Sustainable Pumping in a Protected Coastal Environment: OverWatch® Installed to Eliminate Odors & Hazards

15 May 2025  |
To protect the sensitive ecosystem of Corsica’s UNESCO-listed Calanques de Piana, a marine-grade OverWatch® Direct In-Line Pump System was installed as a temporary lift station. Designed for corrosion resistance and environmental compliance, the system delivered reliable, odor-free performance and was later seamlessly relocated for permanent use.

Problem:

The Calanques de Piana, located in the Gulf of Porto on the island of Corsica, is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site—an area of exceptional natural beauty and ecological sensitivity. Due to its protected status, any infrastructure work in the region requires a high level of environmental responsibility and precision.

As part of a planned upgrade to a local water treatment plant, the municipality required a temporary lift station that could later be relocated and used as a permanent upstream pumping solution. The existing lift station had become increasingly problematic, with recurring issues such as odoremissions, risk of leakage, and fats, oils, & grease FOGaccumulation—all of which posed environmental & operational concerns, especially within such a highly regulated and delicate setting.

Solution: 

To meet the unique challenges of the seaside location, the local contractor installed a marine-grade OverWatch® Direct In-Line Pump System, specially engineered to withstand corrosion, constant exposure to sea spray and the corrosive coastal environment. The system chosen was designed to deliver a flow rate of 264 gpm at a head of 6 m (20 ft), ensuring reliable performance in demanding conditions.

The installation was a success. The municipality, installation team, and site visitors all praised the clean, compact system, which blended seamlessly into the sensitive landscape and proved to be far more suitable for the heritage site than the previous lift station.

After operating flawlessly for two years, the OverWatch® system was easily relocated to its permanent upstream site once the treatment plant construction was complete—exactly as planned.

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Industrial Flow Solutions™ (IFS) is a global company headquartered in New Haven, Connecticut, USA and with facilities in Falkirk, Scotland and Monselice, Italy. IFS specializes in the design, manufacturing, sales, & service of wastewater pumps...

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