Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners

About the job

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.

What you'll do

• Break asphalt and other pavement so that pipes can be accessed, using airhammers, picks, and shovels.
• Clean and disinfect domestic basements and other areas flooded by sewer stoppages.
• 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.
• Dig out sewer lines manually, using shovels.
• Requisition or order tools and equipment.
• Rotate cleaning rods manually, using turning pins.
• Service, adjust, and make minor repairs to equipment, machines, and attachments.
• Tap mainline sewers to install sewer saddles.
• Update sewer maps and manhole charts.

Things you need to know

• Customer and Personal Service – 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.
• Mechanical – Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Sales and Marketing – Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• Public Safety and Security – 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.
• English Language – Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Abilities you'll need to have

• Operation Monitoring – Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Operation and Control – Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
• Troubleshooting – Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
• Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Monitoring – Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Complex Problem Solving – Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.