Protecting Recycled Water Pump Stations Case Study
A Municipal Water District in San Diego County, California, recently rehabilitated two aging recycled water booster pump stations that supply non-potable water to residential neighborhoods. The Water District needed a reliable solution to protect the newly installed booster pump stations, so their design engineer reached out to Shelter Works. Shelter Works, along with Alex Quach at Charles P. Crowley Company, worked with the project's design engineers to supply two fiberglass enclosures that provide secure, weather-resistant protection for the Water District's new infrastructure investment.
Charles P. Crowley Company specializes in pumping, mixing, and process equipment for municipal and industrial water applications, and its partnership with Shelter Works helped the Water District obtain a dependable, cost-effective solution. These durable shelters ensure long-term performance, reduce maintenance needs, and support continuous pump station operation.
Each pump station houses a triplex booster pump skid with a common suction and discharge header, a hydropneumatic tank, and a control panel, all essential to maintaining consistent water pressure for landscape irrigation. The Water District wanted enclosures that could safeguard this equipment from environmental exposure, reduce maintenance needs, and present a clean, unobtrusive appearance that would not draw attention. Shelter Works delivered two Desert Sand (tan) fiberglass buildings that not only met these functional demands but also offered an aesthetically pleasing design that blends seamlessly into both residential and roadside settings.
Shelter Features
The two fiberglass enclosures are identical in layout, each measuring 11' x 15' x 10', and include the following features:
- 12' x 7'-10' roll-up door for moving larger equipment in and out of the enclosure
- Standard man door for daily entry when the larger roll-up door is not required
- Two exhaust fans controlled by a thermostat and a manual override
- Exterior LED lighting above each door with dusk-to-dawn photocells for security
- Interior switches for manual lighting, fan control, and outlet operation
- Door limit switch to automatically turn interior lights on or off with the operation of the single-man door.
These features allow easy equipment access, secure ventilation, and functional lighting to support routine operations and emergency response. The corrosion-resistant fiberglass construction also resists UV damage and environmental wear, ideal for long-term use in municipal applications.
Custom Design For Function
While both enclosures appear identical, they differ in insulation to accommodate site-specific needs. One shelter, located adjacent to residential homes, includes 3.5" foam insulation to provide added sound attenuation. The second enclosure, stationed along a main thoroughfare, has 2.5" foam insulation since noise is less of a concern. This attention to acoustic performance ensures the sound resulting from the pump station's operation is dampened for noise-sensitive environments, protecting public quality of life while maintaining infrastructure performance.
Shelter Works customized the shelters with factory-installed components to streamline installation and reduce on-site labor. This included pre-installed lighting and switches, and equipment-ready spaces, all of which helped the Water District stay on target for project completion.
Shelter Works partnered with Charles P. Crowley's Alex Quach to support the Water District's Design/Consulting Engineer in their selection and specification process for the specific site constraints and project requirements. Quach stated, "This support resulted in a smooth bidding and procurement process which ultimately ensured that the Water District would receive the high-quality and site-specific buildings they so desired. Crowley's project management team further engaged during the engineering submittal process to ensure that the release of these buildings into production and their fabrication process remained within the project's critical path schedule while meeting all of the Water District's technical, ergonomic, and aesthetic requirements."
These fiberglass buildings protect vital pump station components while meeting the Water District's performance, aesthetic, and community impact goals. By choosing Shelter Works, this Municipal Water District in San Diego County, California, was able to implement a cost-effective, low-maintenance, protective solution that supports critical infrastructure and blends in with its surroundings.