Euclid Lift Station Update

What is a sewer lift station?

A sewer lift station moves untreated sewage through the sewer system to a treatment facility. Lift stations consist of a collection well, pipes, pumps, controls, and electrical equipment, all of which are integral to conveying sewage away from customer homes (and in the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District’s case, out of the Lake Whatcom Watershed).

What is the current issue with this lift station?

The District has been running the standby generator at the Euclid Sewer Lift Station (located on Euclid Avenue in Geneva) daily between 4:00 – 10:00 p.m., as well as intermittently at times outside of this period when the power supply drops to a level that requires supplemental power at the station. The noise emitted by the generator is disturbing neighbors in its vicinity.

What is the cause of the intermittent power supply to the lift station?

The area’s electricity provider, Puget Sound Energy, is completing upgrades at one of its power stations, which has necessitated a shift of power distribution in the area. This shift causes low voltage scenarios in the power system serving the lift station, particularly during the evening (around 4:00 – 10:00 p.m.) when overall power demand on the system is higher. The District is communicating regularly with PSE and encouraging project completion as quickly as possible.

Why is the District frequently running the station’s backup generator?

If forced to operate at a voltage lower than rated for, lift station pumps, controls, and other sensitive electronics can be damaged. The standby generator protects the station’s equipment from potential damage caused by operating at insufficient power levels, as well as protects against a release of raw sewage to Lake Whatcom in the event of a prolonged power outage. The District has set the standby generator to operate during the period of higher power system demand (4:00 – 10:00 p.m.). By doing so, the District can ensure there is a consistent and reliable supply of power to protect the lift station mechanical and electrical equipment and to guard against any release of sewage to the lake. Without this programming, the generator would start/stop 2-3 times per hour (the recently observed frequency of the power source dropping below necessary levels). This continual cycling would also strain facility equipment, potentially impacting equipment service life.

What is the reasoning behind the current generator operation schedule?

The lift station pumps, controls, and electrical equipment are expensive (the District recently invested approximately $500,000 in improvements to this facility) and critical to its reliable operation. To ensure the near-term operability of the station, as well as the full-service life of the pumps, the District has temporarily set the standby generator to provide the consistent power supply necessary to protect the station and effectively convey sewage out of the watershed. In addition, as a sewer provider regulated by the Washington State Department of Ecology, the District is responsible for maintaining a sewage conveyance system in a manner that protects against impacts to the environment that may be caused by a sewage release. Failing to do so could not only have environmental consequences but could also result in fines by Ecology against the District.