By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
The Zeeland City Council Monday approved the purchase of a replacement pump for its Rich Street lift station.
The council unanimously approved purchasing the 7.5-horsepower Flygt pump from Kennedy Industries at a cost of $20,818.
It’s the latest purchase for the city’s Clean Water Plant as it follows a rotation of replacing a pump at each of its lift stations around the city, plant superintendent Doug Engelsman told council members.
The Rich Street lift station currently has two 7.5-horsepower pumps, one of which operates as the primary unit to maintain wet well levels, while the other operates as a redundant backup in case of pump failure. The pumps were installed in 2011. Each pump is called to activate about 31 times per day, adding up to more than 11,000 starts each year, Engelsman said.
“After more than 15 years of continuous service, these pumps are approaching the end of their optimal life cycle for this application, increasing the risk of mechanical or electrical failure,” Engelsman said. “Proactively replacing one pump under planned conditions allows staff to control procurement costs, schedule installation during normal work hours, and avoid the higher costs associated with emergency response and unplanned downtime.”
The pump that will be removed and replaced by the new pump will be rebuilt and retained as a ready-to-use spare, “which would significantly reduce response time in the event of a pump failure,” Engelsman said.
The city replaced pumps at its 103rd Avenue lift station last year, at its State Street lift station two years ago and at its Roosevelt Avenue lift station in 2023.
Zeeland Record
The Zeeland City Council Monday approved the purchase of a replacement pump for its Rich Street lift station.
The council unanimously approved purchasing the 7.5-horsepower Flygt pump from Kennedy Industries at a cost of $20,818.
It’s the latest purchase for the city’s Clean Water Plant as it follows a rotation of replacing a pump at each of its lift stations around the city, plant superintendent Doug Engelsman told council members.
The Rich Street lift station currently has two 7.5-horsepower pumps, one of which operates as the primary unit to maintain wet well levels, while the other operates as a redundant backup in case of pump failure. The pumps were installed in 2011. Each pump is called to activate about 31 times per day, adding up to more than 11,000 starts each year, Engelsman said.
“After more than 15 years of continuous service, these pumps are approaching the end of their optimal life cycle for this application, increasing the risk of mechanical or electrical failure,” Engelsman said. “Proactively replacing one pump under planned conditions allows staff to control procurement costs, schedule installation during normal work hours, and avoid the higher costs associated with emergency response and unplanned downtime.”
The pump that will be removed and replaced by the new pump will be rebuilt and retained as a ready-to-use spare, “which would significantly reduce response time in the event of a pump failure,” Engelsman said.
The city replaced pumps at its 103rd Avenue lift station last year, at its State Street lift station two years ago and at its Roosevelt Avenue lift station in 2023.
