Outline of Requirements

We received an enquiry from a Consulting Engineers for a site based in Hertfordshire.

Pims Pumps designed the pump system and prepared a submission which was sent to the local Water Authority for approval.

The submission contained site specific drawings, wiring diagrams, pump performance curves system curves and a detailed specification of the equipment we would be supplying.

After ongoing liaison with the Water Authority approval was given for the Mechanical and Electrical design. At the request of the client Pims Pumps then arranged preparation of structural details and calculations which were then submitted to the Water Authority for approval.

Benefits to The Client

Reduces workload for the developer in areas where they do not have specific expertise and ensuring that Water Company concerns regarding design etc. are dealt with in a prompt and efficient manner.

The Sewers for Adoption document details the basic requirements for adoptable systems, which each Water Company has a tendency to add to, with its own individual specification and guidelines resulting in considerable confusion over the level of equipment actually required.

The standard manner in which quotations for pumping stations are generally obtained by developers utilising competitive tenders leaves them in the position of having to compare several alternative offers with differing levels of equipment, without knowing if the most ‘attractive’ quotation is actually fully compliant with the particular specification required.

Partnering allows
1. The early involvement of Pims with clients over initial site layout and design, together with the ability to provide budget quotations and draft drawings where required, with close liaison with any Consultants the clients may have for overall site design.

2. Early liaison with the Adopting Authority with the submission of draft proposals, drawings, wiring diagrams and Manuals helps reduce the delays normally experienced with vetting of quotations and proposals. By ascertaining the Adopting Authority’s requirements prior to submission of a quotation to the developer and obtaining written confirmation that the design is approved considerably reduces the clients work load in terms of onward transmission of documentation.

3. Liaison with clients Consultants and ground workers during the construction/installation programme to give advice on chamber construction and ensure that the ground workers have actually built the pump station correctly and that there is no wasted time when we come to complete the mechanical and electrical works.

4. Involving the appropriate engineer from the Adopting Agency during the initial design stage and then again at the commissioning stage ensures that agreement is reached on the standard of works installed and ensures that we minimise the normal problems with endless correspondence concerning ‘snagging’.

5. Pricing Structure
In order to ensure our partners are confident of receiving a competitive quotation from ourselves without hidden extras or increased profit margins on additional materials we utilise an ‘open book’ policy.

6. Pims Partnering Programme makes efficiencies and reduces overall costs in the delivery of the project. The manner in which our Partnering system operates has received enthusiastic support from Developer Services Engineers at the various Water Companies.

7. On-going Maintenance
Under conventional quoting and installation processes the client keen to minimise costs does not undertake maintenance leading to problems associated with adoption relating to the poor level of maintenance undertaken following commissioning. It is a common misconception with many developers that a 12 month Warranty against faulty workmanship and materials extends to routine maintenance, when in fact this is not the case and in many instances manufacturers consider warranties null and void if routine maintenance has not been carried out.

Regular planned maintenance, following Adopting Authority guidelines, with a comprehensive service log incorporated into the commissioning manuals is part of the Partnering process, providing a complete history of the site from design, through construction, commissioning and during the maintenance period. This allows the Adopting Authority to review the station history and minimise ongoing costs.

8. Service Agreements
On Adoptable Pump Stations there are often problems in the early stages with arranging installation of the Water Company’s telemetry equipment and monitoring facilities. Those companies that can provide a monitoring service are instructed to forward alarm calls to our 24 hour Service Department and the costs for monitoring are dealt with in the same manner as the Partnering Agreement.

In instances where the Water Company’s equipment is not available we install our own equipment utilising a PSTN telephone line monitored on a 24 hour basis. This eliminates the problems commonly experienced on sites where no telemetry equipment is installed and the first indication of any plant problems is when the gravity system overflows with resultant flooding of the site.