Sewage lift station annual maintenance checklist

Operator and alarm receiver told the station is coming down

Owner's operator and whoever answers the alarm told before pumps come out, and inflow held or a bypass pump or vacuum truck set up so the well can't overflow.

Each pump locked out and tagged before it is pulled

Power and control feeds, taken downstream of any transfer switch, locked, tagged and proven dead. To run it: pump seated, grate on, crew clear, own locks off, run, re-locked before hands go back in.

Gas monitor kept at the hatch for the whole pull

Beyond the quarterly spot reading, the monitor stays at the open hatch with forced air where the plan calls for it, and work stops on any hydrogen sulfide or low-oxygen alarm.

Anyone below the hatch goes on a confined-space permit

Permit issued before anyone enters, with the air tested, ventilation running, an attendant at grade, retrieval gear rigged and rescue arranged.

Pumps lifted on the guide rails and inspected

Each pump raised on its rail from grade, impeller and seal checked, cutter or vortex clear of rags, reseated tight on the discharge base.

Guide rails and lifting chains sound

Rails, brackets, chain and shackles checked for corrosion and wear, chain rated and not stretched, so a pump can be pulled without a fight.

Voltage and current per phase read on each reseated pump

Beyond the quarterly amp check, every phase read under the energized-work procedure during the temporary release, imbalance noted, and each pump set against last year.

Pump-down rate timed against the station's baseline

Each pump timed drawing the well between two marked levels with inflow noted, set against commissioning or last year's time to show impeller wear or a throttled valve.

Check valves service and seat clean

Each check valve opened and inspected, flapper or ball seats fully so the well doesn't backfill, no debris holding it open.

Isolation valves exercised and hold

Each isolation valve fully stroked, not seized, so either pump can be isolated for service while the other stays in duty.

Wet well cleaned out and floats cleared

Grease cap and settled solids removed, floats and transducer cleaned and re-hung, done from grade or under an authorized entry permit.

Wet-well walls, benching and hatch frame inspected

Concrete or liner seen from the hatch with a light for gas corrosion, exposed rebar, infiltration or broken benching, and the hatch hinges, hold-open and grate sound.

Locks cleared and pumps back in auto

Locks and tags removed by whoever hung them, grate and hatch closed, selectors in auto, and a full cycle run on each pump with the check valve holding.

Pumps proven to start on backup power where provided

Coordinated with whoever runs the generator or transfer test, both pumps seen restarting and carrying the well on the standby source, then back on utility power.

Alarm receiver told the station is back with readings logged

Owner's operator and alarm receiver told the station is back in service, and amps, voltages, pump-down times and wet-well findings logged as next year's baseline.