--- title: EMD Blog description: Valves, actuators, pump control, surge protection, sewer lining, and smart water blog. --- [Skip to content](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog#main-content) [![Environmental MD Inc., a DXP Company](https://www.environmental-md.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CVI-EMD%20Logo%201.png?width=910&height=325&name=CVI-EMD%20Logo%201.png)](https://www.environmental-md.com) - [Home](https://www.environmental-md.com/) - Products Show submenu for Products - [Manufacturers](https://www.environmental-md.com/manufacturers) - [Inventory](https://www.environmental-md.com/inventory) - [Service](https://www.environmental-md.com/service) - Resources Show submenu for Resources - [Drawing Vault](https://www.environmental-md.com/drawing-vault) - [Holding Back the Flood](https://www.environmental-md.com/holding-the-flood-back) - [Pump Monitoring](https://www.environmental-md.com/pump-vibration-and-temperature-monitoring) - [Specifications](https://www.environmental-md.com/specifications) - [Videos](https://www.environmental-md.com/videos) - [Blog](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog) - Info Show submenu for Info - [About](https://www.environmental-md.com/about) - [Connect](https://www.environmental-md.com/connect) - [Quote Request](https://www.environmental-md.com/rfq) - [Training](https://www.environmental-md.com/training) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Home](https://www.environmental-md.com/) - Products Show submenu for Products - [Manufacturers](https://www.environmental-md.com/manufacturers) - [Inventory](https://www.environmental-md.com/inventory) - [Service](https://www.environmental-md.com/service) - Resources Show submenu for Resources - [Drawing Vault](https://www.environmental-md.com/drawing-vault) - [Holding Back the Flood](https://www.environmental-md.com/holding-the-flood-back) - [Pump Monitoring](https://www.environmental-md.com/pump-vibration-and-temperature-monitoring) - [Specifications](https://www.environmental-md.com/specifications) - [Videos](https://www.environmental-md.com/videos) - [Blog](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog) - Info Show submenu for Info - [About](https://www.environmental-md.com/about) - [Connect](https://www.environmental-md.com/connect) - [Quote Request](https://www.environmental-md.com/rfq) - [Training](https://www.environmental-md.com/training) # Blog [![Air Valve Vault](https://www.environmental-md.com/hubfs/Air%20Valve%20Vault.1.png)](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-pump-didnt-fail.-the-system-did) [Air Valve](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/air-valve), [wastewater](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/wastewater), [civil engineering](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/civil-engineering), [Water hammer](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/water-hammer), [Pump station design](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/pump-station-design), [hydraulics](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/hydraulics) ## [The Pump Didn’t Fail. The System Did.](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-pump-didnt-fail.-the-system-did) ![Picture of Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/hs-fs/hubfs/jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png?width=50&name=jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png) [Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/author/jacob-mcgough) Mar 23, 2026, 10:23:51 AM A submersible pump doesn’t wake up one day and decides to fail. [Read more](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-pump-didnt-fail.-the-system-did) [![Large check valves](https://www.environmental-md.com/hubfs/Large%20Check%20Valves.png)](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-check-valve-hasnt-changed-in-50-years) [infrastructure](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/infrastructure), [engineering](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/engineering), [hydraulic engineering](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/hydraulic-engineering), [civil engineering](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/civil-engineering), [valve](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/valve) ## [The Check Valve Hasn’t Changed in 50 Years](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-check-valve-hasnt-changed-in-50-years) ![Picture of Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/hs-fs/hubfs/jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png?width=50&name=jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png) [Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/author/jacob-mcgough) Mar 18, 2026, 8:21:05 AM The System Around It Has. Walk into almost any municipal pump station built in the last half century... [Read more](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-check-valve-hasnt-changed-in-50-years) [![Plug valve with worm gear](https://www.environmental-md.com/hubfs/Plug%20Valve%20in%20the%20mud%20v2.png)](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-valve-was-fine-the-gearbox-failed-florida) [plug valve](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/plug-valve), [wastewater](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/wastewater), [engineering](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/engineering), [valve](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/valve), [design](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/design), [worm gear](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/worm-gear) ## [The Valve Was Fine. The Gearbox Failed Florida.](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-valve-was-fine-the-gearbox-failed-florida) ![Picture of Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/hs-fs/hubfs/jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png?width=50&name=jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png) [Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/author/jacob-mcgough) Mar 15, 2026, 7:33:56 PM Anyone who has opened a buried valve gearbox in Florida has seen it. You lift the lid expecting to s... [Read more](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-valve-was-fine-the-gearbox-failed-florida) [![Pump Station Design](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:630/1*vBU4rE7Q4d8LBOhd1r3HWQ.png)](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/designing-pump-stations-around-controlled-acceleration) [surge analysis](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/surge-analysis), [Hydraulic modeling](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/hydraulic-modeling), [Water hammer](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/water-hammer), [Ball Valve](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/ball-valve), [Actuator](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/actuator), [Pump station design](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/pump-station-design) ## [Designing Pump Stations Around Controlled Acceleration](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/designing-pump-stations-around-controlled-acceleration) ![Picture of Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/hs-fs/hubfs/jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png?width=50&name=jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png) [Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/author/jacob-mcgough) Feb 23, 2026, 9:11:26 AM Water hammer is not random. It is the predictable result of uncontrolled acceleration. And in most m... [Read more](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/designing-pump-stations-around-controlled-acceleration) [![](https://www.environmental-md.com/hubfs/Pipeline%20maintenance%202-2.png)](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-most-dangerous-valve-in-a-wastewater-force-main-that-nobody-talks-about) [Air Valve](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/air-valve), [wastewater](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/wastewater), [infrastructure](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/infrastructure), [pipeline design](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/pipeline-design), [civil engineering](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/civil-engineering), [risk management](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/risk-management) ## [The Most Dangerous Valve in a Wastewater Force Main (That Nobody Talks About)](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-most-dangerous-valve-in-a-wastewater-force-main-that-nobody-talks-about) ![Picture of Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/hs-fs/hubfs/jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png?width=50&name=jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png) [Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/author/jacob-mcgough) Feb 13, 2026, 7:29:59 AM When a wastewater force main fails, the headlines usually blameage,corrosion, orunexpected surge con... [Read more](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-most-dangerous-valve-in-a-wastewater-force-main-that-nobody-talks-about) [![](https://www.environmental-md.com/hubfs/Force%20main%20failure.png)](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-force-main-didnt-fail-overnight) [wastewater](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/wastewater), [infrastructure](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/infrastructure), [engineering](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/engineering), [asset management](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/asset-management), [public safety](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/public-safety) ## [The Force Main Didn’t Fail Overnight](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-force-main-didnt-fail-overnight) ![Picture of Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/hs-fs/hubfs/jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png?width=50&name=jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png) [Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/author/jacob-mcgough) Feb 12, 2026, 1:49:31 PM It Failed One Pressure Wave at a Time Most force mains don’t fail because they’re old. They fail bec... [Read more](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-force-main-didnt-fail-overnight) [![Transient pressure recording](https://www.environmental-md.com/hubfs/high%20resolution%20pressure%203.png)](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/high-resolution-pressure-monitoring-for-forcemains) [Air Valve](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/air-valve), [forcemain](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/forcemain), [lift station](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/lift-station), [wastewater](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/wastewater), [surge mitigation](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/surge-mitigation), [check valve](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/check-valve), [surge tank](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/surge-tank) ## [High-Resolution Pressure Monitoring for Forcemains](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/high-resolution-pressure-monitoring-for-forcemains) ![Picture of Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/hs-fs/hubfs/jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png?width=50&name=jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png) [Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/author/jacob-mcgough) Feb 3, 2023, 8:30:00 AM [Read more](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/high-resolution-pressure-monitoring-for-forcemains) [![3 way plug valve gears](https://www.environmental-md.com/hubfs/can%20you%20spot%20the%20difference%203.png)](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/3-way-plug-valve-gear-change) [Field Service](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/field-service), [plug valve](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/plug-valve), [wastewater](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/wastewater) ## [3-Way Plug Valve Gear Change](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/3-way-plug-valve-gear-change) ![Picture of Girard Mitchell](https://www.environmental-md.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Girard%20Headshot.jpg?width=50&name=Girard%20Headshot.jpg) [Girard Mitchell](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/author/girard-mitchell) Dec 21, 2022, 10:11:33 AM Three way plug valves are a great option for diverting or throttling flow to a particular branch (ou... [Read more](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/3-way-plug-valve-gear-change) [![Air Valves](https://www.environmental-md.com/hubfs/Air%20Valves%203.png)](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-importance-of-air-valves) [Air Valve](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/air-valve), [pump station](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/pump-station), [forcemain](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/forcemain), [lift station](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/lift-station), [pipeline](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/tag/pipeline) ## [The Importance of Air Valves](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-importance-of-air-valves) ![Picture of Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/hs-fs/hubfs/jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png?width=50&name=jake%20image%20-%20color%20and%20white%20back.png) [Jacob McGough](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/author/jacob-mcgough) Jun 6, 2022, 12:31:30 PM [Read more](https://www.environmental-md.com/blog/the-importance-of-air-valves) ## Learn more about what we do and who our manufacturing principles are! 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