A lift station failure is much more than just inconvenient. They can cause raw sewage overflows, property damage, environmental violations, and major regulatory fines. Emergency preparedness is critical to keeping your lift station operational during the unexpected, whether you manage a commercial property, municipal system, or industrial facility.
In this article, we’ll cover how to prevent lift station failures through reliable backup systems, telemetry monitoring, and routine alarm testing. If you’re in the Tampa Bay area, this is your guide to lift station emergency preparedness done right.
What Happens When a Lift Station Fails?
When a lift station fails, wastewater has nowhere to go. It can quickly back up into buildings or overflow into surrounding areas, leading to DEP violations and significant cleanup costs.
The most common causes of failure include:
- Power outages during storms
- Float switch malfunction
- Clogged pumps or rising wet-well levels
- Communication failures in the control system
These risks escalate for high-traffic commercial sites like shopping centers, apartment complexes, and schools. A single oversight can disrupt operations or lead to legal liability, especially in areas like Hillsborough County, where FOG enforcement and wet well overflow rules are tightly regulated.
Keep Informed with Live Telemetry and SCADA Monitoring
Telemetry monitoring is one of the best ways to prevent lift station emergencies. These systems provide real-time data on pump performance, flow levels, alarm status, and power conditions. Whether you’re operating one lift station or an entire network, telemetry lets you monitor remotely and respond proactively.
Advanced monitoring setups like SCADA systems also enable automated alerts via text, email, or dashboard notifications, notifying our emergency response team the second something goes wrong.
Want to see how remote monitoring works in action? Explore our Remote Septic Monitoring solutions custom-built for lift stations across Central Florida.
Backup Power Systems: Staying Operational When the Grid Goes Down
Power loss is one of the leading causes of lift station failure. Without electricity, pumps stop working, and the wet well can overflow within hours—especially in high-volume systems.
To mitigate this, every critical lift station should be equipped with a backup power system, either through:
- Battery backup units (for short-term resilience)
- Standby generators with automatic transfer switches
Local codes often require a generator backup system in storm-prone areas like Tampa Bay, especially for municipal or high-risk commercial sites. Regular backup power testing is just as important as having one installed. ACE Septic & Waste performs generator testing and maintenance as part of our Lift Station Maintenance Plans, ensuring you’re never caught unprepared.
Alarm Testing and Float Checks
If telemetry fails and the backup system doesn’t activate, lift station alarms are your final warning.
A properly functioning alarm system includes:
- High-water-level float switches
- Audible and visual alarms on-site
- Connection to a monitoring panel or remote alert system
Regular alarm testing and float calibration are critical. Technicians simulate rising wet well levels to confirm alarm functionality and ensure accurate response. We recommend keeping a log of all alarm tests for compliance and accountability, especially if your facility falls under state or county inspection schedules.
This testing is a standard part of all Commercial Wastewater Services provided by ACE Septic & Waste.
Emergency Response Planning: Be Ready When Something Goes Wrong
Even with the best systems in place, emergencies happen. That’s why you need a documented emergency plan that includes:
- ACE’s 24/7 emergency lift station dispatch number
- Clear instructions for what to do when the alarm sounds
- Contact info posted inside or near the lift station control panel
- A checklist for shutting down, bypassing, or reporting the failure
Having a local partner like ACE Septic & Waste on standby makes all the difference. We provide around-the-clock support for clients across Tampa, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, and surrounding counties. Learn more about our full suite of Lift Station Services to see how we support emergency response and ongoing maintenance.
Build Resilience Before an Emergency with ACE
Lift station emergency preparedness is a foundational element of all commercial/municipal sewer management systems. You can protect your expensive infrastructure investments by telemetry monitoring, backup power systems, and consistent alarm testing while meeting Florida regulations and keeping your business running smoothly.
If you’re unsure whether your system is weather-ready, let ACE Septic & Waste perform a full system inspection. We’ll help you identify vulnerabilities, test critical systems, and build a custom maintenance plan to keep your site safe and compliant.
Call ACE today at 813-DWN-LIFT to schedule a consultation, or explore our Lift Station Maintenance Plans to get started.
