Two years have passed since Xylem’s Flygt Experior system was installed in some of the toughest performing wastewater pumping stations in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. Since then, not a single clog has been reported. Jefferson Parish estimates savings of at least $20,000 in maintenance costs, as well as a 60 percent energy reduction worth up to $6,000.
Prior to installing Flygt Experior, Jefferson Parish’s pumping stations had been experiencing serious clogging issues. The toughest performing lift stations were plagued by blockages and overflows, often requiring daily maintenance call-outs.
Jefferson Parish’s Director of Sewage, Linda Daly, explains that nonwoven fabrics, or so-called “flushable” wipes, were causing a lot of blockages. Grease was another problem.
“Two and a half years ago, we picked out our worst stations for clogging and put the Flygt pumps in,” says Daly. “Since then, we have not pulled the pumps once for a clogging problem. That is really significant for us. Before we put the Flygts in, we were pulling the pumps every day and that included weekends.”
“The cost savings for our crews to come out is tremendous but, more important, is the prevention of backups, prevention of overflows and the public perception that we’re not doing a good job – but now we are.”
“On top of that we are realizing a 60 percent energy saving,” adds Daly.
George Peart is Director of Sales and Partner of Gulf States Engineering, which has been a Flygt distributor for more than 30 years.
“I always try to figure out where my customers are having problems and try to get to the root of that problem,” he says. ”I don’t mean for this to sound audacious, but I think anyone who doesn’t have a Flygt pump has a problem! Typically, other products on the market don’t offer the same solutions to problems that the Flygt Experior offers.”
Lisa Riles, Marketing & Business Development Manager at Xylem, goes on to explain that Xylem in North America guarantees a 25 percent energy saving when customers install Flygt Experior with SmartRun controls. Following the experience at Jefferson Parish, Xylem is now also offering a 12-month “clog-free guarantee” on the system that recently received the 2014 WEFTEC Innovation Technology Award.
“We were looking for the most challenging application and we found it at Jefferson Parish,” she says. “We are so pleased that we were able to achieve savings for Linda and Jefferson Parish. We guarantee a 25 percent energy saving and we exceeded that by incorporating the SmartRun controls.”
“Two years later, to come back and say ‘how’s everything going?’ and everything’s smooth, really is the proof in the pudding that the Experior solution does what it promises,” Riles adds, emphasizing that the SmartRun controls and the Flygt N-technology self-cleaning, clog-free impeller are the crucial features of the Flygt Experior system.