The Hidden Money Leak in Your Pump Room

Your pumps may be moving water just fine. But they could be quietly draining your budget every hour they run. Most sites don’t notice because the system still “works.” The leaks are in energy, throttled valves, dirty filters, and old settings that no one has touched in years.

Here’s how you can find and fix the money leak.

Three fast wins you can tackle this week

1) Stop paying for friction.

Clogged strainers and fouled filters force pumps to work harder. The motor draws more power to deliver the same flow. Check differential pressure across strainers. If the drop is higher than last month, clean or replace elements. A 5-10 psi reduction in suction loss often cuts energy 5-8% right away.

2) Let the drive do the work (not the valve).
If you control flow with a half-closed discharge valve, you are turning electricity into heat. Open the valve and set the variable frequency drive (VFD) to hold pressure or flow. Even small speed reductions save big. Dropping speed by 10% can reduce power use by almost 30% because power changes with the cube of speed.

3) Fix setpoints that don’t match reality.
Processes change. Setpoints don’t – unless someone reviews them. If your booster is holding 85 psi but you only need 70, you are overspending every minute. Lower the setpoint in 2-3 psi steps and watch the line. When quality and coverage stay solid, keep the lower number.

A Pocket Worksheet to Estimate Monthly Savings

Grab last month’s power bill and five minutes.

1. Find one pump’s motor size (kW) and average run hours per day.
2. Estimate current load factor (how hard it works on average). If you don’t know, use 0.6.
3. Estimate the reduction from your fix (clean filters, retune VFD). Start with a conservative 10%.

Math:

Current kWh per month ≈ kW × load factor × hours/day × 30.
Savings kWh ≈ current kWh × expected reduction.
Dollar savings ≈ savings kWh × electricity rate ($/kWh).

Example:

A 15 kW booster, 0.6 load, 20 hours/day.
Current kWh ≈ 15 × 0.6 × 20 × 30 = 5,400 kWh/month.
At $0.14/kWh, that’s $756/month.

A simple tune and clean that saves 12% returns ≈ 648 kWh or ~$91/month.
Across three similar pumps, that’s ~$270/month or ~$3,200/year – before you factor in fewer breakdowns.

Small Habits that Compound Into Big Savings

• Schedule a strainer day. Same weekday, every month. Clean, inspect, re-gasket.
• Log the basics per shift. Suction psi, discharge psi, pump speed %, and notes. Trends pop fast.
• Protect sensor wiring. Keep transducer cables away from VFD power leads. Electrical noise causes bad readings and bad control.
• Review setpoints quarterly. If the process changed, the control targets should too.
• Rotate duty pumps. Equalize wear to avoid one “hero” pump failing early.

When to Call in a Pro

• Pressure is stable only at one flow. That screams control tuning or sizing.
• Persistent cavitation after cleaning and venting. You may be starved or oversized.
• Lead/lag staging is chaotic. Pumps fight each other and waste power.
• You’re planning upgrades and want a quick energy audit.

Keep the Money in Your Process, Not the Meter

Most pump rooms hide 8-15% energy savings in plain sight. A few checks, a cleaner suction side, and smarter VFD control add up fast. The side effects are all good too: steadier pressure, fewer alarms, and longer equipment life.

If you want a hand, our team can run a quick, practical review and tune your water-pressure-booster or chemical dosing system. Reach out to Vissers Sales Corp. at 1-800-367-4180 – Canada toll-free – to get started.