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47-4071.00 - Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners


Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or drains. May patch walls and partitions of tank, replace damaged drain tile, or repair breaks in underground piping.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
1
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
24,700
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
28,700
Estimate
Change in Employment
+4,000
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+16.3%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Drive trucks to transport crews, materials, and equipment.
  • Communicate with supervisors and other workers, using equipment such as wireless phones, pagers, or radio telephones.
  • Prepare and keep records of actions taken, including maintenance and repair work.
  • Operate sewer cleaning equipment, including power rodders, high-velocity water jets, sewer flushers, bucket machines, wayne balls, and vac-alls.
  • Measure excavation sites, using plumbers' snakes, tapelines, or lengths of cutting heads within sewers, and mark areas for digging.
  • Locate problems, using specially designed equipment, and mark where digging must occur to reach damaged tanks or pipes.
  • Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or related structures such as manholes, culverts, and catch basins.
  • Service, adjust, and make minor repairs to equipment, machines, and attachments.
  • Inspect manholes to locate sewer line stoppages.
  • Dig out sewer lines manually, using shovels.
Supplemental
  • Ensure that repaired sewer line joints are tightly sealed before backfilling begins.
  • Withdraw cables from pipes and examine them for evidence of mud, roots, grease, and other deposits indicating broken or clogged sewer lines.
  • Install rotary knives on flexible cables mounted on machine reels, according to the diameters of pipes to be cleaned.
  • Start machines to feed revolving cables or rods into openings, stopping machines and changing knives to conform to pipe sizes.
  • Cut damaged sections of pipe with cutters, remove broken sections from ditches, and replace pipe sections, using pipe sleeves.
  • Break asphalt and other pavement so that pipes can be accessed, using airhammers, picks, and shovels.
  • Cover repaired pipes with dirt, and pack backfilled excavations, using air and gasoline tampers.
  • Requisition or order tools and equipment.
  • Rotate cleaning rods manually, using turning pins.
  • Clean and disinfect domestic basements and other areas flooded by sewer stoppages.
  • Tap mainline sewers to install sewer saddles.
  • Update sewer maps and manhole charts.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 79%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Transportation
  • 70%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
 Mechanical
  • 70%
    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
 English Language
  • 68%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 68%
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 Mathematics
  • 64%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Administration and Management
  • 61%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Education and Training
  • 56%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 Building and Construction
  • 56%
    Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
 Law and Government
  • 52%
    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
 Engineering and Technology
  • 51%
    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
 Production and Processing
  • 51%
    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Pneumatic tools
  • Air hammers
 Earth moving machinery
  • Air tampers
  • Mobile tracked excavators
 Heavy equipment components
  • Bucket machines
 Dispensing tools
  • Caulk dispensing tools
 Forming tools
  • Claw hammers
 Agriculture, forestry and garden handtools
  • Dirt shovels
 Wrenches and drivers
  • End pipe wrenches
 Audio and visual equipment
  • Global positioning system GPS receivers
 Cleaning equipment
  • High velocity water jetters
  • Portable sewer cleaning machines
  • Power rodders
  • Sewer cleaners
  • Sewer cleaning rods
 Pumps
  • Liquid pumps
 Hoses
  • Material pumping hoses
 Measuring and layout tools
  • Measuring tapes
 Personal communication devices
  • Mobile radios
 Computers
  • Personal computers
 Metal cutting tools
  • Pipe cutters
 Building construction machinery and accessories
  • Portable concrete mixers
  • Power screeds
 Power tools
  • Portable drills
 Masonry and concrete tools
  • Power trowels
 Prying and bending tools
  • Prying bars
 Product and material transport vehicles
  • Septic pumping trucks
 Cameras
  • Sewer surveillance cameras
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Data management and query software
  • Data entry softwareHOT
 Finance accounting and enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Intuit QuickBooksHOT
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
  • Word processing software
  • Work scheduling software
 Educational or reference software
  • Route mapping software
 Network applications software
  • Web browser software
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
FastForward at Virginia's Community Colleges is a short-term training program for high-demand industries, like healthcare, information technology, and skilled trades and infrastructure, helping Virginians get the jobs and salaries they need. Our goal is to get you trained, help you earn your certification, and get you into a career that can support you and your family. Explore the latest training program offerings by visiting FastForward
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Tidewater Community College
 Programs