Rittenhouse Pump Station Reconstruction

History

The existing station was built in the mid 1960’s as part of the original sanitary sewer system expansion and is comprised of (3) 75 hp pumps, each capable of pumping 1,750 gpm, with controls, emergency generator and miscellaneous equipment .

The pump station was upgraded in 1983 with enlarged pumps rated at 200 hp, each capable of pumping 2,700 gpm. The pump station is a wet pit/dry pit design with a concrete dry pit.

The expansion was done in 1983 by constructing an additional generator room to the southwest corner of the pump station. The station is approximately 40 feet below grade (ground Level).

Operation

The pumps are run by flow paced unit called a flow matcher. The flow matcher senses rate of flow and turns pumps on/off automatically. The pumps are in the lowest level of the station and the electrical motors on the highest level. A shaft runs the full depth of the station to run the pumps.

Other equipment in the station is a comminuter, which is a grinder which chops large pieces of waste and debris into pieces (normally 3 inches or less).

New Pump Station

The existing permit is for a peak flow of 6.65 mgd.

The pump station handles an average daily of 2.0 mgd. Currently the pumping station is handling by-pass flow from the Jackson Street drainage basin to Rittenhouse Pump Station.

The rate of flow varies day to day hour to hour but approximately 75% of flow which normally flows (between 0.50 mgd to 0.75 mgd) to Norristown Municipal Waste Authority’s plant is diverted to this pump station.

During wet weather (rains, snow melt, etc.) our current DEP permit is exceeded by up to 2 mgd.

The proposed pump station will be permitted to allow for these increased flows and prevent a flow violation. Flows will not be increased on a normal day.

The flows given to DEP for the new permit are actual average flows from our current Chapter 94 plan.

Process for New Pump Station

Identified for replacement in FY 2006, along with Whitehall Road Pump Station

• Permit to build Whitehall Road Pump Station was secured in 2010
• Placed on hold pending financing

Rettew Project #08-05770-008 was approved in FY 2008 for the design of the new Rittenhouse Pump Station

• Design completed in late FY 2009
• Ordinance 10-659 passed on 11/9/10 approving $9.7 million for capital improvements
• Refinanced existing debt and borrowed for new projects
• Money allocated for Rittenhouse Pump Station