Pumps and Power: Operator Fundamentals
Every pump in a water or wastewater system exists to do one measurable job: move a certain flow of water against a certain resistance, every minute, for as long as it runs. Put a number on that job and you get horsepower — the currency operators, engineers, and utility budgets all use to talk about pumps. This guide teaches you how to calculate Water Horsepower (WHP), the theoretical power required just to lift and move the water itself, using nothing more than the flow and head values you already learned to calculate in the Flow Conversions and Pressure and Head topics. Master this one formula and you have the foundation for every pump-power calculation you will ever do as a licensed operator.
Why Horsepower Matters to an Operator
Horsepower is not just an engineering abstraction — it is a number you will use constantly: