Occupation Summary

Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners

O*NET 47-4071.00

Description:

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.

Annual Wages:
$41,931.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by 27.36%.
Education Level:
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED). According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
Business and Industry

  1. Drive trucks to transport crews, materials, and equipment.
  2. Communicate with supervisors and other workers, using equipment such as wireless phones, pagers, or radio telephones.
  3. Prepare and keep records of actions taken, including maintenance and repair work.
  4. Operate sewer cleaning equipment, including power rodders, high-velocity water jets, sewer flushers, bucket machines, wayne balls, and vac-alls.
  5. Ensure that repaired sewer line joints are tightly sealed before backfilling begins.
  6. Withdraw cables from pipes and examine them for evidence of mud, roots, grease, and other deposits indicating broken or clogged sewer lines.
  7. Install rotary knives on flexible cables mounted on machine reels, according to the diameters of pipes to be cleaned.
  8. Measure excavation sites, using plumbers' snakes, tapelines, or lengths of cutting heads within sewers, and mark areas for digging.
  9. Locate problems, using specially designed equipment, and mark where digging must occur to reach damaged tanks or pipes.
  10. Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or related structures such as manholes, culverts, and catch basins.
  11. Start machines to feed revolving cables or rods into openings, stopping machines and changing knives to conform to pipe sizes.
  12. Service, adjust, and make minor repairs to equipment, machines, and attachments.
  13. Inspect manholes to locate sewer line stoppages.
  14. Cut damaged sections of pipe with cutters, remove broken sections from ditches, and replace pipe sections, using pipe sleeves.
  15. Dig out sewer lines manually, using shovels.
  16. Break asphalt and other pavement so that pipes can be accessed, using airhammers, picks, and shovels.
  17. Cover repaired pipes with dirt, and pack backfilled excavations, using air and gasoline tampers.
  18. Requisition or order tools and equipment.
  19. Rotate cleaning rods manually, using turning pins.
  20. Clean and disinfect domestic basements and other areas flooded by sewer stoppages.
  21. Tap mainline sewers to install sewer saddles.
  22. Update sewer maps and manhole charts.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners employed Annual Growth Rate
Remediation and other waste management services 50.9 1.14
Other specialty trade contractors 6.2 0.00
Building equipment contractors 5.9 0.57
Utility system construction 2.7 0.00


Labor Market Information


2023 Statewide average hourly wage $20.16
2023 National average hourly wage $23.84
2022 National employment 29,500
2022 Texas employment 2,723
Texas projected employment by 2032 3,468
Texas projected annual employment and Turnover openings through 2032 353




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.


Top 10 Relevant Knowledge Areas Relevant Importance Levels
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.
78.80%
Transportation
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
70.40%
Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
69.80%
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
67.80%
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.
67.60%
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
63.80%
Administration and Management
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.
60.80%
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
56.20%
Building and Construction
Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
56.00%
Law and Government
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
52.20%


Top 10 Relevant Skill Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
77.60%
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
72.40%
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
62.40%
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.
60.00%
Equipment Maintenance
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
60.00%
Troubleshooting
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
60.00%
Repairing
Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
60.00%
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
60.00%
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
60.00%
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
57.60%


Top 10 Relevant Abilities Relevant Importance Levels
Manual Dexterity
The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
75.00%
Control Precision
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
72.40%
Multilimb Coordination
The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
70.00%
Arm-Hand Steadiness
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
70.00%
Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
70.00%
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
70.00%
Flexibility of Closure
The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
70.00%
Depth Perception
The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
67.60%
Hearing Sensitivity
The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
65.00%
Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
65.00%


  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
    -- Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
  • Getting Information
    -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Performing General Physical Activities
    -- Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    -- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    -- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Other Activities


  • Relationships
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
  • Support
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.


Tools

Caulking guns: Caulk dispensing tools;

Claw hammer: Claw hammers;

Concrete mixers or plants: Portable concrete mixers;

Concrete spreaders: Power screeds;

Digital camcorders or video cameras: Sewer surveillance cameras;

Drain or pipe cleaning equipment: Sewer cleaners; Sewer cleaning rods; Portable sewer cleaning machines; Power rodders; High velocity water jetters;

Earthmoving buckets or its parts or accessories: Bucket machines;

Global positioning system GPS receiver: Global positioning system GPS receivers;

Material handling hoses: Material pumping hoses;

Mobile excavators: Mobile tracked excavators;

Personal computers: Personal computers;

Pipe or tube cutter: Pipe cutters;

Pipe wrenches: End pipe wrenches;

Pneumatic hammer: Air hammers;

Power drills: Portable drills;

Pry bars: Prying bars;

Shovels: Dirt shovels;

Sludge or sewage handling trucks: Septic pumping trucks;

Tampers: Air tampers;

Tape measures: Measuring tapes;

Trowels: Power trowels;

Two way radios: Mobile radios;

Water pumps: Liquid pumps;


Technology

Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks;

Calendar and scheduling software: Work scheduling software;

Internet browser software: Web browser software;

Route navigation software: Route mapping software;

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel;

Word processing software: Microsoft Word; Word processing software;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners include:
  • 53-7061.00 Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment
  • 47-2061.00 Construction Laborers
  • 47-5022.00 Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
  • 47-3015.00 Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
  • 49-9071.00 Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
  • 47-2073.00 Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
  • 47-2151.00 Pipelayers
  • 47-2152.00 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
  • 53-7072.00 Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
  • 51-8031.00 Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators


No sources of additional information found.

Contact Texas Workforce Commission
Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.