Case Study 108

Increased Pressure
Removes “Pressure” forRegional Sewer Authority
Western Carolina Regional Sewer Authority builds its
future around new pump technology that minimizes
footprint and improves performance
Founded in 1925, the Western
Carolina Regional Sewer Authority(WCRSA) is a special purpose
district of South Carolina, located innorthwestern South Carolina. Theorganization serves over 400,000
customers in Greenville County andparts of Anderson, Spartanburg andLaurens Counties, covering a total of
296 square miles.
WCRSA maintains 300 miles of major sewer trunklines and conducts operations through nine major
wastewater treatment facilities located on three river
basins; the Enoree, Reedy and Saluda rivers.
For more than eight decades, WCRSA has beencommitted to protecting the public health andproviding the necessary infrastructure to support
economic growth in the state, despite the tighteningof state and federal environmental regulations.
Celebrating 80 years of environmental stewardship,WCRSA’s goals are to be a world-class organizationand to have zero violations all while being dedicatedto enhancing the quality of life in its service area by
providing high quality wastewater treatment services.

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The small footprint required by Tubbs Mountain
Road #1 pump station offered a uniquechallenge when choosing the right equipment.
But due to a population surge over the last 15-20
years – and to the age of one of the area’s oldest pumpstations, WCRSA was challenged with the task ofrebuilding the Tubbs Mountain Road #1 pump station.
Originally installed in the 1960s, this particular pumpstation was operating at its maximum duty cycle andexhibiting telltale signs of aging.
However, just prior to launching an overhaul for thepump station, WCRSA completed its participation in theEPA’s CMOM Program, whereby the Tubbs Mountain
Road #1 site was identified as one of WCRSA’s top1five repeat SSO (Sewer System Overflow) sites. As aresult, WCRSA made a commitment to correct theproblems associated with this SSO site within a twoyear period – while maintaining operation of the site
during the construction and rebuilding process, so asto minimize the community’s discomfort. “This process
is very difficult – and can be very expensive,” attests
Tony Walton, Collection System Manager for Western
Carolina Regional Sewer Authority.
“The one thing that makes this project specificallydifficult is space,” shares Trent Bowles, Pump Station
Supervisor with the Western Carolina Regional SewerAuthority. “We’re in a developed area, so we have a verysmall footprint that we have to work within. Currently,
the site is very compact, but the redesign is putting
even tighter restrictions on space. It’s a challenge.”

The Gorman-Rupp Ultra V Series® pump paired
up with the UltraMate® increases the pressure
up to three times that of traditional solidshandling, self-priming, single stage pumps.

Rebuilding Around State-of-the-Art
Rogers & Callcott, the planning firm charged withaddressing the WCRSA challenge, originally drafted thenew pump station design to incorporate two 7’ x 10’
Gorman-Rupp pump stations working within a larger
footprint. However, as a new and smaller footprint wasmandated, creativity was required to uncover newsolutions.
According to Rogers & Callcott, the Tubbs Mountain
Road #1 pump station is also capacity limited by thefacilities that receive its discharge. Therefore, thedecision was made to reroute the force main to aremote destination, approximately two miles away –whereby WCRSA could discharge into a large gravity
trunk sewer that would have no pumping facilities
on it, rather than building a force main to its original
discharge point. “The day that decision was made wasa big day in western South Carolina. This new pumpstation, with the new design, has removed a load froma regional pump station – and that is an additional
benefit to the sewer authority, shares Steve Bowen, aconsultant with Rogers & Callcott.
Proceeding with the plan, the team determined theyield and the delivery conditions that would be neededto achieve their desired result. Because of the area
served by the pumps, the station took into accounta yield of 800 gallons per minute to achieve a total2

dynamic head of 160’. A conventional, single pump
was incapable of delivering this type of volume andpressure. The plan was drafted to incorporate two
Super T Series® pumps, operating in a series, one rightbehind the other, in order to obtain the required head.
However, midstream, Rogers & Callcott becameaware of new pumping technology that could further
maximize the new station’s efficiency and performanceoverall – up to 30% more capacity in fact than what theteam was previously hoping to experience.
“Regarding efficiency, by using the new Gorman-Rupp
Ultra V Series® with UltraMate® pump technology,
we’re now able to use a lot more of the horsepower for
future capacity too – versus the previous design, which
was really at the top of the 40 HP curve,” adds Barry
Harms, P.E., of the Tencarva Machinery Company, themanufacturer’s representative that serves WCRSA. “Thatalso cuts down on our size requirements for the onsite
generator.”
Being able to reduce the required footprint for WCRSA,
while also freeing up space to allow for equipment
to be better positioned for safer, more comfortableroutine maintenance in the future – to clean the wet
wells and things of that nature – was also key in thedecision making process.

©©2014
2008-2017
The Gorman-Rupp
Gorman-Rupp
CompanyPumps

Concerns Alleviated“We never really had any concerns about thetechnology being new, because of the reputation that
Gorman-Rupp has, and because of the past experiences
we’ve had in working with their pumps,” shares Bowles.
Rogers & Callcott concurred with the recommendation.
“The advantages that this new technology has overolder technology made it well worth any associatedrisks,” concurs Bowen. “We trust that any productput on the market by this company has been pretty
well tested. If Gorman-Rupp is confident with thetechnology, so are we.”“As the manufacturer’s representative, when we’reintroducing a new product that the industry has been
needing and asking for, a high head, high-efficiency
pump, there’s always a bit of anxiety because it’s
revolutionary,” adds Harms. “But this technology has
been in design for nearly two decades, and has hadover 3,000 tests. We believe in it.”Data, Data, Data
Steve Bowen with Rogers & Callcott (left),Barry Harms of Tencarva Machinery (center)
and Trent Bowles of the Western Carolina
Regional Sewer Authority.
“To integrate the new technology required a quick
redirect and redesign, but we went to work, modifying
drawings to accommodate the change in technology,”
recalls Walton. “We felt as if the benefits of the site, thesavings of this compact configuration – and the factthat these pumps are really more suitable for what wewere trying to do – made it all worthwhile.”
The first pump of its kind in South Carolina, WCRSA
concurs with the decision to use the new Ultra V Series
with UltraMate. “We aren’t able to fully utilize the Ultra
V Series with UltraMate initially for what it’s designed
to accomplish at peak performance. However, it will
give us more room, allowing us to get our equipment inand perform the work that we will have to perform tokeep this station functioning for the next 20 to 30 to 40years. That’s a lot of return of investment,” adds Walton.

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A custom level controller has also been adopted forthis new application, integrating air release valve
technology into the solution. “What we like to dowith customers is attempt to custom fit the pumpstation technology with individual organizational
needs,” shares Harms. In this case, WCRSA utilizes alevel control system into the pump’s control panel.
For communication requirements for the data, WCRSA
relies on a RACO dialer, which is also used on all WCRSA
pump stations for data monitoring.
“We also have an internal polling system,” adds Walton.
“We’re presently using land lines at all our facilities– and poll those stations twice per hour to ensurecommunications. If we don’t get a signal, then we know
we’re experiencing a disruption in the system – andsomeone is instantly dispatched to the site to rectify
the failure.”
To WCRSA, the ability to monitor the pump stations isextremely important – allowing the engineering teaminstead to focus their time and attention on otheritems such as repairs and line work associated with©©2014
2008-2017
The Gorman-Rupp
Gorman-Rupp
CompanyPumps

the pump stations as well as the authority’s collectionsystem. With the new system, the authority can now
diagnose problems whenever they occur – simply byusing gauge readings. To ready staff and personnel forthis constant flow of information, all WCRSA personnel
are exposed to ongoing, authority-sponsored training
courses. “In these programs, our personnel are taught
the basics of centrifugal pumps, operation andmaintenance, safety and trouble shooting, so thatproblems can be diagnosed before they become acute,”
shares Harms.

stations, we benefit from our familiarity with thetechnology and the company, and trouble-shooting
and service are easier.”

With maintenance a clear priority to WCRSA, the pumpstation crew is staffed with seven members, including
a certified electrician and mechanic for each team.
These teams are solely responsible for the inspection,
operation and repair of approximately 21 pumpstations on each of the three routes.

“We do have spare parts for the other manufacturers
in the system, but by having a large number of
Gorman-Rupp lift stations within our system, it’s
just more cost-effective to be able to maintain astreamlined spare parts inventory,” offers Walton. “I’ve
had downtimes upwards of 13-14 weeks waiting on
parts for other pump brands. If it’s the wrong time ofyear...you start sweating bullets.”

Spare Parts
The decision to install the new Ultra V Series with
UltraMate self-priming, centrifugal pump was also a
cost effective decision for the sewer authority. “Due tothe inventory of parts available to us within a 24-hour
period, any problem that could arise could be quickly
rectified with our own staff and simple maintenance inthe field,” adds Walton.
In all, the authority is responsible for ninedifferent pump manufacturers throughout theircomprehensive collection systems. “Out of our 63
pump stations, over 50% of the stations are
Gorman-Rupp stations. By having that amount ofexperience with the Gorman-Rupp pumps and pump

To further ensure that repairs are streamlined, WCRSA
maintains an inventory of critical spare parts – in theevent that a pump does have difficulty, and to support
their internal ability to rebuild all of their pumps. The
authority also values the ability to use one universal
rotating assembly and other spare parts for all likeseries pumps being used within the system.

About The Gorman-Rupp Company
The Gorman-Rupp Company is a leading manufacturerof pumps and pumping systems for the municipal,
water, wastewater, sewage, industrial, construction,
petroleum and OEM markets. The company’s
Engineered Systems operation also manufactures afull line of water pressure booster stations including
pumps, motors, valves and controls – all housed inweather-proof fiberglass enclosures – meeting about
any municipal water supply need.
Ultimately, Gorman-Rupp prides itself on manufacturing
and delivering the right pump for the job.

GORMAN-RUPP PUMPS | P.O. BOX 1217 | MANSFIELD, OHIO 44901-1217 | USA | 419.755.1011 | GRSALES@GORMANRUPP.COM | GRPUMPS.COM2
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©©2014
2008-2017
The Gorman-Rupp
Gorman-Rupp
CompanyPumps