Lift Stations versus Pump Stations

An underground infrastructure construction company based in the Fort Lauderdale suburb of Pompano Beach, Florida, Giannetti Contracting has handled multimillion-dollar construction projects for nearly two decades. In addition to installing and repairing water mains, the company builds wastewater treatment plants and undertakes specialized sanitary sewer reconstruction. Giannetti Contracting also constructs both lift stations and pump stations.

Although they often have similar designs, lift and pump stations are two completely distinct structures that perform very different functions. The singular purpose of the lift station is to transfer waste or sewage material to a higher elevation, while the pump station transfers only liquid water, free of sewage, to a higher elevation. 

These two terms are far from interchangeable, as each presents its own unique challenges and special considerations. For example, lift stations must contend with a range of solid, often stringy debris that would certainly clog a typical impeller pump. Therefore, they must employ grinder-type pumps that can reduce solid waste to a manageable particle size. Pumping stations, by contrast, must feature design elements that can accommodate the substantial quantities of water that generally emanate from large infrastructure works such as storm management and reclaimed water systems.