At Grundfos, we often say that the best sales are not achieved in meeting rooms, but accumulated through the daily operation of equipment. The experience of renovating a sewage treatment plant near the Songhua River in Harbin is the most vivid illustration of this statement.
The story began in 2008. As a core environmental facility in Harbin Qunli New District (home to a national-level urban wetland park) and situated along the Songhua River, the sewage treatment plant bore significant environmental responsibilities. From the outset, the water utility company responsible for its construction and operation decided to install eight Grundfos submersible pumps in the intake pump house—the most complex operational area with the highest debris accumulation and corrosion risk.
A "Perfect Score" in 17 Years
Fast forward to 2025, when the wastewater treatment plant launched its 'Legacy Equipment Retrofit' initiative, the client conducted a comprehensive 'health check' on these aging systems. The data was not only impressive but also astonishing:
This was a 17-year intensive operation—where the equipment was submerged 24/7 in complex, highly corrosive raw sewage, constantly subjected to fiber entanglement and debris impact. Yet among these 8 pumps, 5 had never undergone major overhauls, with their core hydraulic component—the impeller—replaced only once.
This chronicle of time objectively attests to Grundfos products' unparalleled reliability and durability, which has directly led customers to steadfastly choose the brand during subsequent upgrades.
Both "hold the line" and "charge forward"
The simple "trade-in" model is no longer sufficient to address Harbin's current urban scale. With the influx of population into the Qunli New District, the sewage treatment plant faces more complex challenges: not only does the daily inflow volume continue to rise, but the intake pump room must also undertake the function of flood prevention and rainwater regulation during the flood season.
"The current requirements differ from those in 2008. We must ensure stable sewage pumping during normal operations and rapid drainage during heavy rainfall. The equipment must possess dual-purpose capabilities." — Engineer, Sewage Plant Equipment Department
To address this dual requirement of 'maintaining stability in daily operations while handling peak demands,' we opted for a forward-looking 'scalable upgrade' solution rather than a simplistic homologous replacement.
We have uniformly upgraded all new pumps to 200kW capacity. The upgraded pump units demonstrate exceptional operational adaptability, ensuring stable sewage discharge while effectively handling peak flow surges during extreme weather events.
The Weight of Service: 17 Years of Invisible Protection
If product strength is the stepping stone, then 17 years of 'professional service' serves as the reassurance. In this project, our authorized service center has maintained uninterrupted service for the past seventeen to eighteen years.
When reflecting on this journey, Mr.Fan, the head of the service center, remarked:
In our profession, serving water treatment plants, the phone must never be turned off. A customer's call is a command; no matter when it rings, we must immediately respond to the scene.
For over a decade, we've been on call for anything from minor component replacements to technical consultations. Our clients trust us not because of polished PPTs, but because we're there when they need us most.
—General Manager of Fanlixin Grundfos Authorized Service Center
This '24/7 response, same-day delivery' service commitment assures customers that choosing Grundfos means choosing a permanent on-call team of engineers.
Implementation and Delivery:Zero Production Stoppage in Complex Environment
The 2025 on-site implementation was fraught with uncertainties. As a typical municipal renovation project involving multiple stakeholders, the timeline and installation method of equipment would depend on the progress of other sub-projects. Confronted with complex on-site coordination and the strict requirement that the water intake pump room must remain operational, our team developed a meticulous 'non-disruption renovation' plan:
Seamless retrofitting: The new 200kW pump is engineered to seamlessly integrate with the existing guide rod system, significantly reducing civil engineering work and shortening single-unit operation time.
Rotating shifts: Implementing a relay mode of 'dismantling, installing, and commissioning' to ensure uninterrupted operation of the wastewater treatment plant.
On-site coordination: Our service team serves as 'on-site coordinators,' proactively liaising with clients, supervisors, and contractors to resolve any unexpected obstacles.
"The site is full of variables, so we need to keep a close eye on it. We'll break down the installation schedule day by day, assist the client in coordinating with the supervisor, and ensure these eight pumps are smoothly handed over this month." — Li Chao, Grundfos Sales Engineer
Seventeen years ago, our clients chose us because they trusted the Grundfos brand. Seventeen years later, they choose us again because they see the quality of Grundfos and experience our unwavering commitment.
Through this upgrade, Grundfos not only delivered eight high-performance 200kW pumps to the sewage treatment plant, but also extended its 17-year commitment to safeguarding water safety in Harbin.
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