Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- Drain Cleaner
- Septic Pump Truck Driver
- Septic Tank Service Technician
- Service Technician
Alternate Job Titles
- Aseptic Tech (Aseptic Technician)
- Drain and Sewer Technician
- Drain Cleaner
- Drain Technician
- Electric Sewer Cleaning Machine Operator
- High Reach Operator
- Pipe Cleaning Machine Operator
- Priming Machine Operator
- Public Works Operator
- Public Works Technician
- Reach Operator
- Roto Rooter Operator
- Septic Cleaner
- Septic Pump Truck Driver
- Septic Tank Cleaner
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Pump, clean, and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or related structures such as manholes, culverts, and catch basins.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Customer and Personal Service
- Transportation
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Manual Dexterity
- Control Precision
- Problem Sensitivity
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Flexibility of Closure
- Multilimb Coordination
- Oral Comprehension
- Depth Perception
- Hearing Sensitivity
- Reaction Time
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Attention to Detail
- Perseverance
- Stress Tolerance
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Support
- Independence
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Air hammers
- Air tampers
- Bucket machines
- Caulk dispensing tools
- Claw hammers
- Dirt shovels
- End pipe wrenches
- Global positioning system GPS receivers
- High velocity water jetters
- Liquid pumps
- Material pumping hoses
- Measuring tapes
- Mobile radios
- Mobile tracked excavators
- Personal computers
Work Environment
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Exposed to Contaminants
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $36,500 |
| Median | $49,140 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $73,670 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 29,050
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $62,970
Pipelayers
Education: Less than a High School Diploma
Median Salary: $48,710
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $58,260
Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $39,270
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $48,620
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.