Generally referred to as drainage or clearwater sump pumps.  Dewatering pumps have screens which prevents the solids from entering the pump.  These pumps are used to pump ground water out to grade or to a storm sewer.

Effluent pumps are rated for use in sanitary sump drainage applications.  These pumps are designed to pump grey water and capable of passing limited amounts of 1/2" or 3/4" solids.  The sump basins used must be gas tight and vented according to code.

Sewage pumps are used in sanitary pumping applications where toilets are being used.  These pumps are cpable of passing 2" solids.  As with effluent pumps, sewage pump basins must be gas tight and vented according to code.

Grinder pumps are very powerful sewage handling pumps that actually, chop, grind and shred the sewage and reduce it to a slurry.  Sewage grinder pumps are capable of pumping this slurry through smaller diameter pipe and for much higher and longer distances than sewage pumps.

A term when describing a basin cover's ability to prevent sanitary and/or sewage gases from escaping into a living space.  The basin must be vented according to code. 

Every pump has a unique performance curve based on motor horsepower and pump design.  On one axis is the pump's output, measured in gallons per minute or gallons per hour.

This is the combination of static head and friction head- expressed in feet.  (Static Head + Friction Head = Total Dynamic Head)

The actual vertical distance measured from the minimum water level in the basin to the highest point in the discharge piping.

Friction head is th additional head created in the discharfe system due to resistance to flow within its components.  The flow, pipe size, length of pipe, fittings and valves make up the components which add friction.  The friction factors of these components are given values in terms of equivalent feet of straight pipe.  These friction factors are totaled and translated to Friction Head.