Pumping Station FAQs

Pumping stations can be used to help protect areas from stormwater flooding due to heavy rainfall as they are capable of transporting large volumes of fluid.  A pumping station for this purpose will be sized correctly to cater for the flows involved and will contain a secondary back up pump as standard.

This depends on the site and parameters of the pump station's installation. Adoptable pump stations are the responsibility of the site owner until the adoption process is completed, after which the station is the responsibility of the local water authority, private pump stations are the responsibility of the site/property owner.

Drains, pipes and sewers carrying household waste and water on private land (and within the curtilage of a property) are the responsibility of the property owner/landlord.

Also known as a terminal pumping station, a main pumping station is traditionally the last pumping station receiving waste or surface waters, before the medium is transferred directly into the main sewage network.

In the event of a pumping station failure, there is a risk the medium that is being managed - wastewater, sewage, effluent - will overflow and flood into the surrounding wildlife, causing environmental harm and resulting in costly Environmental Agency fines.

Pump station breakdowns may occur due to a power cut, an issue with level control devices, a pipe/pump blockage, a mechanical failure or other cause. In order to avoid a breakdown and pollution of the surrounding environment, pumping stations need to receive regular servicing in order to maintain continued and optimal operating standards.

T-T offers Pump Maintenance Packages, year-round breakdown support and 24/7 pump station monitoring for your peace of mind. View our After-sales Services here for more information.

    Sewage, drainage water, fuel and effluents.

Since 1959, T-T has stood out as one of the UK’s most reliable manufacturers, suppliers and installers of pumping stations and other specialist equipment. We operate as a one-stop shop for everything needed to master water management challenges. We specialise in off-the-shelf products as well as bespoke pumping solutions to meet the exact requirements of any application.

T-T has a dedicated technical team who are on hand to help you through selecting, designing, installing and commissioning a pumping station. We have vast experience in both small dwelling pumping stations and large development schemes.

For pumping station size enquiries, speak to our experts online or by calling +44 (0)1630 64720, emailing response@ttpumps.com or filling in an enquiry form – they will advise you on which size pumping station you need and optimum product selection for maximum effectivity.

It is very unlikely that you will be able to build an above, below or adoptable pumping station due to the complex calculations that are involved, such as correctly sizing pumps for the application. All our pumping stations are purpose-built in our factory, with our expert team on-hand to make sure your pumping station is optimised for its purpose.

Contact the T-T team today via +44 (0)1630 647200, response@ttpumps.com or an enquiry form.

Steps should be taken to ensure that foul waters are pumped before becoming stagnant and septic as this is the main cause of significant odours.

Because pumping stations typically transfer raw sewage waste, odours can be apparent in very close proximity.  Airtight access covers and separate ventilation to high level can alleviate this.

12-month comprehensive manufacturers warranty – this will run from the date that the system is delivered to the site, or from the date of commissioning should T-T complete this element of the installation.
If you choose T-T to commission your pumping station and take out a Pump Maintenance Package, the warranty will be extended to three years from the date the pumping station was commissioned*.

*please note to validate the warranty extension, both the commissioning and the pump maintenance package must be ordered together with the pumping station at the initial order stage.

The British Board of Agrément test and certify manufactured products relating to the construction industry. This is to ensure they demonstrate competence for the job they are designed for.

T-T’s Planet® Range of package pumping stations has been BBA approved since 2006 and has never failed a test. The range is tested on four variables; strength, resistance to chemicals, water tightness and durability.

These key factors ensure that the water pumping stations are fit for purpose. The chambers have adequate strength to resist damage from minor impacts during handling and hydrostatic power from wet concrete during installation. The chambers and components will be unaffected by chemicals likely to be found in the specified effluent. The chambers, when correctly installed will not allow seepage either into or from the surrounding soil. The chambers are made from durable materials and with adequate pump maintenance will continue to be serviceable for the design life of the drainage system.

Private package pumping stations can be provided within 24 hours, the installation process and concrete backfill cure time on site take between 7-10 days, and once installed the system will require commissioning from trained engineers.

Altogether it is a 2-3 week process.

For adoptable stations, the station structures must be constructed on-site, in line with site-specific drawings.  This process can take more time as permission and approval of designs must be obtained from the local water authority prior to beginning. Typically adoptable stations can take 16-18 weeks to complete, but scheduling requirements are driven by the developer and their onsite programme for completion.

No. The mechanical pumps are submerged below the liquid level and are practically silent during operation.

Typically, sewage is fed into and stored in a wet well. When the level of the sewage rises to a predetermined point, a pump will be activated via integral level control, to lift the sewage under pressure through a discharge pipe system from where it is received into a gravity sewer manhole.

The level is monitored by level control equipment, this could be via a float switch or liquid level sensor. A float switch monitors the liquid level by floating on the top of the liquid present, an internal micro switch will turn the effluent pump station on and off when it has been moved by the liquid to the on/off switching point.

Once the pumps are switched on, they will pump the liquid through the pipework to a gravity sewer.

All these terms are used interchangeably to describe a pumping station - a preformed unit consisting of pumps, valves and controls equipment for the removal of wastewater and sewage from a site.

T-T Service offers three levels of support to suit your specific pumping station maintenance needs, with options for emergency breakdown call-out priority, expert monitoring, scheduled services with comprehensive reports and more. View our Pump Maintenance Packages here.

T-T’s package pumping stations include everything they require to operate – however additional monitoring services and units are available from T-T’s Seer Monitoring. These units can provide data logging, 24/7monitoring of operating parameters and peace of mind for the pumping station owner that their system is running as expected.

We also offer Pump Maintenance Packages and 24/7 breakdown support, view our After-sales Services for more information.

T-T offers bespoke pumping station manufacturing, fully completed in-house. This includes quotations, project drawings, method statements and risk assessments to ensure you receive the most efficient and reliable pump system for your application. Read more about our in-house manufacturing and workshop facilities here.

Follow the link to enter your details and find your local provider.

Adoption of a water pumping station is a legal transfer of a pumping station from the owner or developer to the local water authority. The water authority is then responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the pumping station.

For housing developments, it’s both practical and cost-effective to construct a wastewater and sewage pumping station that can be adopted by the local water company – eliminating the developer’s responsibility for future maintenance and running costs. 

Subject to the size of the development and the requirement to obtain permission to discharge into a local water authorities sewage network, as part of the consultancy process with the water authority, adoption may be a mandatory requirement.

Pumping station adoption is an application process to the appropriate water authority. This is something that T-T can assist with. Once the approval has taken place, the legal documents are issued and the water authority will then be responsible for all issues relating to the pumping station.

Design and Construction Guidance (DCG) is a mandatory guide used by pump station developers designing and installing pumping stations for adoption.

Construction Design and Management (CDM) is the main set of regulations for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of a construciton project; laying out the practical ways in which construction projects are delivered to prevent injury and health problems.

To achieve adoption of a pumping station the specification, build and installation of the system all need to be compliant with local water authority guidelines. Details can be found under Design and Construction Guidance (DCG) in the Sewerage Sector Guidance (SSG) which replaced the previous Sewers for Adoption guidelines.

T-T controls the adoption process from concept through to adoption on the client’s behalf to ensure a smooth handover to the utility company, including documentation from a design package and operating/maintenance manuals. Pre-handover inspections are standard of our service, liaising with the adoption engineers to ensure an uninterrupted handover.

Find out more about how T-T handles the whole process here, from concept to adoption.

An adoptable pumping station requires a completely segregated compound area, with access for future maintenance vehicles and larger plant lifting equipment.  The size of the compound can vary depending on the size of the application and which authority the development falls under.

T-T ensures all its team members are up-to-date on contemporary legislation and guidance regarding pumping stations and pumping station adoption; this ensures that we are following all guidelines and restrictions during the design process of your adoptable pumping station.

Older pumping station designs traditionally contained elements that were above ground (motors/shafts etc), hence why a lot of very old pumping systems are housed in very ornate buildings or brick-built houses.  The vast majority of pumping stations now, however, now are self-contained and submerged below ground.

A domestic pumping station contains the same components as a pumping station for commercial and industrial projects, but the equipment fitted within the station is more suited to handling the nature of a domestic applications.

A domestic sewage pumping station includes a holding chamber, submersible pump(s), level control and a control panel/system.

Flows enter into the pumping station via the station's inlet sockets and the chamber fills to a key point where the integral level control/float switches are activated to alert the system that flows are present.

The level control sends a signal to the control panel and the control panel signals the pump(s) to operate, discharging the retained flows within the pumping station chamber.

Once the chamber reaches a near-empty position, the level control deactivates the pump(s) via the control panel until the system fills again and the process repeats itself.

Private pumping stations remain the property of either the initial developer whom constructed the site, or the house owners for whom the pumping station serves.  For larger adoptable pumping station designs, ultimately the water authority will take ownership of pumping station (adopted) when the housing development has matured / near completion yet this can take several years from the date that the pumping station initially becomes operational.

A package pump station is a complete unit comprising of a chamber, pumps, pipework, valves, control panel and level control pre-assembled as a complete unit. A package pumping station is primarily used in the private sector and commonly isn’t normally adopted by the water authority. Package pumping stations come in varying sizes to suit the requirements of the flow and application.

Private pumping stations do not need to comply with the rules set out within the Design and Construction Guidance because they will not be adopted by a local water authority. This makes more bespoke manufacturing options available to you and reduces the installation and commissioning time.

The XL/XXL Planet Range has a large storage capacity and the ability to discharge fluids at a reduced rate. This is vital in applications with a controlled discharge restriction, such as sewage and stormwater applications.

Surges in demand in these applications can lead to local sewer networks overflowing, but being able to store high volumes of fluid and release them at a slower rate will ensure the sewer network is not overwhelmed in high demand or emergency situations.

• Such applications include:
• Housing developments
• Commercial buildings
• Industrial settings

Our package pumping stations have the following dimensions:

• Pluto Micro - 0.580m deep x 0.5m diameter
• Pluto - 0.650m deep x 0.7m diameter
• Mercury – 1.2m deep x 1m diameter
• Venus – 2.3m deep x 1m diameter
• Saturn – 2m – 4.5m deep x 1.5m diameter
• Jupiter – 2.5m – 4.5m deep x 2.1m diameter

*Please allow for a 250mm backfill of concrete.

An adoptable pumping station requires a completely segregated compound area with access for future maintenance vehicles and larger plant lifting equipment.  The size of the compound can vary depending upon the size of the application and which authority the development falls under. 

    Private pumping stations are package pumping stations that are privately owned.

Our below-ground package pumping stations have the following dimensions:

• Pluto Micro - 0.580m deep x 0.5m diameter
• Pluto - 0.650m deep x 0.7m diameter
• Mercury – 1.2m deep x 1m diameter
• Venus – 2.3m deep x 1m diameter
• Saturn – 2m – 4.5m deep x 1.5m diameter
• Jupiter – 2.5m – 4.5m deep x 2.1m diameter

*Please allow for a 250mm backfill of concrete.

An adoptable pumping station requires a completely segregated compound area with access for future maintenance vehicles and larger plant lifting equipment.  The size of the compound can vary depending upon the size of the application and which authority the development falls under. 

T-T has the Planet Range and the XL & XXL Planet Range – both are suitable for domestic, commercial and industrial applications, but the XL & XLL range is designed with larger tanks for increased and emergency storage requirements on larger applications or those with highly variable flow rates.

• Key details to be considered when sizing any pumping station include:
• The medium to be pumped
• Incoming flow rate (if known) and type and quantity of properties and people to be served
• Pumping distance and lift (static head)
• Available power supply
• Any site-specific needs, i.e. access cover loading type, control gear location and housing, etc..
• Is the station to remain privately owned or to be adopted

For advice on selecting the best model for your site, contact our experts by calling +44 (0)1630 647200, emailing response@ttpumps.com or filling in an enquiry form online.

Above ground pumping stations are used when a below ground option is not viable, this could be due to excavation restrictions (space, money or environmental impact) or being unable to utilise gravity for wastewater/sewage removal.

Our above ground package pumping stations have the following dimensions:

• Trojan Channel - 1.01m deep x 1m diameter
• Trojan Vortex Large - 1m deep x 0.8m diameter
• Trojan Grinder - 0.495m deep x 0.564m diameter
• Trojan Vortex - 0.576m deep x 0.564 diameter

T-T’s range of above ground pumping stations are suitable for use in housing, schools, hospitals, hotels, nursing homes, offices and various other domestic/commercial settings.  They are ideal for pumping sewage, wastewater and many more applications.

T-T's Trojan Range of above ground pumping stations includes different pump configurations to suit all kinds and sizes of applications.

• Trojan Channel - channel impellers feature a wider inlet to accommodate fluids containing high levels of solids without clogging or being damaged, ideal for domestic, commercial and industrial wastewater applications.
• Trojan Vortex - this station's vortex pump uses an open impeller design to draw fluid in for pumping, making it highly resistant to clogging when solids, debris and gas bubbles are present in the application, e.g. slurry and wastewater handling.
• Trojan Grinder - features a grinder impeller that grinds solid materials present in the pumping fluid, ideal for applications where there is a high risk of solids causing clogging or pump damage, e.g. municipal sewage systems and industrial wastewater treatment plants.

For advice on selecting the best model for your application, contact our friendly team via mobile at +44 (0)1630 647200, email response@ttpumps.com or enquiry form.

Regular servicing will ensure your above ground pumping station stays in optimal working condition, preventing operational inefficiencies and costly breakdowns.

T-T Service offers Pump Maintenance Packages that offer long-term suport through comprehensive services, pump replacements and priority breakdown attendance for your peace of mind. Read more about the after-sales services T-T provides here.

Pumping station capacity is defined by the size of the application and the site the station will be servicing. For expert advice on choosing the correct sized pumping station and equipment, contact the T-T experts on +44 (0)1630 647200, response@ttpumps.com or via an enquiry form.

The installation site for an above ground pumping station depends on where the wastewater is coming from and where it is being pumped to.

For expert advice on positioning your above ground pumping station, contact T-T via +44 (0)1630 647200, response@ttpumps.com or an enquiry form.

The LooPak Domestic and Professional feature almost identical design configurations, the only difference is their motors - the Domestic motor is 600 watts, the Professional motor is 1000 watts, meaning it has more powerful operation.

The LooPak Professional Plus has an internal grinding system for handling fluids with heavier solids contents.

Zenit's blueBOX range features a variety of tank capacities and intake sizes for suitability in different applications, for help in choosing the most suitable blueBOX for your application contact our sales team on +44 (0)1630 647200, response@ttpumps.com or via an enquiry form.

Domestic pump stations are pump stations that transfer sewage, effluent and other wastewaters to a nearby sewer system from a household. They are specifically designed to effectively pump domestic waste in terms of required flow rate and solids handling.

T-T's low volume, doemstic and utility pumping stations are compact, robust and fully repairable - giving the equipment a long operating life and making any required maintenance easy to carry out.

T-T's low volume, domestic and utility pumping stations are sized and specified to match the demands of domestic waste handling needs. Our above ground pumping stations are designed to handle larger waste management applications, often including more than one household/occupied building at a time.