Whalley Pump Station

Project Highlights

The Whalley Pump Station was reaching the end of its useful life and required upgrading.  Kerr Wood Leidal (KWL) was retained by the City of Surrey to complete the detailed design and provide project and construction management services for the required upgrades.

By phasing the work, KWL was able to keep the station in operation during the entire construction process, resulting in no service disruptions to the public.

Description of Upgrades

The station upgrades included:

• New variable frequency drives on most pumps
• Complete replacement of electrical and mechanical systems
• New power supply from BC Hydro, and 4,000 kVA split-design sub-station
• New above-ground electrical building to improve maintainability, and
• Two-way travelling crane and upgraded ventilation.

Improved Performance and Capacity

KWL developed a new control system that enables matching of supply to system loads without throttling the pumps.  Using new variable frequency drives on the pumps, the revised control greatly improved the station’s operating efficiency.  Power consumption prior to the upgrades was 3.3 GWh/yr ($181,000/yr) and 2.18 GWh/yr after, a savings of $60,000/yr in electricity costs alone.

The station’s capacity was increased by 1,200 L/s to 3,500 L/s for a service population of 125,000.  The total installed horsepower was 2,450 HP (1,800 kW). Total project cost was $4.5 million.