Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst
June 7, 2010

We had an experience this past weekend that illustrates exactly why municipalities have to prepare for the worst, even if they hope for the best. The automated weather station at Lamoni recorded rainfall rates equivalent to 4" per hour falling for up to 15 minutes at a time. That's an incredible amount of rainfall -- certainly more than enough to send storm sewers and pump stations into overdrive. It's the rare, but ever-present, possibility of these storms that makes it important for sewer utilities to have adequate backup protections in place -- whether that's having extra capacity in the wetwell, portable lift stations ready for deployment in case power is lost (which, of course, is more likely during a thunderstorm or an ice storm than at any other time), or to have backup power available at their lift stations, whether that power comes from a power generator or a dedicated engine drive.

June 2010
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last revised June 2010