A pumping station is typically designed to handle wastewater that is fed from underground gravity pipelines and stored in an underground pit or wet well. The wet well is equipped with electrical instrumentation to detect the level of wastewater present. When the wastewater level rises to a predetermined level, the pumping station commences operation: A pump starts to lift the wastewater upwards through a pressurized pipe system that discharges the wastewater into a gravity manhole. Here, the cycle starts again until the wastewater reaches its destination – usually a wastewater treatment plant.

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In the event of high-water flows into the well... 

(For example during peak flow periods and wet weather) additional pumps will start in parallel.

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In terms of their size...

Pumping stations are normally categorized as pressurized pumping stations (small), network pumping stations (medium) or main pumping stations (large).