PWSA Executive Director Robert A. Weimar

PWSA’s water distribution system is a vast, complex network of pipes, valves, pumps, and reservoirs that was designed to take advantage of Pittsburgh’s unique geography. Much of the system runs on gravity, which is an incredible feat considering the miles of uneven terrain the pipes cross to deliver water throughout the city. In areas where there is not enough force to move the water, pumps are used to boost it along its journey. These “pump stations” are strategically placed throughout the system and help to maintain consistent pressure for all customers and the over 7,500 fire hydrants scattered around our distribution system.
 

From left: Machinist Tim Kutrufis and Equipment Repair Specialists Vince Sciullo and Mike Rava work on pumps at the Bruecken Pump Station, near Highland Park

Keeping the pumps in service requires continuous monitoring and maintenance. These mechanical devices move more than 50,000 gallons of water per minute. Most of our pumps and their motors were manufactured 50 to 80 years ago and continue to operate daily. Due to their age and mechanical complexity, it is not easy to keep our pump stations in operation. Repair work requires machinists, mechanics, electricians and engineers.

For decades we’ve relied on private companies to provide the skilled labor to assess and maintain our pump stations. Unfortunately, this robbed our staff of the opportunity to maintain and repair our equipment. In the long-term, outsourcing this work increases the time and costs of pump maintenance. With infrastructure as important as pumps, controls, and chemical feed equipment, our staff should be capable of performing routine maintenance as well as immediately resolving mechanical equipment breakdowns.

We have taken the challenge of maintaining our pumps head-on over the past 12 months. Our equipment repair specialists, plumbers, and electricians now all work together on routine maintenance as well as the more complex repair and replacement projects. Our PWSA team’s work includes adjusting control sensors, replacing bearings, repairing motors, and realigning pumps to ensure it meets its design capacity efficiency to minimize our energy costs. In recent pump upgrade work, our in-house machinist even made new pump parts from scratch. Our staff have significantly reduced our need for private contractors, while ensuring that all our pump stations are in full working condition. Their efforts show the commitment and drive of our operators and tradespeople to deliver water to our customers.

We will continue to train our in-house staff and give them the opportunity to tackle our most complex tasks. They, along with the operators, engineers, laborers, and other crafts, are the heart and soul of PWSA. Their efforts keep the water flowing, so our customers do not have to think twice when they turn on the tap