Built for Resilience: How Cummins Supports the Wastewater Industry

A backup power failure at a wastewater facility can lead to immediate and severe consequences. Pumps stop, tanks overflow, leaving contaminants easy access to our waterways. What started as a brief outage, then turns into a major public health and environmental emergency. Though rare, such failures can trigger a chain reaction: beach closures, boil water advisories, infrastructure damage, and loss of public trust.

When it comes to safeguarding critical infrastructure like wastewater facilities, reliability doesn’t start and stop with installation; it requires a trusted partner who understands the full lifecycle of standby power. That’s where Cummins stands apart.

Cummins provides top-quality generator systems along with the expert support that wastewater facilities rely on— like technical know-how, regular maintenance, and fast service. Brian Pumphrey, Director of Sales Application, has over 20 years of experience with power systems. He says Cummins builds trust by delivering reliable performance, staying proactive with service, and truly understanding the industry.

“Reliability is everything,” said Pumphrey. “It’s not just about having a generator, it’s about knowing it will work when you need it. That’s why planned maintenance, quality fuel and healthy batteries are so important.”

With decades of experience supporting municipalities and engineering teams, Cummins helps design systems that reflect how wastewater managers really operate: with high stakes, limited resources, and zero tolerance for failure. From remote pumping stations to major treatment plants, Cummins supports:

• Customized system design to match infrastructure needs
• Preventive maintenance plans tailored to usage and location
• Fuel testing and polishing services to ensure performance
• Portable power solutions for emergency response
• 24/7 service and support that prioritizes uptime and trust

“While many of these systems will be considered a NFPA 110 Level 2 application in the eyes of the code… in the eyes of the people running the wastewater treatment plant, they’re going to see it as a NFPA 110 Level 1 system,” Pumphrey said. “They don’t care what the code says, they care that it starts and runs when needed. They want it designed like it is a life safety application.” 

Designing for resilience means thinking beyond codes and into real-world conditions. That’s why Cummins works closely with facility managers, consulting engineers and municipal leaders to ensure every system is engineered for performance, not just on paper but in practice. Whether it’s ensuring quiet operations near residential neighborhoods, preparing for wildlife-related outages in California or meeting strict emissions requirements, Cummins delivers solutions built for the environments they serve.

For a standby power solution built for your infrastructure, environment and peace of mind, visit cummins.com/customer-assistance to learn how Cummins can support your wastewater facility — from design to deployment and beyond.