The Hidden Headaches of Sewer Utility Design: Gravity, Lift Station, or Grinder Pump?

When gravity just won't work — because your site is flat, low-lying, or slopes away from the main — a lift station becomes more than a backup plan. It’s often the only way to make your system viable.

But a well-designed lift station can also be a strategic unlock — allowing you to build where others can’t, avoid deep excavation, and maintain full control of your infrastructure.

How a Lift Station Works

A lift station is a pumping system that transfers wastewater from low areas to higher ground — where it can rejoin a gravity sewer system or treatment plant.

Here’s an easy 4-step process for how lift stations work:

Step 1: Wastewater flows into an underground tank called a wet well.

Step 2: Once the wet well fills to a set level, sensors trigger one or more pumps.

Step 3: The wastewater is pushed uphill through a force main (a pressurized pipe).

Step 4: Once it reaches the gravity line, it resumes its normal flow downhill.