Grinder Pump Installation: Location, Location, Location

In the April 2013 issue of Onsite Installer magazine, the Basic Training article is about site evaluation and its importance for a successful installation. The article uses septic tanks in its example, but good site evaluation is also important for grinder pump stations.

Following E/One's installation instructions is important because installation problems will void the warranty. E/One specifies proper ballast, back fill, burial depth and finished grade.

WH101F grinder pump station

"Site Evaluation: The First Steps" makes the following points, which are also good points to keep in mind when installing grinder pump stations:

On the Property
The grinder pump station should not be installed in a low-lying area where excess water normally collects, swales, or traffic areas. If the station is installed in a low-lying area where water collects, this excess water can enter the station through the vent in the lid and cause the pump to run unnecessarily. Sand and small stones could also enter the station and cause excess wear to the pump stator. E/One's standard station is not traffic rated and should be installed out of the way of traffic.

E/One offers different lid options for floodplain and high flood areas — see the model WH101F grinder pump station (at right) as an example.



Panel Placement 
The alarm panel should be installed where it can be seen and heard easily by the homeowner. After all, the alarm panel's job is to alert the homeowner if the pump experiences any problems.

Incorrect panel location

The photo at right shows an example of where not to install an alarm panel — the panel is completely out of view from the homeowner.

If the panel must be installed in an area that is not easily seen or heard, E/One's Remote Sentry can be installed inside the building.


E/One Installation Instructions
Installation instructions for each model of E/One's grinder pump stations are available on the web site. We also have a video tutorial on our YouTube channel.

Questions about E/One grinder pump installation? Contact us via email or 518.346.6161, or contact your local distributor. We're here to help!

"You Can't Flush ANYTHING when You have a Grinder Pump"

(Notice that the headline is in quotes -- you'll learn why.)

As we've discussed on the blog before, new grinder pump owners feel incredibly limited by what they can pour or flush down the drain. They didn't have restrictions when they had septic tanks or gravity sewer systems, they say.

Are you sure?

We added a few video "Likes" to our YouTube channel last week about what not to flush and why. You may be saying, "Thanks for another reason to dislike a grinder pump ..."

Not so fast.

What's interesting about these videos is, not one of them ever mentions a grinder pump! Each video explains what what you should not be putting into the sewer system.


Still not convinced? Check out these links, found during a quick Google search (and have no obvious affiliation to E/One Sewer Systems):

• Village Requests Residents to Refrain from Flushing Baby Wipes -- Goreville, IL
• A kit by Goldstreet Designs, an agency that designs communications for the public utilities sector 
• The Septic Tank Maintenance entry on Inspectapedia.com (very similar list to the grinder pump)

Personal/cleaning wipes are a favorite topic: they're popular consumer items, yet problematic to the wastewater systems (equipment repairs, overtime, etc). Could it be true that people will pay for the convenience of wipes, even pay a plumber to clear a clog, but complain when their taxes go up because of increased sewer rates?

Of course, wipes aren't the only reason we are paying more for sewer. ASCE's Infrastructure Report Card was released a few weeks ago. We'll discuss the D grade that America's wastewater infrastructure received.

We've already started on our Facebook page (you don't need to be a member to view our page, only to add comments).

ASCE Infrastructure Report Card Released

ASCE released its Infrastructure Report Card a few weeks ago. Wastewater improved slightly, from a D- in 2009 to a D this year.

"Capital investment needs for the nation's wastewater and stormwater systems are estimated to total $298 billion over the next twenty years," according to the Report's web site. Stormwater is a relatively small, though increasing, piece of the spending, but included in the wastewater section.

The largest percentage of the "need" is for expanding and fixing pipes in order to address sanitary sewer overflows and combined sewer overflows.

From the report:

"In 2008, EPA reported that the U.S. 20-year investment needs for aging wastewater treatment totaled just over $298 billion, or almost $15 billion annually. The total represented a 17% increase over the 2004 Clean Watershed Needs Survey (CWNS) results. Meanwhile, annual appropriations for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) totaled $9 billion over the five years from 2008 to 2012, an average of slightly more than $1.8 billion annually, well short of the annual need. Congressional appropriations totaled approximately $10.5 billion between 2008 and 2012—about $2.1 billion annually or $42 billion over 20 years, 14% of the 20-year needs.


"Of the total needs, over $202 billion in the CWNS was the nationwide capital investment needed to control wastewater pollution for up to a 20-year period. The 2008 report included estimates of $134 billion for wastewater treatment and collection systems, $55 billion for combined sewer overflow corrections, and $9 billion for storm-water management."

Get the full report at www.infrastructurereportcard.org. 

WEBINAR: Sewering the Sustainable (Re)Development

Join us this Thursday, March 14 at 2:00 pm ET for a live webinar with Rick Harrison and Michael Mendelsohn, and hosted by Hanley-Wood University.

The recognition and reduction of wasted land and resources in development design is key to creating a sustainable world.  

Rick Harrison of Rick Harrison Design Studio will discuss coved communities and how small-diameter pressure sewers enable curved street layouts inside of his new Prefurbia neighborhood.

Michael Mendelsohn of Mendelsohn Construction in Arizona will reveal how geo-technical site challenges can be profitably overcome with an environmentally sensitive sewering strategy.

Click here to register.

Archived Webinar: Evaluating and Deploying a Pressure Sewer System

Tune in to this exciting webinar session about one community's real-life sewer journey presented from the perspective of the engineer and the operator. Various sewer alternatives, including gravity, vacuum and pressure sewer will be explored. This program includes design, installation and O&M content, which will prove useful to anyone involved in the decision making and execution of a collection sewer program.

If you are planning a septic tank replacement project, this is a must-see event. In today's challenging economic environment, more municipalities and engineering firms are relying on the pressure sewer solution. Find out about the economic and environmental aspects of pressure sewer that can make or break a project. And learn about what helps ensure homeowner satisfaction before, during and after project completion.

Click here to view the video on our YouTube channel.

Article: Replacement Parts — OEM Parts are Chosen for Long Life & High Efficiency

This article in the November 2012 issue of Pumps & Systems magazine caught our eyes. Although the author works in an industry completely different from E/One, the theme of the article still applies: non-OEM replacement parts are not the answer when a pump or system requires service.

Upon first inspection, non-OEM parts may look and feel the same as the OEM parts. But there is a reason that they may cost less — they could be made from differently materials, which in the end, will not save you money. The difference in material could mean that pump performance is reduced, meaning that other parts could wear out faster because the pump is working harder overall. Or those non-OEM parts just wear out faster, requiring service more often. How does that save money?

A few of E/One's replacement parts,
stamped with the E/One logo

How can you be sure that you're getting E/One genuine parts for grinder pumps and alarm panels?

• E/One has a network of authorized distributors. Visit our web site to find out who and where they are located. Many of our distributors also have their own authorized service centers. 
• E/One's replacement parts are marked with the E/One logo. It's an easy way for you to tell the genuine parts from the imposters.
• If in doubt, contact us. Is someone offering a great deal on overstock? There may be a reason why: they could be obsolete parts, or non-OEM parts. The seller is probably not an authorized distributor or service center, either. We can answer your questions: email us at eone@eone.com or contact the Field Service Department at 518.346.6161.

Webinar: Sewering the Sustainable (Re)Development

Join us Thursday, March 14, at 2:00 ET for a new webinar.

The recognition and reduction of wasted land and resources in development design is key to creating a sustainable world.  

Rick Harrison of Rick Harrison Design Studio will discuss coved communities and how small-diameter pressure sewers enable curved street layouts inside of his new Prefurbia neighborhood.

Michael Mendelsohn of Mendelsohn Construction in Arizona will reveal how geo-technical site challenges can be profitably overcome with an environmentally sensitive sewering strategy.

Click here to register.