Pump Station Logistics: What does life look like at the pump station?

To the outside world, pump stations are a bit of a mystery. If you read our blog posts regularly, you may know the pump station exists to move water from one area to another – in this case, for the purpose of controlling water levels throughout Valley Ranch to prevent flooding. But most people don’t realize what actually goes on inside of the IFCD 3 pump station and that work there can look different from day to day, depending on the weather.

To give you a glimpse into what activities occur within the pump station, we’re answering some of our most frequently asked questions.

Q: How often is the pump station operational?

A: The pump station is up and functioning 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Even when there are blue skies and not a storm in sight, the station is online, monitoring water levels and other system activities. Fortunately, advanced in technology allow our team to monitor and operate the station remotely when the weather is good. IFCD 3 personnel also monitor the weather closely so that staff can be onsite on short notice.

Q: How often is someone from IFCD 3 at the pump station?

A: During a storm, our team is typically onsite to monitor the station’s equipment and operations. Even when weather is nice and the forecast shows clear skies, our team is frequently onsite, handling routine and preventative maintenance activities to help ensure everything stays running smoothly.

Q: What do you do about food at the pump station?

A: Most of the time, operators eat before or after their work at the station. If team members have to be at the station for a longer time period, they pack food or get a meal delivered.

Q: Where do you use the bathroom when you’re at the pump station?

A: The pump station has onsite restrooms!

Q: Can your team call in sick? What happens in you have a personal emergency?

A: Like any other job, our team can call in sick or leave to handle personal emergencies. However, our team is large enough that even with someone out sick, we still have enough trained and capable personnel to continue operating the pump station.

Have any questions you’d like answered about IFCD 3? Drop us an email!