Dirty water pump

Buying a dirty water pump

A dirty water pump is used for draining dirty water/wastewater, such as water that contains sand or solid particles. ‘Dirty’ is a broad concept, but generally it refers to water that is no longer clear or is polluted with sand, soil, leaves, or twigs and so forth. Our rule of thumb is that the water should still be relatively clear and not a thick liquid.

Some models are suitable for draining water that contains faecal matter, and are indicated with ‘FEKA’ in the pump’s name. This type of pump is popularly known as a contractor pump. Our DAB FEKA VS submersible pumps are designed specifically for pumping wastewater and/or sewage water containing ‘very large’ solid particles (faecal matter). Click here to see our selection.

When to use a dirty water pump?

Dirty water pumps are extremely versatile and highly suitable both for domestic and professional use. T.I.P. Maxima and Tallas pumps are an excellent choice for consumers. The same applies to DAB pumps, but their particularly high quality and operational reliability also make them very popular with contractors.

Situations in which dirty water pumps are used include locations where excavations are being carried out, and where groundwater has to be drained before work can be continued, such as construction sites but also in and around the house. However, submersible dirty water pumps are also perfect for use in gardens, crawl spaces, ponds, construction sites, flooded outdoor areas, the shipping industry, and so on.

How does a dirty water pump work?

A dirty water pump works in the following manner. Set up the pump in the water that needs to be drained. Like submersible pumps, the dirty water pump has a suction grid fitted to the bottom, but with an impeller. This is where the water is drawn through, including solid particles, which are crushed by the impeller. The water then runs towards the pump outlet (also referred to as the delivery connection). A discharge hose or pipe is connected to the pump outlet to drain the water.

One disadvantage of dirty water pumps is that they are unable to drain a space or a sump well/sump pit completely dry. Because the pump needs to process very large solid particles, it also needs enough space at the bottom to draw them in so that the pump does not get blocked.