When a community grows, the infrastructure serving it has to keep up.

In the Flats of Cleveland, along the Cuyahoga Riverfront, redevelopment brought new demands to the wastewater system. A pump station needed to be replaced and relocated, and the team responsible for the project had to move quickly.

But delivering a station was only part of the job. The design also needed to consider the people who would operate and maintain it long after construction was complete.

The Customer:

Excel Fluid Group specializes in the design and manufacturing of water and wastewater pump stations for municipal, commercial, and industrial applications. Part of their turnkey pump station design features davit cranes to install and service the pumps. Excel came to Thern requesting a davit crane that could be used by operators to safely and efficiently lift and lower submersible pumps routinely. This would allow maintenance personnel to reach the pumps from the bottom of a wet well and to hold them above grade during inspection.

The Challenge:

Construction was moving quickly around the Stones Levee site. Nearby developments, including the Cleveland Cavaliers’ new training complex and Cleveland Whiskey Distillery, added urgency to the pump station project.

The station’s location beside the Cuyahoga River also raised the stakes. A system failure could potentially allow raw sewage to enter the waterway, making reliability a critical consideration.

For the project team, the challenge was to deliver a station that met the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s (NEORSD) needs on an accelerated schedule while planning for the work that would follow installation.

That’s a familiar responsibility for engineers and equipment manufacturers. Design for when the critical infrastructure will be needed the most. The decisions made during design affect the people who will operate and maintain the system for years to come.

The Solution:

Excel worked with NEORSD and the project team to coordinate the replacement station’s design and adjust the delivery approach to meet the project timeline.

The station included submersible chopper pumps and a wet well measuring 10 feet in diameter and 35 feet deep. Excel also incorporated a Thern Commander 1000 portable davit crane into the station design to provide easy access to the submerged pumps.

Including a lifting solution early helps engineers think through a question the maintenance crew will face later: When critical infrastructure needs attention, how will it be lifted and moved safely?

The Commander 1000 offers an adjustable boom for different height and reach combinations and rotates 360 degrees. The winch allows for longer lift distance to easily reach the bottom of the wet well. The crane and winch can also be disassembled and utilized at other facilities or placed in storage when not in use. These features give designers options to consider when incorporating lifting equipment into a station.

Excel brought the complete system together. Thern contributed a lifting component that fits into that overall pump station design, supporting the work that continues after start-up.

The Results:

According to Excel Fluid Group, the replacement station was delivered on schedule and met NEORSD’s performance requirements.

The project team’s early coordination with Thern helped address system requirements during design. The finished station brought together the pumping, controls, and lifting equipment needed for the application.

For teams designing wastewater infrastructure, the takeaway is clear: planning for equipment handling belongs in the conversation alongside the rest of the station design. The work doesn’t end when the pumps go in. Crews need access to their station’s pumps to care for them throughout their service life.

Let’s Talk About Your Next Project

Whether you’re an OEM looking for a lifting equipment partner or need a standard crane for a wastewater application, Thern can help.

Our team can talk through your application, answer your questions, and help you find an option that fits your lifting needs.

Contact the Thern team to get started.