Case Study

Lift Station Overhaul Restores Critical Sewage Infrastructure Tacoma, Wash.

Tacoma, WA

Commercial

Lift Station Repairs

This client was relying on a sanitary lift station that had reached the end of its service life. With critical wastewater infrastructure deteriorating in an area that could potentially harm the environment, the client engaged AQUALIS to develop a permanent solution before failure forced an emergency response.

AQUALIS lift station specialists assessed the full extent of the deterioration, then proposed and executed a complete overhaul: every pump, pipe, guide rail and electrical component replaced with infrastructure built to withstand the terminal’s environment. The work was completed in five days without interrupting operations.

The Problem

The lift station’s underground chamber, where wastewater collects before being pumped onward, had been breaking down its own equipment for years. Constant moisture, corrosive gases and saltwater intrusion from the local environment had degraded the pumps, piping and guide rails well past the point where patch repairs could help. The original control panel sat exposed to that same corrosive air rather than sealed away from it, a design weakness that made an unplanned shutdown a matter of when, not if.

A failure could have disrupted sanitary sewer service and triggered costly emergency repairs within this high-risk area.

The site itself raised the degree of difficulty. The station sat in a public right of way, which meant the rebuild carried requirements a typical lift station job does not: permits to saw cut concrete in an active drive lane, traffic control and barricading to protect the public and the crew, and continuous coordination with the terminal and other parties working the site.

Each of those requirements had to be resolved before demolition could begin.

Taking the Station Offline

Keeping the wastewater flowing while repairing the lift station that handles it required isolating the system first. AQUALIS crews made confined space entries into the underground chamber to plug the incoming water lines, a task governed by strict safety protocols given the enclosed conditions and hazardous gases present. A temporary pumping setup then kept wastewater moving without interruption while the original components were removed.

Demolition followed over three days. Crews removed every pump, float, length of piping, guide rail, bracket and the failing control panel, then pressure washed the chamber and cleared all accumulated debris, leaving a clean structure ready to receive new equipment.

Rebuilding for the Environment

Every site is different. This property had a higher level of scrutiny due to proximity to the local waterway. Standard parts would have failed in the same conditions that destroyed the original system. AQUALIS engineered the replacement around that reality.

Mechanical Systems

A new base system was anchored to the station floor with stainless steel fasteners, paired with new stainless steel guide rails built to hold up against constant moisture and saltwater exposure. Two new high-capacity pumps were installed to provide reliable wastewater conveyance for terminal operations, supported by new piping built specifically to resist the saltwater and chemical exposure that destroyed the original system. New sensors control pump operation automatically based on water level.

Electrical Systems

The original wiring ran directly through the corrosive underground chamber, exposed to the same conditions that had degraded the mechanical equipment. AQUALIS removed that vulnerability at the source: every electrical connection was relocated out of the chamber and into a new junction box installed above ground by a licensed electrician, built to withstand weather and corrosion. The conduit feeding it was sealed to keep chamber gases from reaching the wiring.

Because the junction box sits in the right of way, AQUALIS installed a traffic-rated enclosure over it to withstand vehicle loads, then backfilled the excavation and poured new concrete to restore the drive lane.

Controls

The original control panel was replaced with a modern controller housed in a sealed stainless steel enclosure, built for the same demanding environment that had worn down the equipment it replaced.

By selecting corrosion-resistant materials and relocating vulnerable electrical components, the rebuild addressed the environmental conditions that had accelerated deterioration in the original system.

Results

AQUALIS stress tested the rebuilt system and confirmed proper operation before returning the station to service. All removed materials were disposed of off-site in accordance with local and federal regulations.

The complete overhaul was delivered in just five days without disrupting terminal operations.

The site now operates on a lift station engineered for its environment: two new pumps, corrosion-resistant piping and components, electrical systems isolated from the chamber’s harsh conditions and an above-ground electrical setup built to perform in an active right of way. The project replaced equipment on the verge of failure with infrastructure designed to perform reliably for years, delivered through a process that managed permitting, public safety and multi-party coordination without disrupting operations.