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Prelos FAQs


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How is Prelos different?

Grinder pumps grind or chop the wastewater into a slurry and convey everything to the wastewater treatment plant. Prelos provides primary treatment at the source, conveying partially treated wastewater for final treatment.

Is Prelos more expensive to maintain than a grinder pump system?

No. Operation and maintenance (O&M) for a properly maintained Prelos unit is lower than for a grinder pump.

WERF Fact Sheets C1, C2, & C3. “Performance & Cost of Decentralized Unit Processes,” 2010.

How much is a replacement pump?

A new Prelos pump is much less expensive than a rebuilt grinder pump and substantially less expensive than a new grinder pump. As an alternative to complete pump replacement, impellers and motors are easily replaceable in a Prelos pump.

WERF Fact Sheets C1, C2, & C3. “Performance & Cost of Decentralized Unit Processes,” 2010.

Retaining solids in the tank means that the Prelos tank needs to be pumped, right?

Yes, Prelos tanks target a 10-12 year pump-out interval, and costs for pumping tanks are included in the O&M cost. All wastewater collection and treatment processes produce solids. When compared to a grinder system, Prelos actually reduces the total volume of solids produced. Also, problems like “flushable” wipes, oil & grease, and other inorganic material are retained in the Prelos unit, rather than causing additional O&M for the grinder pumps or collection mains.

 “Alternative Sewer Systems” Manual of Practice FD-12, second edition,  published by the Water Environment Federation (WEF) 2008.

How does the power usage compare?

Prelos uses substantially less power and is available with single-phase, 115V or 230V power.

WERF Fact Sheets C1, C2, & C3. “Performance & Cost of Decentralized Unit  Processes,” 2010.

Can Prelos use the same collection mains?

Yes, the pump curves are very similar, and Prelos can use the same collection mains as grinder pumps. Please note, however, that grinder pumps should not be used in a Prelos system, because Prelos is a liquid-only sewer. 

Which system has more emergency storage?

Prelos has at least 4x more reserve storage capacity than typical grinder pump basins (based on manufacturer’s specs).

Is Prelos more expensive to install?

Prelos is delivered as a complete unit, much like a grinder package is, and can be installed at a comparable cost.

WERF Fact Sheets C1, C2, & C3. “Performance & Cost of Decentralized Unit  Processes,” 2010.

Why trust Orenco?

Orenco has been providing wastewater collection and treatment solutions for more than four decades. Thousands of communities in the U.S. and around the world are successfully using our technologies.