Six new sludge pumps have been installed in Edgartown, increasing energy efficiency and saving taxpayers what town officials estimate is roughly $40,000 a year.
The project concerned previously used pneumatic pumps, which depended on electric motors to drive air compressors to supply air to pumps 24 hours a day. Wastewater officials in Edgartown say that the process resulted in substantial energy loss and wear and tear to the existing pumps.
In late August to early September 2022, the electrical use of the previously installed air compressors was logged and analyzed by Cape Light Compact’s engineering firm. According to the firm, replacing the current pumps with six direct-drive pumps would yield an electrical savings of 177,967 kilowatt-hours per year, or the Edgartown WWTF approximately $39,700 per year.
Installed in July, the new pumps are driven by high-efficiency motors, and are used on demand.
The project cost about $550,000 in total. Of this cost, about 70 percent was covered by grant programs with MassDEP’s Gap Energy and the state DOER’s Green Communities, coupled with Cape Light Compact’s Energy Efficiency Program incentives.
In a project report, the Edgartown wastewater department facilities manager William Burke stated, “This project was a success for all the parties involved, as well as the environment.”
So these pumps need to last about 5 years to break even, time will tell if it was a good investment. Pumps seem to break down all the time.
My experience with municipal poo pumps is that they last twenty plus years, controls ten.
Did you have anything positive to add?
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