ADOL Logo

Alabama Department of Labor

Labor Market Information Division
SOC: 47-4071 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.
Default
Education: Some of these occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate.
OJT: 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.
Tasks: 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. 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. 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. Start machines to feed revolving cables or rods into openings, stopping machines and changing knives to conform to pipe sizes. Service, adjust, and make minor repairs to equipment, machines, and attachments. Inspect manholes to locate sewer line stoppages. 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. Break asphalt and other pavement so that pipes can be accessed, using airhammers, picks, and shovels.
License: License not required.
Outlook: Good
Alabama Employment Outlook
Alabama Wage Data
Hourly Wage   Annual Wage
Entry $10.68   Entry $22,218.00
Mean $16.13   Mean $33,548.00
Experience $18.85 Experience $39,218.00

The data is based on the May 2017 Occupation Employment Survey employment and wage estimate file. The wages have been aged using the most current ECI factors reflecting wages as of June 2018.

Alabama Projections
Estimated Employment 2016Projected Employment 2026Annual Average OpeningsAnnual Growth Rate
250280351.13
Related Occupations: Postsecondary Institutions With Programs:
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
Boilermakers
Carpet Installers
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters
Highway Maintenance Workers
Sheet Metal Workers
Tree Trimmers and Pruners
No postsecondary schools reported programs.
Occupational Videos
47-4071.00 Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners