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The Northwest Oil Drain, a nine-mile sewage canal located between a sewer treatment plant and the Great Salt Lake, is responsible for the effluent flow of the city’s primary wastewater treatment plant, as well as the process water from the area’s six petroleum refineries. When a major Western city needed to complete EPA-mandated cleaning of the canal, Sunbelt Rentals engineered and implemented a multi-system pumping solution to maintain essential operations.
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Design, engineer, and execute integrated pumping solutions to maintain operations during canal cleaning and remediation.
Maintain uninterrupted service during environmental maintenance while handling approximately 45,000 gallons per minute (GPM) of combined flows.
Provided an integrated three-part pumping solution combining primary transfer, bypass operations, and specialized dewatering, supported by advanced filtration and 24/7 technical support.
Successfully maintained continuous operations throughout the maintenance period while meeting all environmental requirements and project timelines.
Industrial canals serving both municipal and petroleum facilities require specialized handling during maintenance. The Northwest Oil Drain's unique combination of wastewater treatment effluent and refinery process water created demanding operational requirements, especially during EPA-mandated cleaning.
The existing conditions presented significant challenges. High groundwater levels and variable industrial flows complicated the temporary system design. Initial assessments showed that standard approaches wouldn't suffice — this project demanded innovative solutions.
The primary challenge became clear early in the project — this wasn't a standard bypass situation. The team designed a three-part solution including primary transfer systems, lift station bypass, and construction dewatering capabilities. Each system required careful integration to prevent cross-contamination while maintaining required flow rates.
Equipment was strategically placed along the nine-mile canal as careful system integration ensured reliable performance. Each component included backup capabilities so the system could adapt to changing conditions.
The Pump & Power Services team coordinated closely with contractors throughout implementation. The primary system managed the 45,000 GPM flow rate, while secondary systems handled lift station bypass and construction dewatering. Advanced filtration and oil-water separation equipment ensured all discharged water met environmental standards.
The 24/7 pump watch service made a significant difference. Technical teams could respond immediately to any operational changes, maintaining stable performance even during power outages and unexpected flow variations.
The integrated pumping system bridged the gap effectively, enabling:
The project demonstrated in this canal remediation case study shows how strategic bypass design and implementation can enable major environmental work while maintaining critical infrastructure operations.
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