In suction-lift tests, Total Head is calculated as the sum of the total discharge head and the total suction lift.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. It is the difference between discharge and suction head
• D. It is unrelated to suction lift

Answer: (A)

In suction-lift tests, the pump has to provide energy to move water from the source up to the pump on the suction side and then push it to the discharge point. The total head reflects all of that energy the pump must add, so it’s the sum of the total discharge head and the total suction lift. If the discharge head is 90 ft and the suction lift is 20 ft, the total head the pump must develop is 110 ft. Thinking of it as a sum makes sense because both sides of the system contribute to the energy the pump needs to overcome, not a difference or something unrelated.