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Is there anything more magical than the mighty pump?

A concept so simple and elegant – the transportation of fluid from one place to another – has changed human society and delighted people the world over. People are always coming up to me saying “hey Inspector, aren’t pumps great?” and “You’re so lucky that you get to work with pumps everyday!” 

And as I always say in return: Brother, you ain’t lying.

Of course, while everyone loves pumps, not all truly grasp just how important pumps are to the functioning of everyday society. For instance, did you know that pumps are the second most used mechanical instrument (regardless of application) in the world after the motor? I bet that fun fact knocked you right out of your seat friend.

But it’s true and it underlines how important pumps are to so many areas. An old adage in the pumping industry is that pumps are something you never think about until one breaks and suddenly getting a new one is all you can think about.

Millions of people across the country that live in rural or outlying areas rely on pumps to get their water from a well. For these people, pumps are quite literally a lifeline.

If you get your water from a municipal source, you might associate pumps more with wastewater or groundwater removal from a specific area. For instance, if you are a homeowner in an area that is prone to flooding, you surely know the importance of your basement sump pump. If you are a property manager and people are constantly flushing towels, diapers and plastic wipes down the toilets on your property, there’s a good chance you’ve familiarized yourself with grinder pumps. And so on.

The majority of pumps that Pump Products sells can probably be segmented into a choice few categories (sump, sewage, well), a wide variety of other pump types are available as well. Pumps for hazardous areas (chemical resistant, explosion proof), pumps for residential areas, pumps for ice machines – all exist. There are probably as many types of pumps out there as there are possible fluid moving applications.

Pumps can be used for aesthetic purposes, such as with water feature/fountain displays. These water features can range from the fountain in your backyard to the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas. Anytime you see some crazy water display, remember that a pump is doing the hard work.

Did you know that pumps are also involved in fermenting wine and in breweries. That’s right, the glass of wine or bottle of beer that you are (responsibly) sipping while reading this blog is only possible because of pumps.

And in fact that’s the point of this blog and the “Made Possible by Pumps” campaign: to educate the populace on the important power of pumps. Over the coming weeks, I will highlight how different aspects of human society – commerce, customs, clothing, manufacturing, entertainment, art – are powered (at least in part) by pumps. Hopefully this endeavour will let you appreciate these simple but wondrous machines. 

So look out for blog posts, features and other content tagged “Made Possible by Pumps” to learn more!

Pump Products application engineers are standing by to provide technical assistance, price quotes or to answer any questions you may have regarding pumps. Call our toll free number 1-800-429-0800.