A water pump station in a distribution system is necessary where water is typically pumped into the system directly or where pressure has to be increased due to insufficient difference in levels of water in gravity flow distribution systems. We have two general types of pumps: centrifugal and vertical turbine pumps. Capital costs are very high but the most expensive part is the supply of energy for pumps. It is therefore very important that pumps have a high-efficiency level and are well-maintained. To guarantee water safety, cross-connection of waste removal systems and drinking water must be avoided.

Disadvantages of pumping stations

Pumping stations have a few disadvantages. First, they are expensive to set up and they need a lot of capital to provide the necessary energy. They also require technical support and expert knowledge which can be very expensive.

Advantages of pumping stations

A water pump station has several benefits. It allows transportation of water in a piped distribution system of water. They also increase the pressure of water where required.

Basic design principles

Pumping stations, which supply water to a distribution system are typically located near a water treatment facility. They pump the water directly into the piping system. Water pumps that pump water directly into distribution systems and transmission lines are sometimes called high lift pumps. Additional pumps known as booster pumps can be used to increase pressure temporarily or locally. Booster pumps are usually located from the main station, in hilly topography where very high-pressure zones are needed.

Where a pump station is added to an installation that is already in existence, previous design and planning, which are based on a total system hydraulic analysis needs to be consulted before the addition part is designed. The sizing of each component in the water distribution system depends on the effective combination of major elements of the system such as the supply source, distribution piping, storage and pumping.