Did You Kow, The Largest Pump in Operation Can Fill your Swimming Pool in 1.5 Seconds?
If you know your geography, you may know that 1/3 of the Netherlands is below sea level. The lowest points in the West and Central areas are almost 20ft below sea level. This sub-sea-level landscape places them at extremely high risk for flooding. This giant pumping station, IJmuiden, is part of one of the largest flood mitigation projects in Europe and was designed and engineered to control flood water levels feeding in from the North Sea. As the flood water levels rise, this pump station diverts them back to protect the land against the sea.
To give an idea of its sheer scale and power, the IJmuiden pumping station motor housing is as high as a three-story building and weighs about 120 tons, and it requires 5,364 HP to operate at its peak capacity of 60,000 liters/second, That’s 951,000 GPM?? It could fill your backyard swimming pool in 1.5 seconds, and leave an entire football field 2.5 feet underwater in less than a minute.
The IJmuiden pumping station is a vital link in the water management of Western Netherlands. It is a modern marvel of interlinked water infrastructure networks that not only provide protection against flooding but also sufficient freshwater supply, land reclamation, drainage, and irrigation.
Take a look at the world’s most powerful water pump:
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What do you think? Pretty massive, right?
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Here’s the pump in comparison to a semi-truck:
It sits at the western end of the North Sea Canal as you can see in the map:
Fun Accolades: Guinness World Records holder. World’s most powerful water pump with a flow rate of 60,000 liters/second!
To learn more about flood risk and control in the Netherlands, Click here.
