Lift Stations

How Do Septic Lift Stations Work?

Lift stations use pumps to move wastewater uphill and are used when conventional septic systems cannot use gravity to flow sewage from a location to the septic system or city sewer. The lift station is a concrete tank containing an ejection pump that operates on a float-controlled switch. Lift stations fill with sewage to a certain level, the pumps turn on and the contents are pumped accordingly.

If the switch or pump fails, an emergency alarm indicator sounds. This alarm alerts the homeowner or business of potential trouble. When an alarm goes off, immediate attention is required. Make sure that you know where your alarm is, what the alarm means and call for assistance. If the alarm sounds and the pumps fail, a septic technician will need to keep the lift station pumped down while a diagnosis can be made and the pumps are repaired or replaced.