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Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners

	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)	Projected Growth (2023-2033)
National Statistics	$49,140	3000	8.1%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$49,140

Median Wage (USD, 2023)

3000

Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)

8.1%

Projected Growth (2023-2033)

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.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone One: Little or No Preparation Needed
Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, a person can become a waiter or waitress even if he/she has never worked before.
Some of these occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate.
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few days to a few months of training. Usually, an experienced worker could show you how to do the job.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience: N.A.

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Up to and including 1 month

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Detailed Work Activities

Drive trucks or truck-mounted equipment.
Communicate with other construction or extraction personnel to discuss project details.
Record operational or environmental data.
Clean equipment or facilities.
Inspect completed work to ensure proper installation.
Inspect plumbing systems or fixtures.
Install equipment attachments or components.
Measure work site dimensions.
Locate equipment or materials in need of repair or replacement.
Clean equipment or facilities.
Maintain plumbing structures or fixtures.
Clean equipment or facilities.
Install equipment attachments or components.
Operate heavy-duty construction or installation equipment.
Maintain construction tools or equipment.
Inspect plumbing systems or fixtures.
Remove worn, damaged or outdated materials from work areas.
Cut metal components for installation.
Maintain plumbing structures or fixtures.
Dig holes or trenches.
Break up rock, asphalt, or concrete.
Spread sand, dirt or other loose materials onto surfaces.
Compact materials to create level bases.
Order construction or extraction materials or equipment.
Maintain mechanical equipment.
Decontaminate equipment or sites to remove hazardous or toxic substances.
Clean equipment or facilities.
Drill holes in construction materials.
Edit documents.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Rotate cleaning rods manually, using turning pins.
Communicate with supervisors and other workers, using equipment such as wireless phones, pagers, or radio telephones.
Drive trucks to transport crews, materials, and equipment.
Inspect manholes to locate sewer line stoppages.
Operate sewer cleaning equipment, including power rodders, high-velocity water jets, sewer flushers, bucket machines, wayne balls, and vac-alls.
Prepare and keep records of actions taken, including maintenance and repair work.
Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or related structures such as manholes, culverts, and catch basins.
Measure excavation sites, using plumbers' snakes, tapelines, or lengths of cutting heads within sewers, and mark areas for digging.
Service, adjust, and make minor repairs to equipment, machines, and attachments.
Locate problems, using specially designed equipment, and mark where digging must occur to reach damaged tanks or pipes.
Dig out sewer lines manually, using shovels.
Clean and disinfect domestic basements and other areas flooded by sewer stoppages.
Withdraw cables from pipes and examine them for evidence of mud, roots, grease, and other deposits indicating broken or clogged sewer lines.
Ensure that repaired sewer line joints are tightly sealed before backfilling begins.
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.
Update sewer maps and manhole charts.
Cover repaired pipes with dirt, and pack backfilled excavations, using air and gasoline tampers.
Cut damaged sections of pipe with cutters, remove broken sections from ditches, and replace pipe sections, using pipe sleeves.
Requisition or order tools and equipment.
Break asphalt and other pavement so that pipes can be accessed, using airhammers, picks, and shovels.
Tap mainline sewers to install sewer saddles.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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