to the lands submerged by smaller streams are considered part of
2709-412: The other hand, are engineered to handle sewage, with designs that ensure reliability and safety, minimizing environmental impacts from overflows. Innovations in pump technology and station design have led to the development of submersible pump stations, which are more compact and safer, effectively reducing the footprint and visibility of sewage management infrastructure. Electronic controllers have enhanced
2772-571: The pipes and connections between components. The development of a packaged pump station system combined all components into a single housing which not only eliminates uneven settling issues, but pre-plumbing and outfitting each unit prior to installation can reduce the cost and time involved with civil work and site labor. Water pumping stations are differentiated from wastewater pumping stations in that they do not have to be sized to account for high peak flow rates. They have five general categories: Water pumping stations are constructed in areas in which
2835-657: The property through which the water flows and there is no 'public right' to enter upon private property based on the mere presence of water. The scope of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) authority was granted under the Federal Power Act, 1941 (16 U.S.C 791). Such authority is based on congressional authority to regulate commerce; it is not based exclusively on title to the riverbed [16 U.S.C. 796(8)] or even navigability. Therefore, FERC's permitting authority extends to
2898-479: The pump house and retiring the dry well by either stripping it, or knocking down the internal partition and merging it with the wet well. Pump manufacturers have always designed and manufactured electronic devices to control and supervise pumping stations. Today it is also very common to use a programmable logic controller (PLC) or Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) for such work, but the experience needed to solve certain particular problems, makes an easy choice to look for
2961-406: The purposes of transferring property title into public property, the definition of a Navigable waterways closely follows 33 CFR 329. For the purpose of establishing which river is public and therefore state-owned, what is navigable is a constitutional question defined by Federal case law. (See PPL Montana v Montana (2012).) If a river was considered navigable at the time of statehood, the land below
3024-412: The roof is very close to the ground (because there is no need for windows). The Mixing House - Here the quicklime produced in the kilns was ‘slaked’ with water to make a dilute solution of calcium hydroxide called ‘lime water’. This was added to the water from the wells in the softening tank and precipitated out most of the calcium carbonate or ‘limescale’ The hydraulic engine which dives the machinery
3087-479: The scope of authority under the Act are still ambiguously defined and therefore open to judicial interpretation as indicated in two U.S. Supreme Court decisions: Carabell v. United States and Rapanos v. United States . However, because authority under the Act is limited to protecting only navigable waters, jurisdiction over these smaller creeks is not absolute and may require just compensation to property owners when invoked to protect downstream waters. Finally,
3150-418: The sewage in the wet well, dry wells are underground, confined spaces and require appropriate precautions for entry. Further, any failure or leakage of the pumps or pipework can discharge sewage directly into the dry well with complete flooding not an uncommon occurrence. As a result, the electric motors are normally mounted above the overflow, top water level of the wet well, usually above ground level, and drive
3213-403: The sewage pumps through an extended vertical shaft. To protect the above ground motors from weather, small pump houses are normally built, which also incorporate the electrical switchgear and control electronics. These are the visible parts of a traditional sewage pumping station although they are typically smaller than the underground wet and dry wells. More modern pumping stations do not require
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#17327911532293276-529: The site. Wagons were pushed on the level sections and a water powered winch was installed to haul them up, and lower them down, the incline to the lime kilns. Four acres of downland were enclosed for the construction of the Waterworks in 1898 but the buildings required less than half of the land. Some of the additional space was used to quarry chalk for making lime, some was used to dump waste but about two acres were left, being neither cultivated nor grazed. As
3339-558: The upper parts of the canal, but if no suitable source is available, a pumping station can be used to maintain the water level. An example of a canal pumping station is the Claverton Pumping Station on the Kennet and Avon Canal in southern England, United Kingdom. This pumps water from the nearby River Avon to the canal using pumps driven by a waterwheel which is powered by the river. Where no external water supply
3402-464: The water softening plant and that were in turn fed by on-site chalk pits . There is also a 2 ft ( 610 mm ) gauge industrial railway, including a rope-hauled inclined plane , used to transport materials around the site. The borehole that fed the pumping station is still in use and supplies 5,000,000 imperial gallons (23,000,000 L; 6,000,000 US gal) of water every day, but now uses modern submersible electric pumps . The supply
3465-476: The water upwards into water channels that finally drain into the sea. The Victorians understood this concept, and in the United Kingdom they built pumping stations with water pumps , powered by steam engines to accomplish this task. In Lincolnshire, large areas of wetland at sea level, called The Fens , were turned into rich arable farmland by this method. The land is full of nutrients because of
3528-431: The way the system of canal locks work, water is lost from the upper part of a canal each time a vessel passes through. Also, most lock gates are not watertight, so some water leaks from the higher levels of the canal to those lower down. The water has to be replaced or eventually the upper levels of the canal would not hold enough water to be navigable. Canals are usually fed by diverting water from streams and rivers into
3591-438: The well (for example during peak flow periods and wet weather) additional pumps will be used. If this is insufficient, or in the case of failure of the pumping station, a backup in the sewer system can occur, leading to a sanitary sewer overflow —the discharge of raw sewage into the environment. Sewage pumping stations are typically designed so that one pump or one set of pumps will handle normal peak flow conditions. Redundancy
3654-404: The wet well. Traditional sewage pumping stations incorporate both a wet well and a "dry well". Often these are the same structure separated by an internal divide. In this configuration pumps are installed below ground level on the base of the dry well so that their inlets are below water level on pump start, priming the pump and also maximising the available NPSH . Although nominally isolated from
3717-628: The years, including in 1913 to accommodate a new steam engine and boilers, and again in 1930s . The site passed to the Southern Water Authority in 1974, the year after it had been scheduled as a monument. The redundant parts of the site were leased to the Twyford Waterworks Trust in 1992. The buildings on the site date back to various years between 1898 and 1935, and include the original steam powered pumping station and associated boiler house. These still contain
3780-456: Was built to house the Babcock & Wilcox boiler of 1916. The boiler has been left as a skeleton so that you can see how it was constructed and functioned. The Lime Kilns - Water pumped from the chalk is termed ‘hard’ water. From 1903 to 1969, except in time of war, the water supplied from Twyford was softened. The ‘lime softening process’ used required supplies of quicklime which
3843-553: Was installed in 1906 and was returned to steam in 2018 with the aid of money from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Only four Babcock & Wilcox boilers survive to this day and Twyford has three of them. Running along the ground in front of the boilers you can see the railway track for the wagons which brought coal to fire them. Now housing the new Discovery Zone is in the 1916 extension to the Boiler House which
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#17327911532293906-406: Was made from chalk from the quarry burnt in lime kilns. The first two kilns were built 1901-1902 and three additional kilns were built to supplement these in 1930. It was a labour intensive process and was an extremely hazardous environment in which to work. The Filter House - Most of the ‘limescale’ produced by the softening process settled in the softening tank and the rest was removed by
3969-497: Was therefore a public highway. He prevailed in the trial court when sued for trespassing by the owners of the property, a decision upheld by the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division , Third Department. The land was found "subject to a public right of navigation, including the right to portage on plaintiff's land where absolutely necessary for the limited purpose of avoiding obstacles to navigation such as
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