Martin Todorov, Author at Mawdsleys Pump Services

Dust Suppression Methods For Quarries and Mining Sites

Portable Irrigation Products Quarries and Mining Services

Controlling dust on quarries and mining sites is becoming an increasingly important consideration for operators. As well as having various health and safety legislations to adhere to for the safety of their workers and nearby residents. Excessive airborne dust can damage machinery on site, leading to expensive repairs and in turn loss of revenue through having to cease work.

Dust is created from various processes on quarry and mining sites whilst the materials are being sourced, crushed, screened, transported and stored – so it’s important to have a solution that can be implemented easily at any stage of material processing.

If you’re struggling with excessive dust on your quarry or mining site – read the post below.

The Effects of Poor Irrigation on Sports Fields

Long Reach Irrigation Portable Irrigation Products Services

With summer just around the corner, there isn’t a better time to consider the health of your pitch in time for next season or to use for training. Dry, hard and withered pitches, playing fields and courses can cause serious problems for the players, groundskeepers and managers of the club – and be a constant source of embarrassment.

Take a look at the effects poor irrigation can have on your sports field, and why you should be taking the health of your pitch seriously before summer arrives.

Irrigation for Football Pitches

The football season is close to an end, and pitches have taken a good beating across this wet season. Pitches are now likely to be used for training in preparation for next season, so it’s important they stay healthy throughout the training season and are in their best condition for summer.

Poor irrigation can have the following impacts on pitches, the football team and the groundsman:

Grass takes longer to recover following a game – this can lead to dry and cracked pitches, or cause them to waterlog easily if it rains.
A poor playing service means the ball will bobble along the floor, making for a poor game.
If the pitch is poor quality, the referee can choose to call off the game causing teams to forfeit.
Tough pitches that aren’t irrigated properly have a low level of impact absorbency, meaning players are more likely to get injured if they fall over or are tackled.
If a pitch remains in bad condition and is not treated, re-seeding the pitch is an expensive and very time consuming process.

Irrigation for Rugby Pitches

Being a contact sport, it’s crucial for groundsman to ensure that the pitch is in its best condition to ensure the best playing surface. Poor irrigation of a rugby pitch has similar impacts to that of a football pitch; however, due to the nature of the sport, injuries to players being tackled onto a poorly irrigated pitch can be a lot more serious.

The Irrigation Solution: In an ideal world, a permanent underground pumping system would be the perfect irrigation solution; however, these systems are extremely expensive and often only used by professional clubs. A portable LRI system can do the job up to the same standard – for just a fraction of the cost. You can read our Taunton Town FC LRI success story to find out more.

Irrigation for Golf Courses and Bowling Greens

Bowls and golf are both summer time sports; therefore it is important that the green is in perfect condition in time for when the games begin. Irrigation can ensure an even spread of healthy grass and good quality surface for players that allows the balls to skim rather than stop.

The Irrigation Solution: Some golf courses do have pop up sprinklers installed, however, these are very expensive to install and maintain. A portable irrigation system allows groundsmen to choose the concentration of water to allow grass to grow evenly without water logging the green.

Choose the Right Irrigation with Mawdsleys Pumps

Whatever kind of sports pitch or playing field you are responsible for, we’d love to help you keep it in its best condition. To find out more about any of our irrigation systems, or to discuss creating a bespoke system to your requirements, give one of our expert team a call on 0117 954 8030.

Winter Sewage Pump Maintenance – Avoid Unexpected Breakdown This Winter

Services Sewage Pumps

A sewage pump failure is never convenient — but it’s almost always preventable. Whether you manage a commercial premises, a residential property or a pumping station, planned sewage pump maintenance is the most reliable way to avoid unexpected breakdowns, protect your equipment and control costs.

This guide explains what good sewage pump maintenance involves, the most common faults that a service visit will catch early, and what to do if your pump develops a problem that needs repair. We also cover why winter is the most critical time to have your system checked — and why Mawdsleys is one of the few pump specialists that keeps operating through the Christmas and New Year period.

Need help now? Call 0117 954 8030 — we operate 24/7, 365 days a year.

What Does Sewage Pump Maintenance Visit Include?

A thorough sewage pump maintenance visit goes well beyond a visual once-over. Our engineers carry out a structured inspection that covers every component likely to cause a failure, including:

Float switch and level controls — the most common cause of pump faults. Tested for correct operation and adjusted or replaced as needed.
Non-return valve condition — a failed valve causes sewage to recirculate within the sump, increasing motor load and wear.
Motor insulation and current draw — an early indicator of winding deterioration before full motor failure occurs.
Pipework and chamber integrity — checking for cracks, perished seals and corrosion that could lead to leaks.
Wet well cleaning and de-ragging — removing rag, debris and silt buildup that impairs pump performance.
Control panel and alarm testing — verifying that high-level alarms and auto-start functions are operating correctly.
Written condition report — a record of findings, any work carried out, and recommendations for the next visit.

Each visit gives you a clear picture of your pump’s condition and flags any developing issues before they become expensive problems.

Common Sewage Pump Problems That Maintenance Prevents

The following faults are among the most frequent reasons we’re called out for emergency sewage pump repair. In most cases, a scheduled maintenance visit would have identified the warning signs first:

Pump not starting. Caused by float faults, a jammed impeller, blocked electrics or motor failure. Our engineers test starting performance on every visit and can spot a weakening motor before it fails completely.

Pump running continuously Usually, a float switch is stuck in the on position, or a blockage prevents the sump level from dropping. Left unattended, the pump runs dry and destroys its seals — turning a simple adjustment into a full sewage pump repair.

Toilets are backing up. Often a downstream blockage or a pump is already working at reduced capacity. Routine maintenance checks flow rates and identifies partial blockages before they cause a full backup.

Leaking pipework or failed non-return valves. Seal and valve degradation is gradual and easy to catch on a maintenance visit. Once a seal fails and sewage begins to leak, it becomes an urgent emergency with potential health and compliance implications.

High-level alarm activating indicates the pump is failing to keep pace with inflow. Maintenance visits test alarm function and verify the pump is handling its design load — preventing the conditions that trigger high-level events.

Bad odours caused by perished chamber lid seals or vent pipe damage. Identified and resolved during a routine service visit before odours became a complaint from building users.

For a deeper look at each of these faults and what causes them, see our guide: 8 Common Problems with Sewage Pumps and How to Fix Them.

Sewage Treatment Plants Undergoing Maintenance

Why Winter Makes Sewage Pump Servicing More Important?

Cold weather puts additional stress on sewage pump systems in several ways:

Freezing temperatures can affect above-ground pipework, vent pipes and any exposed electrical components, particularly on external or partially exposed installations.
Increased usage over the Christmas and New Year period — more people in buildings, hospitality venues running at full capacity — means pumps are working harder precisely when an engineer is hardest to reach.
Holiday shutdowns mean that if a fault develops over Christmas, the impact can go undetected for days, turning a minor fault into significant damage or a sewage overflow.

Arranging a pre-winter sewage pump maintenance visit — ideally in October or November — ensures your system is in the best possible condition before peak demand and cold snaps arrive.

Mawdsleys is one of the few pump specialists that continues operating throughout Christmas and the New Year. Our engineers are available for emergency call-out 24/7, including bank holidays, so if something does go wrong over the festive period, you’re not left waiting.

The Benefits of a Planned Sewage Pump Servicing Contract

For commercial and industrial sites where sewage pumps are business-critical, a servicing contract offers more than just scheduled visits. Our contract clients benefit from:

Priority response times when breakdowns do occur, ahead of non-contract call-outs
Discounted repair rates on parts and labour for any work arising from a service visit
Full service history maintained against each asset — useful for compliance, insurance and handover purposes
Annual condition reporting to support planned budgeting and capital replacement planning
A direct line to a named engineer who knows your site and its equipment

Contracts are tailored to your site and budget — whether you need one visit a year for a single residential pump or quarterly visits across a multi-site estate.

Find out more about our sewage pump servicing contracts →

Why Choose Mawdsleys for Sewage Pump Maintenance and Repair?

30+ years of experience carrying out sewage pump maintenance, repair and servicing across the South West and South Wales
In-house engineers — no subcontracting. Our own team carries out every job, which keeps quality consistent and pricing competitive
Fully equipped workshop in Bristol for pump refurbishment and overhaul when site repair isn’t possible
Confined Space Accredited engineers for work in chambers, wet wells and below-ground installations
24/7 emergency cover, 365 days a year, including Christmas and bank holidays
Trusted by councils and large organisations, including Bristol City Council, North Somerset Council and the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust

Book a Sewage Pump Maintenance Visit or Service Review

Whether you need a one-off maintenance visit, emergency sewage pump repair, or want to talk through a servicing contract for your site, our team is ready to help.

Call us on 0117 954 8030 or fill in the contact form below. We’ll discuss your requirements and recommend the right approach for your pump and your budget.

2 engineers in hi vis jackets in front of two Mawdsleys Vans

Why do I need to have an Ultra Violet Filtration Service?

Advice Services

More households than ever are looking for ways to utilise water supplies that are naturally and freely available, whether this be from private wells, boreholes, lakes and reservoirs. There is no better taste than pure rainwater, however, the method used to collect the water means it is prone to many harmful bacteria that

is not obvious to the eye or taste. Ultra Violet Systems can destroy 99.99% of harmful microorganisms that will avoid the use of chemicals or change the odour and taste of your water.

I have never become ill from the water before so why should I have a service?

The quality of water changes daily and, depending on the source, can be affected by variables including surface contamination, flooding, heavy rainfall, drought and snow melt. Water that was safe yesterday is not guaranteed to be safe tomorrow and there is no easy way to manage the safety of a private water supply without a filtration system in place. Elderly and young children are at the highest risk, as they will not have such a strong immune system, but anyone can be affected.

In fact, many people have commented that after a UV filtration system was installed they have felt less lethargic, and this could be that they have unknowingly been fighting bugs for many years.

What is Ultra Violet Light (UV)?

UV or ultraviolet light is a type of energy found in the electromagnetic spectrum, shining at a specific wavelength. We are all subject to a small amount of ultraviolet light every time we step into the sunlight. However, it is not visible to the naked eye.

All light is at different wavelengths, for example, a rainbow demonstrates the spectrum of light from red through to blue as each colour shows their individual wavelength. Ultraviolet is present at the invisible, violet end of the light spectrum.

For over 25 years, UV technology has been used as a safe and trusted, cost-effective process to purify water and eliminate harmful micro-organisms by the water industry, bottled water manufacturers, and homeowners.

How often should I service my Ultra Violet Filtration System?

An ultraviolet lamp will remain effective for between six – twelve months depending upon the water quality. The light will continue to operate long after this period but will not generate the required intensity of UV light. We normally recommend a service every 12 months, to include a sediment filter element and lamp change, to ensure that water quality is maintained within safe limits.

Need a Hand?

For any other help or information give one of our branches a call today on 0117 954 8030, or fill out a contact form and one of our expert team will get back to you.