As wastewater utilities face rising pressure from aging infrastructure, tight budgets, and operational complexity, many are turning to digital platforms to gain control of their lift station networks. This blog explores how AI-powered tools are helping utilities shift from reactive to proactive — with measurable results.
The Hidden Risks in Lift Station Operations
Lift stations are essential for moving wastewater from lower to higher elevations, yet they’re often the most under-monitored and failure-prone components of a collection system. Many utilities still rely on basic SCADA systems and operator intuition to manage their lift stations, leaving them vulnerable to:
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Unseen pump inefficiencies
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Blockages and ragging
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Recirculation and stuck valves
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Energy waste from poor scheduling
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Equipment failures and costly emergency repairs
Add to this the pressure of limited budgets and workforce shortages, and it’s clear why utilities are looking for smarter, more automated ways to manage these assets.
The Digital Solution: Introducing ACE™
To address these challenges, utilities across the U.S. are adopting Aquasight’s ACE™ platform — a digital twin and AI-based tool that gives operators, engineers, and utility managers real-time insight into lift station performance.
ACE helps utilities:
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Prevent pump failures
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Reduce energy costs
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Improve system visibility
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Enable predictive maintenance
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Streamline operations
All without requiring a full overhaul of infrastructure.
Key Capabilities That Make the Difference
1. Real-Time Operational Cockpit
ACE consolidates critical lift station data into an intuitive dashboard — including flows, pump run times, wet well levels, and pressure readings. This “control tower” view gives operators instant visibility into abnormal conditions like:
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Suboptimal pump cycling
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Air entrapment
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Rising flow without matching pump output
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Wet well overflows or slow drawdown
Instead of reacting to alarms after failure, operators can see trouble coming and act early.
2. Virtual Flow Meters — Without New Hardware
Flow meters are expensive and often absent from lift stations. ACE solves this by using virtual flow metering, a proprietary algorithm that estimates real-time flow using existing data (e.g., level sensors, run times, pump curves).
Utilities can now:
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Monitor inflow & infiltration (I&I)
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Detect illegal dumping
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Track throughput trends
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Understand lift station capacity
All without digging or installing physical meters.
3. Predictive Maintenance Analytics
With ACE, maintenance isn’t just scheduled — it’s smart.
The platform continuously tracks pump behavior and detects early signs of wear, such as:
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Excessive run times
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Overcycling
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Pressure anomalies
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Energy-to-flow inefficiencies
By flagging assets before failure, utilities can plan interventions, extend pump life, and reduce emergency repairs.
4. Energy Optimization and Cost Savings
Lift stations account for a large portion of wastewater energy costs. ACE analyzes flow patterns and pump efficiency to recommend optimized run times and wet well setpoints.
In real-world use:
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One utility reported up to 25% energy savings
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Another reduced usage by 11% after ACE adjusted pump scheduling
These savings are not only good for the budget — they also reduce wear and emissions.
Results in the Field: What Utilities Are Seeing
Utilities using ACE have reported a range of wins, such as:
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Early detection of stuck valve fragments, preventing pump recirculation
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Water hammer prevention through forced main surge insights
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Excessive pump cycling mitigated by tuning PID controls
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Energy use cut by up to a quarter with optimized scheduling
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Air entrapment resolved, restoring pump efficiency
These aren’t hypothetical benefits — they’re real-world outcomes happening in cities and towns across the country.
Fast, Flexible Implementation
One of the biggest advantages of ACE is how easy it is to deploy.
It works with:
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Your existing SCADA system
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Basic sensors (level, status, pressure)
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No major hardware investments
ACE is designed to integrate and scale — whether you manage 5 stations or 500. Deployment can begin in weeks, and the platform is configured to meet the specific needs of your network.
Why This Matters: Meeting Today’s Demands
The future of lift station management isn’t more alarms — it’s more insight.
As infrastructure ages and expectations rise, utilities can’t afford to wait for equipment to fail or for residents to report issues. Tools like ACE empower utility teams to be proactive, data-driven, and more resilient.
With:
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Predictive analytics
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Digital twin monitoring
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Operational intelligence
Utilities gain the confidence to make smarter decisions faster.
Ready to Modernize Your Lift Station Strategy?
ACE™ from Aquasight is already helping utilities across the country transform their lift station operations. Whether you're managing legacy infrastructure or planning future upgrades, ACE can help you:
✅ Prevent failures
✅ Lower costs
✅ Extend equipment life
✅ Improve service delivery
➡️ Schedule a demo or reach out to see how ACE fits your system and goals.
