Commercial Lift Station Service: Pumping, Repair and Maintenance

A lift station is a pump chamber that moves wastewater uphill or over a distance to a septic system or sewer line, and it needs scheduled service because a failed pump has nowhere to send the flow. Brown Aerobic pumps and repairs lift stations for HOAs, apartments and businesses across seven counties. Call 832-789-5357.

What is a lift station and why does it need service?

Gravity does the work as long as the ground slopes the right way. When it does not, wastewater drains into a buried chamber called a wet well, and pumps push it onward. Floats tell the pumps when to start and stop, and a control panel with an alarm tells you when something is wrong.

That is a lot of equipment sitting in a wet, corrosive place. Grease, wipes and rags wrap around pumps, floats stick, and panels fail. When the station stops, wastewater backs up into the lowest fixture, which at a commercial property can mean a closed business or a flooded unit.

What lift station services do you provide?

We handle the working parts and the chamber itself. Scope is confirmed for each station when you call, since stations vary a lot in size and design:

• Pumping out the chamber and removing the buildup that accumulates on the bottom and walls
• Pump repair, including checking for clogs, worn parts and electrical faults
• Float switch and control panel repair, so pumps start and stop when they should
• Alarm repair and testing, so the light and horn work and someone is told when the water is high
• Inspection of the chamber, lid, piping and electrical connections
• Adding the station to a commercial maintenance contract, so service is scheduled instead of reactive

What are the warning signs of a failing lift station?

• The alarm light or horn is on, or has been silenced and ignored
• Pumps run constantly, or cycle on and off rapidly
• Water stands unusually high in the chamber
• Sewage odor near the station or the lowest drains in the building
• Slow drains or backups in the lowest part of the property
• A pump that hums but does not move water

If you see any of these, reduce water use where you can and call. A station running on a single pump has no backup if that pump fails.

What does a lift station maintenance visit include?

Every station is different, but a planned visit generally follows this order:

1. Locate and open the chamber safely, and check the lid and surrounding area.
2. Look at the water level, the pumps, the floats and the discharge piping.
3. Clean off floats and remove what has wrapped around pumps or collected on the bottom.
4. Test the alarm and check the control panel and electrical connections.
5. Pump the chamber if it needs it, and note anything that will need repair soon.
6. Record what we found so you have a history of the station.

How often a station needs visits depends on its size, the flow it handles and what is going down the drain, so we set the schedule with you. A working alarm matters as much as the pumps, because it gives you notice before a backup.

Who uses a commercial lift station?

Most of our lift station work is for properties that sit below the sewer or septic system they connect to: apartment communities and HOAs, shopping centers, offices, churches and schools, and RV and mobile home parks. Builders also install them on new developments, and we can service them after the build is done.

What should I do when a lift station alarm goes off?

• Cut back on water use at the property, especially laundry, dishwashers and long showers.
• Check the breaker for the station. A tripped breaker is a common cause.
• Do not open the chamber unless you are trained to. Wet wells hold gases and are not safe to enter.
• Call us and tell us what you see. We will schedule the repair based on what is happening.

How do I get started?

Call 832-789-5357 or request a quote online. Estimates are free, and Se habla español. If you are a property manager or board member, tell us how many stations you have and where. You can also read about all our commercial septic services.

Common questions