Online Course
Lift Stations for Wastewater Operators
Keep wastewater moving uphill: how lift stations and their pumps and level controls work, what to check on a round, how to answer alarms, keep power and bypass pumping ready, clear clogs safely and respond to overflows.
Course Details
- Certificate
- 1.0 hour
- Time
- About 60 minutes
- To pass
- 80% or better on the final
- Price
- Free in most places. $20, or $150 for a yearly pass in Alabama, Arizona, Idaho and South Carolina. See prices
For You
Pick your state or province to see if this course counts.
Your progress
Checking your course record…
What You'll Learn
- Explain why wastewater is lifted and describe wet well, dry well, submersible and grinder stations, capacity and redundancy.
- Describe centrifugal pumps, head, pump curves, floats and level transducers, lead and lag pumps, run time and simple volume math.
- Make useful rounds: site and security checks, wet-well observations, sounds and leaks, vibration, run-hour logs and work orders.
- Answer alarms: high-level, pump-fail, power and communication alarms, SCADA, callouts, acknowledgment, escalation and testing.
- Keep stations powered: normal power, standby and portable generators, transfer switches, bypass pumping and returning to service.
- Handle rags, grease and grit: clogged-pump signs, safe isolation, pump removal and cleaning, wet-well cleaning and repeat clogs.
- Control odor and gas hazards: hydrogen sulfide, atmospheric monitoring, confined spaces, ventilation, corrosion and odor control.
- Keep records, recognize and document overflows, report as the permit requires, find root causes and coordinate with crews.
What's Inside 8 parts, 72 pages
Lift Station Purpose and Types 9 pages
- Why Wastewater Must Be Lifted
- Main Station Components
- Wet Well and Dry Well Stations
- Submersible Pump Stations
- Grinder Pump Stations
- Flow Through the Station
- Station Capacity and Redundancy
- Reading the Station as a System
- Module 1 Checkpoint
Pumps, Level Controls, and Operating Cycles 9 pages
- How a Centrifugal Pump Works
- Head and System Resistance
- Pump Curves and Operating Point
- Float Controls
- Level Transducers
- Lead, Lag, and Alternation
- Run Time, Starts, and Cycling
- Simple Volume and Flow Calculations
- Module 2 Checkpoint
Routine Inspection and Preventive Maintenance 9 pages
- Purpose of Operator Rounds
- Site and Security Checks
- Wet-Well Observations
- Sounds, Heat, Leaks, and Odors
- Vibration and Pump Condition
- Run-Hour Logs and Trends
- Valves, Piping, and Force Mains
- Preventive Maintenance and Work Orders
- Module 3 Checkpoint
Alarms, SCADA, and Callout Response 9 pages
- Purpose of Station Alarms
- High-Level Alarms
- Pump-Fail Alarms
- Power-Fail and Communication Alarms
- SCADA Information
- Responding to a Callout
- Alarm Acknowledgment and Escalation
- Testing Alarms and Telemetry
- Module 4 Checkpoint
Power, Generators, and Temporary Pumping 9 pages
- Normal Electrical Power
- Standby Generators
- Transfer Switches
- Portable Generators
- Bypass Pumping Purpose
- Bypass Setup and Monitoring
- Fuel, Exhaust, and Fire Hazards
- Returning to Normal Service
- Module 5 Checkpoint
Rags, Grease, Grit, and Clogging 9 pages
- Materials That Cause Trouble
- Signs of a Clogged Pump
- Safe Isolation Before Clearing
- Removing and Cleaning a Pump
- Wet-Well Cleaning
- Grease Control
- Grit, Sediment, and Lost Storage
- Preventing Repeat Clogs
- Module 6 Checkpoint
Odor, Hydrogen Sulfide, Corrosion, and Entry Hazards 9 pages
- Why Odors Develop
- Hydrogen Sulfide Hazards
- Atmospheric Monitoring
- Confined-Space Control
- Ventilation and Gas Release
- Corrosion at Lift Stations
- Odor-Control Systems and Chemicals
- Working Near Water and Openings
- Module 7 Checkpoint
Records, Overflows, Reporting, and Coordination 9 pages
- Operating Records That Matter
- Recognizing an Overflow
- Controlling and Documenting an Event
- Permit and Regulator Reporting
- Root Cause and Corrective Action
- Working With Collection Crews
- Weather and High-Flow Readiness
- Shift Handoff and Continuous Improvement
- Module 8 Checkpoint
More Details
Who It's For
Wastewater and collection system operators at any level and people studying to become operators. No experience needed.
Format
72 narrated pages with short checks and a final. Built by a working wastewater operator (Washington Group III).
Where Does This Course Count?
A course counts toward your continuing education credit only once your state or province accepts it. Today our courses count in Alabama, Arizona, Idaho, South Carolina, where courses need no pre-approval, and we are asking more states. Ask us to add your state or province.
Do I Need an Account?
Yes, to take the course. Signing in lets us record your time and issue your certificate. This page, the topic pages and the practice questions need no account.
Can I Skip Ahead?
No. Each page has a minimum time before the next one opens, and your time is recorded.
What Do I Get When I Finish?
A certificate of completion from Operator Master for 1.0 hour, once you pass the final with 80% or better. Your operator certificate or license always comes from your state, not from Operator Master.