A few of these are summarised below. Please download our PDF documents that summarise some of the more important benefits to be aware of.
Why Fibreglass (FRP)?
Why FRP?
There are a number of reasons why Fibreglass is the material of choice in the manufacture of sewage structures.
Factory Manufactured
- Mullaly pump stations are manufactured as a single, one-piece unit in carefully controlled factory conditions.
- Compliance with a design created by a registered practicing composite engineer
- Workforce is skilled in the manufacturing process with many decades of combined experience
Engineered for Strength
- Whether installed in a fully flooded hole or dry hole condition with no ground water, Mullaly pump stations are carefully designed for a wide range of site conditions.
- Designed to withstand varying subterranean and hydraulic pressures as well as pressures created by changing surface loadings.
- This also means the unit is able to take “rough handling” on site.
Low Maintenance
- Smooth walls reduce scum buildup
- Resistant to abrasion from suspended grit
- Resistant to chemical attack
- Reduced scheduled maintenance requirements
The resins used to manufacture the Fibreglass (FRP – Fibre Reinforced Plastic) guarantees resistance to the corrosive chemicals found in sewer and waste water, unlike concrete.
Quick, Easy Installation
- Units delivered to site near complete
- Reduced need for skilled tradesmen
- Supplied with comprehensive installation instructions including ballast calculations to counter hydro-static uplift. The calculations are developed by a qualified engineer
- Reduced onsite construction time
- 100% watertight = Protection of the environment
The units’ watertight construction prevents contamination of the surrounding water table. This also ensures no ingress of surrounding ground water and thus no unnecessary pumping and water treatment. This assists in ensuring compliance with Environmental Protection Authorities (EPA) pollution control requirements.
Corrosion Resistant & Watertight
- A distinct advantage of fiberglass is the corrosion resistant nature of the material to protect the exposed services to the harsh corrosive conditions often found in waste water structures.
- Given its one-piece, factory-fabricated design, a Mullaly wet well does not rely on field installed sealants to provide a watertight finished product.
- One-piece, structurally strong Mullaly pump stations provide a watertight design solution to what is often an expensive maintenance issue with concrete equivalent structures
The below table summaries some of the differences and benefits of a Mullaly FRP pump station compared to a concrete pump station.
| Feature | Mullaly Fibreglass Pump Station | Concrete Pump Station |
|---|---|---|
| Industry Approval | WSAA approved to WSA04-2005 V2.1 (or WSA 04:2018 draft) – Sewage Pumping Station Code of Australia | Not set industry approval scheme or process for concrete pump stations |
| Package | Delivery as a complete single unit (often as a combo with integral valve pit) – no assembly required on site | Comes in sections to be joined on site or if poured on site; then fitting out will need access to a confined space. Not required with a Mullaly Pump Station |
| OH&S | With no fit out required there is limited need to enter into the pump station as a confined space thereby reducing the OH&S risks on site | Long assembly time and heavy handling means potential for more scope for OH&S Risk. Fit out often in confined spaces. |
| Time | Time Can be installed in as little as a few hours on some projects saving time, money and potential for wet weather affecting job Longer assembly time increases costs and risks of bad weather. Could be up to a week to install a concrete pump station for a poured in-situ station | Longer assembly time increases costs and risks of bad weather. Could be up to a week to install a concrete pump station for a poured in-situ station |
| Weight | Light weight reduces OH&S risk and makes easy to install | Heavy handling increases OH&S risk and makes it harder to install |
| Corrosion | The Vinyl Ester resins used in manufacture guarantees resistance to the corrosive chemicals found in sewage environment’s | Need to coat inside surface to protect against corrosion or install a liner. Steel in concrete corrodes due to H2S gas attack and the sulphuric acid it produces |
| Engineered | Engineered for maximum strength; allows for ground movement with no structural fatigue | Ground movement can cause cracks and break seals between sections. |
| Life Expectancy | 100-year life expectancy | Could be designed for 100 years but often needs to be repaired or refurbished due to early failure from corrosion or erosion. |
| Warranty | 30-year warranty which we can back given a 30-year track record of installed pump stations | 30-year warranty which we can back given a 30-year track record of installed pump stations Varied – but rarely 30 years |
| Maintenance | Reduced maintenance requried due to smooth internal walls which stay cleaner for longer. | Rough walls need more frequent cleaning. (assuming no internal liner included) |
| Watertight | A completely watertight homogeneous sealed single unit construction. | Potential for leaks through cracks, joins in pre-cast segments or if poorly constructed through the concrete mass itself |
| Regional Locations | Can and have been installed in the most remote locations in Australia | Remote locations often do not have access to concrete supply, also shipping and installing heavy pre-cast units’ long distances is logistically very difficult and costly |
| Factory Manufactured | Factory controlled conditions with compliance to an independent design created by a registered practicing composite engineer | Quality control for concrete placement is varied with different levels of experience and competence in the industry |