Sanitary sewer lift (pump) stations are complex facilities with auxiliary systems designed to move wastewater from lower to higher elevations through a force main pipe. Pump stations must be monitored and maintained regularly to ensure a reliable operating condition. Key elements of lift stations include a wastewater receiving well (wet-well), often equipped with a screen to remove coarse materials; pumps and piping with associated valves; motors; a power supply system; an equipment control and alarm system; and an odor control system and ventilation system. Lift station equipment and systems are often installed in enclosed concrete underground structures. Underground sewer pump station concrete structures typically last 50 to 100 years, with internal mechanical and electrical equipment lasting 15 to 20 years. The Poinsettia Avenue Sewer Lift Station structure, located at 1100 N Poinsettia Avenue, was initially constructed in the late 1940s and has reached its useful life at nearly 80 years old. Mechanical and electrical upgrades were implemented approximately 25 years ago, around the late 1990s. Once exceeded, these facilities become less reliable, expensive to maintain, and are subject to failure.
City Council approved the preliminary engineering study for the Voorhees Avenue Sewer Lift Station. The preliminary engineering design work has been completed, and its findings are detailed in the final draft Basis of Design Report (BODR). The BODR is the first primary deliverable for the project design. It identifies improvements needed to provide greater emergency storage capacities, pumping capacities, and other enhancements for the existing sewer lift stations site. The purpose of the respective BODR is to help City Council identify and consider a practical and cost-effective upgrade option. The recommended improvement for the Poinsettia station is a complete replacement with a new pump station. Poinsettia station will require constructing a new adequate emergency storage wet well and dry vault concrete structure and installing new mechanical and electrical equipment. An additional force main pipeline will be installed to provide system redundancy. Site improvements will also be included in the project and detailed in the Final Design phase.
