How to become a Septic Tank Servicer or Sewer Pipe Cleaner

Official title: Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners

Also called: Drain Cleaner, Drain Technician, Public Works Technician, Septic Cleaner, Septic Pump Truck Driver, Septic Tank Service Technician, Service Technician, Sewer Bricklayer

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.

Main tasks

• 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.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Wastewater Utilities Maintenance Technician.
• Licence: A licence is required in 19 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $49,880 a year The middle half earn $43,530 to $61,060.
• About 31,900 people work in this job now, and about 34,400 are projected by 2035. (+7.8%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Construction and Building Inspectors
• Energy Auditors
• Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
• Fence Erectors
• Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
• Highway Maintenance Workers

Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz

Questions people ask

How do I become a Septic Tank Servicer or Sewer Pipe Cleaner?

Ways in include: Wastewater Utilities Maintenance Technician.

How much does a Septic Tank Servicer or Sewer Pipe Cleaner earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $49,880 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $43,530 to $61,060.

Is a Septic Tank Servicer or Sewer Pipe Cleaner a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 8% by 2035, from about 31,900 to about 34,400 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Septic Tank Servicer or Sewer Pipe Cleaner?

Usually not. Only 8% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Wastewater Utilities Maintenance Technician.

Will AI change the work of a Septic Tank Servicer or Sewer Pipe Cleaner?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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.