Cavitation is not a new phenomenon that can impact a pump system, but it is an issue that is growing. While no official figures exist, it is not misleading to say that in the last five years, cases of pump cavitation have increased markedly.
Often the pump itself is unfairly blamed. Pumping system problems, including cavitation, often manifest themselves at the pump but are rarely caused by it. In fact, nine out of 10 pump problems are not caused by the pump itself but by issues such as cavitation, poor system design and lack of maintenance.
Additional issues caused by cavitation, such as vibration, can be severe and may lead to mechanical damage to the pump. Cavitation related problems also have the potential to reduce pump life from 10-15 years, down to just two years in extreme cases.
