How Cornell Rental Pumps Helped Reclaim a Contaminated Creek

When a serious PCB contamination was discovered in a creek in Southwest Michigan, environmental cleanup became an urgent priority. The source—an old paper mill—had long since shut down, but the impact remained. To allow the EPA to safely remove and remediate the polluted soil, the project required a large-scale bypass system to re-route the creek, segment by segment.

That’s where Cornell Pump’s equipment provider’s rental solutions proved invaluable.

Working with the contractor leading the cleanup, The equipment provider deployed a fleet of high-performance pumps to handle the challenging flow conditions. The rental fleet included:

  • Three 16NHG22 high-capacity pumps
  • One 12NNF pump for flexible support
  • Numerous 4″ and 6″ diesel-driven sound-attenuated units


Designed to meet demanding bypass requirements, these pumps delivered both volume and reliability—even under rapidly changing conditions. Originally sized to move 9,000 GPM, the rental system proved its strength during the unusually wet season, achieving flows of up to 11,300 GPM.

Over the two-year effort (2012–2013), more than 5.94 billion gallons of water were pumped—enough to fill nearly 9,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The contractor overseeing the project noted:

“The durability and reliability of the Cornell Pumps met—or exceeded—our expectations throughout the project.”

Cornell Pump’s rental pumps are engineered for demanding municipal, industrial, and environmental applications. From emergency bypasses to planned infrastructure upgrades, our pumps offer proven performance when it matters most.

Learn more about our rental pump options at: https://www.cornellpump.com/markets/oil-and-gas/

#CornellPump #RentalPumps #BypassSuccess #EnvironmentalCleanup #PumpingSolutions #MunicipalInfrastructure #EfficientByDesign  –

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