Highly effective pump cuts maintenance costs and extends pump life at Luggage Point Resource Recovery Centre

Utilita Water Solutions is a joint venture between Ventia Utility Services and Downer Utilities, delivering maintenance services for Urban Utilities since July 2016.

Urban Utilities is one of the largest water distributor-retailers in Australia, supplying drinking water, recycled water and wastewater services to a population of more than 1.6 million customers across Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Somerset.

Utilita carries out a range of work for Urban Utilities including mechanical and electrical maintenance and repairs, water and sewer mains and fittings maintenance, reservoir maintenance and vegetation management.

Why did Utilita Water Solutions select a Gorman-Rupp new “Eradicator” system?

As part of their client commitment, Utilita like to implement changes that improve processes, WHS conditions, and reduce downtime. As part of this commitment, Mr David Tolliday, Leading Hand Mechanical with Utilita at Urban Utilities’ Luggage Point Resource Recovery Centre, wanted to address a downtime issue with his digester turnover pumps. Although he had world-leading Gorman-Rupp Super T Series pumps on the job, the heavy loading of rags was causing blockages to the pumps twice or three times per day, per pump.

David met with Mr Darren Jones of Hydro Innovations, distributors of the Gorman-Rupp pumps in Australia, to find a solution. Darren suggested a trial with Gorman-Rupp’s new “eradicator” solids management system, which was designed to greatly reduce blockages by stringy materials. This system can be retrofitted to Gorman-Rupp Super T or Ultra V Series sewage pumps, so David was keen to try it. The trial eradicator retrofit kit was duly installed in late March of 2021.

Results

Mr Jones was keen to find out how the unit was going in the trial and contacted David late in May. David reported that the pump with the eradicator fitted had not had a single blockage in that eight-week period, and that he would be ordering upgrade kits for the balance of his digester pumps.

Benefits of the Installation

Gorman-Rupp designed the “eradicator” to address blockage issues associated with the increased use of wet wipes and their infiltration into the wastewater system, ragging issues, and industrial issues such as feathers in poultry processing. The eradicator works by continuously cleaning the leading edge of impeller vanes, and passing the materials through the pump without impacting performance or interrupting service. The system is available for all Gorman-Rupp’s Super T and Ultra V Series pumps, in sizes from 2″ [50mm] through to 10″ [250mm].

More information on these pumps may be obtained from Hydro Innovations at info@HydroInnovations.com.au or call us on 02 9898 1800.