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Godwin DBS
Xylem Pumps › Godwin Pumps › DBS Backup System
Dri-Prime Backup System
Godwin DBS™Lift Station Pump-Station Redundancy · 100% Backup
Backup pumping instead of backup power. The Godwin Dri-Prime Backup System (DBS) provides 100% pump-station redundancy — engaged automatically on loss of primary power, switch-gear failure, or scheduled maintenance. Used by municipalities and utilities across the Gulf Coast for critical lift station protection.
15,000
Max GPM
600 ft
Max TDH
3–24 in
Sizes
100%
Redundancy
Why DBS Over Backup Power
A backup generator restores power. A DBS restores pumping. When the question is "will the lift station fail?" — only one answer guarantees no overflow.
100% Pump-Station Redundancy
Independent of primary pump, motor, switchgear, and controls. If anything in the primary system fails, DBS keeps pumping.
PrimeGuard 2 Auto-Engagement
Microprocessor controller auto-starts on level rise, primary pump failure, power loss, or remote command. Operator-free operation.
Field Smart Technology (FST)
Cellular / satellite remote monitoring — status, run hours, fuel level, faults, alarms. View from anywhere; remote start/stop capability.
Flexible Fuel Options
Diesel (most common, integral overnight fuel tank), natural gas, or LP vapor — specify based on local fuel availability and air-permit requirements.
Cold-Weather Package
Optional heated enclosure for installations in freezing climates. Critical for reliability in regions with prolonged cold snaps.
Flygt N-Technology Available
DBS configurable with NC pump-end for fiber-laden wastewater — increasingly the default for modern urban lift stations.
DBS System Configuration
Each DBS is engineered to match the lift station it protects — size, fuel, controls, and enclosure are all specified per project.
Available Configurations
- Pump end size. 3 in to 24 in — sized to match (or exceed) the primary pump capacity. Capacities to 15,000 GPM, heads to 600 ft.
- Pump end type. Standard CD (open impeller), HL (high-head), or NC (Flygt N-tech for fiber). NC is increasingly the default in urban service.
- Fuel system. Diesel (Tier 4 Final, integral 24–72 hr fuel tank), natural gas, or LP vapor. Fuel choice driven by local availability and emissions permit.
- Engine sizing. Sized to start the pump under worst-case wet-well conditions and run continuously. Includes block heater for cold-start reliability.
- Controller. PrimeGuard 2 microprocessor controller with seamless interface to existing SCADA. Inputs from level transducers, pressure switches, or floats.
- Remote monitoring. Field Smart Technology (FST) cellular or satellite-based remote monitoring. Engine and pump data logged at 1-minute intervals.
- Enclosure. Critically Silenced sound-attenuated enclosure standard. Cold-weather package optional. Hurricane-rated tie-down kits available for Gulf Coast installations.
- Discharge connection. Permanent flanged tie-in to existing force main or wet-well bypass. Includes check valve, isolation valve, and discharge piping.
DBS Capacity Reference
DBS systems are sized to match primary pump capacity. The table below shows typical DBS configurations by application class.
| Application Class | Typical Pump End | Flow (GPM) | Head (ft) | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Municipal Lift Station | CD80 / CD100 | 100 – 750 | 75 – 175 | Diesel |
| Mid-Size Municipal Lift Station | CD150 / CD200 | 700 – 2,300 | 150 – 200 | Diesel / NG |
| Large Municipal / Regional Lift Station | CD250 / CD300 | 1,500 – 6,000 | 180 – 250 | Diesel / NG |
| Force-Main / Long-Distance Bypass | HL150 / HL250 | 500 – 5,200 | 300 – 600 | Diesel |
| Stringy / Fiber-Heavy Influent | NC150 / NC350 | 700 – 6,000 | 165 – 205 | Diesel / NG |
| High-Volume Industrial | CD400 / CD500 | 4,000 – 15,000 | 145 – 240 | Diesel |
Each DBS is engineered to specific lift-station hydraulic conditions — actual configuration determined by site survey and pump curve match.
DBS Applications
DBS protects critical infrastructure where a pump-station failure means SSO (sanitary sewer overflow), property damage, regulatory penalties, or public health risk.
Municipal Sanitary Lift Stations
Primary application — protects against SSOs from grid failures, switchgear faults, primary pump failures, hurricane events.
Stormwater Pump Stations
Critical during major rain events when grid power may be compromised but pumping demand peaks. Diesel-driven independence.
Industrial Wastewater Pumping
Refinery, chemical plant, food processing — anywhere unplanned discharge cessation creates production loss or environmental risk.
Combined Sewer Systems
Municipalities with combined sewers face EPA consent decrees mandating overflow prevention. DBS is a primary tool.
Hospital / Healthcare Facilities
Building waste lift stations serving facilities where sewage backup is unacceptable for infection-control or operational reasons.
Food / Pharmaceutical Plants
Process wastewater pumping where backup is required for FDA / USDA compliance or HACCP plans.
Protecting a Critical Lift Station?
DBS is the answer when a pump-station failure isn't an acceptable outcome. Engineering-led configuration; quote within 24 hours.
DBS FAQ
Why DBS instead of just adding a backup generator?
A backup generator restores grid power — it doesn't fix any other failure mode. If the primary pump fails (impeller clog, motor burnout, bearing failure), if the switchgear fails, if the VFD fails, if the level controls fail — a generator doesn't help. DBS provides independent pumping that bypasses every common failure mode. Most municipalities run BOTH backup power AND DBS for critical stations.
How is DBS engaged?
Three primary trigger modes: (1) Automatic on level rise above primary pump capacity (most common). (2) Automatic on detection of primary pump fault (loss of flow, motor fault, communication loss). (3) Manual / scheduled engagement during planned maintenance or testing. PrimeGuard 2 controller handles all three modes seamlessly.
What fuel option should I choose?
Diesel is most common — widely available, runs for 24–72 hours on integral fuel tank, standard Tier 4 Final emissions compliance. Natural gas is preferred where utility gas is reliably available and where air permit limits diesel hours. LP vapor is a niche option for sites with LP infrastructure but no natural gas service.
How do I monitor the DBS remotely?
Field Smart Technology (FST) provides cellular or satellite-based remote monitoring — engine status, run hours, fuel level, fault codes, and run/stop history are accessible from any browser. SCADA integration available via standard protocols (Modbus, etc.). Most municipal customers integrate DBS status into their existing utility SCADA.
What's the typical lead time?
DBS systems are engineered-to-order. Standard configurations (CD100/CD150/NC150 with diesel, standard enclosure) typically run 10–16 weeks from order. Custom configurations (high-head HL units, natural gas, cold-weather package, custom controls) can run 16–24 weeks. Plan accordingly — DBS is rarely an emergency purchase. Specify well ahead of need.
How does DBS handle the discharge connection?
DBS includes a permanent discharge connection to the existing force main, typically with a check valve and isolation valve. Connection is engineered to allow primary pump operation and DBS operation without interference. Site survey and discharge piping design are part of every DBS quote.
What's the maintenance burden on a DBS?
Standard preventive maintenance: monthly visual / no-load test (~15 min), quarterly run test under load (~1 hour), annual full inspection and oil/filter change (~half day). FST monitoring catches most issues before they become failures. Total annual maintenance cost is a small fraction of the cost of a single SSO event.
Need a DBS Quote?
Send us your lift-station hydraulics, fuel preference, and timeline — engineered configuration within 24 hours.
281.664.8000Godwin®, Dri-Prime®, DBS™, PrimeGuard™, Flygt®, and Critically Silenced are trademarks of Xylem Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Watermain Supply is a DBA of E4 Industrial LLC, an authorized Xylem dealer based in Houston, Texas.
Watermain Supply is a DBA of E4 Industrial LLC, an authorized Xylem dealer based in Houston, Texas.
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