Detailed pump system analyses were performed at two water treatment plants – Lake Gaillard and Saltonstall, three well pumps at the North Cheshire Wellfield, and ten booster pump stations. Preliminary analyses were performed at approximately thirty booster pump stations and well fields in the RWA distribution system. The detailed field testing was performed on individual pumps and included measuring suction pressure, discharge pressure, flow rate, and power draw. The data was obtained using installed and portable calibrated instrumentation and was used to calculate the current operating efficiency of each pump under current conditions.  The pumps’ hydraulic efficiency was calculated based on the field testing data and compared to the original manufacturers pump curves to evaluate the performance of each pump.

Recommendations were made for each facility to improve equipment and system efficiency. Examples include modifications to operating scenarios to provide energy usage and/or demand savings, rehabilitation/replacement of inefficient and unreliable equipment, and system modifications to obtain efficient and reliable equipment operation.

The comprehensive analysis assisted the RWA in prioritizing improvements to their distribution system pumping facilities as part of long term energy and asset management programs. The electricity savings of the proposed improvements included approximately 1,891,000 kWh saved at the four water treatment plants, 244,000 kWh saved at three of the wellfields, and 450,000 kWh saved at five of the booster pump stations; a total savings of 2,585,000 kWh which is equivalent to over $330,000 in cost savings.