The Montpellier Water Board has recently commissioned Pleuger Industries to replace two of its submersible pumps, originally fitted more than 30 years ago.
Since 1982, tandem submersible pumps from Pleuger Industries have been pumping 1700 litres of drinking water per second from three well shafts to the surface. A fourth pump discharges 250 litres of water per second into the French river Lez, one of Europe's Natura 2000 protected areas
The pumping station at Les Sources du Lez is the only source from which the people of Montpellier receive their water. After 30 years, two of the 20-ton, 10-metre-long twin units were replaced in accordance with regulations and Pleuger Industries was again awarded the contract.
The new 32-in centrifugal pumps are two-stage special designs of type QN362-1a + VNI22-150-6-6. The 590 kW water-cooled motor with a power output is located below the hydraulics and supplies spring water from the underground cavern via a suction-pressure jacket. The drinking water flows through a single-stage grey cast iron pump hydraulic system into the connected pressure boosting system, which transports 3500 m³/h of drinking water 36 m upwards.
