# 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.
- **Entity Type:** role
- **Schema Version:** role.v1
- **Soc Code:** 47-4071.00
- **Summary:** 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.

## Aliases

- Drain Cleaner
- Septic Pump Truck Driver
- Septic Tank Service Technician
- Service Technician
- Drain Technician
- Public Works Technician
- Septic Cleaner
- Sewer Bricklayer
- Aseptic Tech (Aseptic Technician)
- Drain and Sewer Technician
- Electric Sewer Cleaning Machine Operator
- High Reach Operator

## Tasks

| Text | Type | Iwa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Communicate with supervisors and other workers, using equipment such as wireless phones, pagers, or radio telephones. | Core | 4.A.4.a.2.c |
| Drive trucks to transport crews, materials, and equipment. | Core | 4.A.3.a.4.a |
| Inspect manholes to locate sewer line stoppages. | Core | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Operate sewer cleaning equipment, including power rodders, high-velocity water jets, sewer flushers, bucket machines, wayne balls, and vac-alls. | Core | 4.A.3.a.1.c |
| Prepare and keep records of actions taken, including maintenance and repair work. | Core | 4.A.3.b.6.h |
| Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or related structures such as manholes, culverts, and catch basins. | Core | 4.A.3.a.1.c |
| Measure excavation sites, using plumbers' snakes, tapelines, or lengths of cutting heads within sewers, and mark areas for digging. | Core | 4.A.1.b.3.d |
| Service, adjust, and make minor repairs to equipment, machines, and attachments. | Core | 4.A.3.b.5.a |
| Clean and disinfect domestic basements and other areas flooded by sewer stoppages. | Supplemental | 4.A.3.a.1.c |
| Locate problems, using specially designed equipment, and mark where digging must occur to reach damaged tanks or pipes. | Core | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Withdraw cables from pipes and examine them for evidence of mud, roots, grease, and other deposits indicating broken or clogged sewer lines. | Supplemental | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Ensure that repaired sewer line joints are tightly sealed before backfilling begins. | Supplemental | 4.A.1.b.2.f |

## Emerging Tasks

| Text |
| --- |
| Pump, clean, and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or related structures such as manholes, culverts, and catch basins. |

## Activities

| Name | Iwa |
| --- | --- |
| Drive trucks or truck-mounted equipment. | 4.A.3.a.4.a |
| Communicate with other construction or extraction personnel to discuss project details. | 4.A.4.a.2.c |
| Record operational or environmental data. | 4.A.3.b.6.h |
| Clean equipment or facilities. | 4.A.3.a.1.c |
| Inspect completed work to ensure proper installation. | 4.A.1.b.2.f |
| Inspect plumbing systems or fixtures. | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Install equipment attachments or components. | 4.A.3.a.2.at |
| Measure work site dimensions. | 4.A.1.b.3.d |
| Locate equipment or materials in need of repair or replacement. | 4.A.1.b.2.g |
| Maintain plumbing structures or fixtures. | 4.A.3.b.4.a |
| Operate heavy-duty construction or installation equipment. | 4.A.3.a.3.c |
| Maintain construction tools or equipment. | 4.A.3.b.5.a |
| Remove worn, damaged or outdated materials from work areas. | 4.A.3.a.1.e |
| Cut metal components for installation. | 4.A.3.a.2.l |
| Dig holes or trenches. | 4.A.3.a.1.g |
| Break up rock, asphalt, or concrete. | 4.A.3.a.3.c |
| Spread sand, dirt or other loose materials onto surfaces. | 4.A.3.a.1.g |
| Compact materials to create level bases. | 4.A.3.a.1.g |
| Order construction or extraction materials or equipment. | 4.A.4.c.3.e |
| Maintain mechanical equipment. | 4.A.3.b.5.a |
| Decontaminate equipment or sites to remove hazardous or toxic substances. | 4.A.3.a.1.c |
| Drill holes in construction materials. | 4.A.3.a.2.ad |
| Edit documents. | 4.A.2.b.1.g |

## Capabilities

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Customer and Personal Service | knowledge | 3.94 |
| Operation and Control | transferable_skill | 3.88 |
| Manual Dexterity | ability | 3.75 |
| Operations Monitoring | transferable_skill | 3.62 |
| Control Precision | ability | 3.62 |
| Transportation | knowledge | 3.52 |
| Oral Comprehension | ability | 3.5 |
| Problem Sensitivity | ability | 3.5 |
| Flexibility of Closure | ability | 3.5 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | ability | 3.5 |
| Multilimb Coordination | ability | 3.5 |
| Mechanical | knowledge | 3.49 |
| English Language | knowledge | 3.39 |
| Public Safety and Security | knowledge | 3.38 |
| Depth Perception | ability | 3.38 |
| Reaction Time | ability | 3.25 |
| Near Vision | ability | 3.25 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | ability | 3.25 |
| Mathematics | knowledge | 3.19 |
| Critical Thinking | essential_skill | 3.12 |
| Oral Expression | ability | 3.12 |
| Deductive Reasoning | ability | 3.12 |
| Static Strength | ability | 3.12 |
| Extent Flexibility | ability | 3.12 |
| Far Vision | ability | 3.12 |
| Administration and Management | knowledge | 3.04 |
| Active Listening | essential_skill | 3 |
| Equipment Maintenance | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Troubleshooting | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Repairing | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Quality Control Analysis | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Time Management | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Inductive Reasoning | ability | 3 |
| Perceptual Speed | ability | 3 |
| Visualization | ability | 3 |
| Selective Attention | ability | 3 |
| Trunk Strength | ability | 3 |
| Auditory Attention | ability | 3 |
| Monitoring | essential_skill | 2.88 |
| Coordination | transferable_skill | 2.88 |

## Skills

| Name | Type |
| --- | --- |
| English Language | Common Skill |
| Depth Perception | Common Skill |
| Mathematics | Common Skill |
| Deductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Critical Thinking | Common Skill |
| Visualization | Specialized Skill |
| Time Management | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Word | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Excel | Common Skill |
| Inductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Equipment Maintenance | Specialized Skill |
| Active Listening | Common Skill |
| Information Ordering | Specialized Skill |
| Finger Dexterity | Common Skill |
| Complex Problem Solving | Common Skill |
| Speech Recognition | Specialized Skill |
| Social Perceptiveness | Common Skill |
| Reading Comprehension | Common Skill |
| Active Learning | Common Skill |
| Learning Strategies | Specialized Skill |
| Equipment Selection | Specialized Skill |
| Writing | Common Skill |
| Instructing | Specialized Skill |
| Physics | Specialized Skill |
| Negotiation | Common Skill |
| Chemistry | Specialized Skill |
| Telecommunications | Specialized Skill |
| Geography | Specialized Skill |
| Systems Analysis | Specialized Skill |
| Installation | Specialized Skill |
| Biology | Specialized Skill |
| Psychology | Specialized Skill |
| Foreign Language | Common Skill |
| Accounting Software | Specialized Skill |

## Tools

| Example | Category | Hot | In Demand |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Intuit QuickBooks | Accounting software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | yes | no |
| Route mapping software | Route navigation software | no | no |
| Web browser software | Internet browser software | no | no |
| Work scheduling software | Calendar and scheduling software | no | no |

## Work Context

| Name | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions | 4.95 |
| Telephone Conversations | 4.74 |
| Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams | 4.71 |
| Contact With Others | 4.6 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | 4.53 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | 4.5 |
| Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team | 4.46 |
| Deal With External Customers or the Public in General | 4.44 |
| Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures | 4.33 |
| Frequency of Decision Making | 4.31 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | 4.29 |
| In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment | 4.27 |
| Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable | 4.27 |
| Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions | 4.1 |
| Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities | 4.08 |
| Physical Proximity | 4.06 |
| Freedom to Make Decisions | 4.06 |
| Health and Safety of Other Workers | 3.85 |
| Time Pressure | 3.82 |
| Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results | 3.79 |
| Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals | 3.75 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Equipment | 3.74 |
| Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers | 3.62 |
| Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body | 3.6 |
| In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment | 3.58 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | 3.58 |
| Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions | 3.54 |
| Spend Time Standing | 3.41 |
| Importance of Being Exact or Accurate | 3.39 |
| Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings | 3.37 |
| Written Letters and Memos | 3.32 |
| Exposed to Whole Body Vibration | 3.28 |
| Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled | 3.2 |
| Spend Time Walking or Running | 3.18 |
| Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People | 3.15 |
| Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions | 3.01 |
| Importance of Repeating Same Tasks | 2.97 |
| Conflict Situations | 2.95 |
| Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling | 2.93 |
| Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment | 2.87 |

## Preparation

- **Job Zone:** 2
- **Job Zone Name:** Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- **Education:** Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- **Experience:** 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.
- **Svp Range:** (Below 6.0)

### Education Distribution

| Label | Percentage |
| --- | --- |
| High School Diploma | 40.44 |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 37.08 |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 22.13 |
| Some College Courses | 0.34 |

## Person Fit

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Realistic | career_interest_type | 7 |
| Physical/Manual Labor | specific_interest_area | 6.27 |
| Transportation/Machine Operation | specific_interest_area | 4.96 |
| Conventional | career_interest_type | 4.26 |
| Mechanics/Electronics | specific_interest_area | 2.72 |
| Dependability | work_style | 2.22 |
| Investigative | career_interest_type | 2.07 |
| Cautiousness | work_style | 1.99 |
| Engineering | specific_interest_area | 1.94 |
| Attention to Detail | work_style | 1.71 |
| Construction/Woodwork | specific_interest_area | 1.7 |
| Perseverance | work_style | 1.64 |
| Stress Tolerance | work_style | 1.46 |
| Social | career_interest_type | 1.45 |
| Management/Administration | specific_interest_area | 1.41 |
| Mathematics/Statistics | specific_interest_area | 1.34 |

## Related Roles

| Soc Code | Slug | Title | Tier |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 47-2152.00 | role-47-2152-00 | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | Primary-Short |
| 47-2151.00 | role-47-2151-00 | Pipelayers | Primary-Short |
| 51-8031.00 | role-51-8031-00 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | Primary-Short |
| 47-3015.00 | role-47-3015-00 | Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | Primary-Short |
| 49-9071.00 | role-49-9071-00 | Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | Primary-Short |
| 53-7061.00 | role-53-7061-00 | Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment | Primary-Long |
| 47-2061.00 | role-47-2061-00 | Construction Laborers | Primary-Long |
| 47-2073.00 | role-47-2073-00 | Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | Primary-Long |
| 53-7072.00 | role-53-7072-00 | Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers | Primary-Long |
| 47-5022.00 | role-47-5022-00 | Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining | Primary-Long |
| 49-9012.00 | role-49-9012-00 | Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | Supplemental |
| 47-5013.00 | role-47-5013-00 | Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas | Supplemental |

## Career Clusters

| Cluster | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Energy & Natural Resources | energy-natural-resources |

## Education Level

- **Category:** High school diploma or equivalent

## Study Programs

| Title | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Construction Trades | construction-trades |

## Market

- **Median Wage:** 49140
- **Mean Wage:** 52730
- **Pct10Wage:** 36500
- **Pct25Wage:** 42700
- **Pct75Wage:** 60320
- **Pct90Wage:** 73670
- **Employment:** 29050
- **Area Title:** U.S.

## Industries


### Top

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Median Wage | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 56 | 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | Sector | 16640 | 47540 | 9.78 |
| 23 | 23 | Construction | Sector | 5280 | 50860 | 3.45 |
| 238220 | 238220 | Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | National industry | 1980 | 49120 | 8.3 |
| 54 | 54 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | Sector | 440 | 60740 | 0.22 |
| 561320 | 561320 | Temporary Help Services | National industry | 160 | 38630 | 0.32 |
| 22 | 22 | Utilities | Sector | 100 | 49180 | 0.92 |
| 31-33 | 31-33 | Manufacturing | Sector | 70 | 48940 |  |
| 238210 | 238210 | Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | National industry | 40 | 47610 |  |
| 42 | 42 | Wholesale Trade | Sector |  | 47010 |  |
| 53 | 53 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | Sector |  | 39070 |  |
| 541330 | 541330 | Engineering Services | National industry |  | 59820 |  |

### Concentrated

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 56 | 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | Sector | 16640 | 9.78 |
| 238220 | 238220 | Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | National industry | 1980 | 8.3 |
| 23 | 23 | Construction | Sector | 5280 | 3.45 |
| 22 | 22 | Utilities | Sector | 100 | 0.92 |
| 561320 | 561320 | Temporary Help Services | National industry | 160 | 0.32 |
| 54 | 54 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | Sector | 440 | 0.22 |
- **Count:** 11

## Ai Signals

| Source | Label | Score | Scale | Release |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| frey_osborne | Computerization probability | 0.83 | 0-1 probability | 2013-baseline-2016-employment-snapshot |
| felten_aioe | AI occupational exposure | -1.210591 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_image_generation_aioe | Image generation occupational exposure | -0.9217188 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_language_modeling_aioe | Language modeling occupational exposure | -1.260409 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |

## Ai Outlook


### Index

- **Value:** 16
- **Percentile:** 13
- **Band:** Low
- **Version:** ai-exposure-index-v1

#### Components

| Percentile | Source |
| --- | --- |
| 10 | felten_aioe |
| 14 | openai_gpts_are_gpts |
| 25 | microsoft_working_with_ai |
- **Component Count:** 3

### Exposure

| Source | Label | Value | Percentile | Band | Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| felten_aioe | Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) | -1.210591 | 10 | Low | How much this job's abilities overlap with what AI systems can do, across many AI capabilities. A relative research score, not a forecast of job loss. |
| eloundou_gamma | LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) | 0.09375 | 14 | Low | Share of this job's tasks where a large language model plus simple tools could cut the time to do them by at least half. γ is capped at 1.0 and many jobs reach that ceiling, so treat a top score as 'in the top group', not a precise rank. |
| microsoft_applicability | AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) | 0.08681614024885542 | 25 | Low | How applicable today's AI assistants are to this job's activities, measured from real Microsoft Copilot conversations. Applicability is not the same as replacement. |

### Frey Historical

- **Source:** frey
- **Label:** Computerization probability (Frey & Osborne, 2013)
- **Value:** 0.83
- **Percentile:** 68
- **Band:** High
- **Note:** A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
- **Teleworkable:** no

### Eloundou

- **Alpha:** 0.0625
- **Beta:** 0.078125
- **Gamma:** 0.09375

### Usage Tasks

| Task | Usage Percent | Importance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Clean and disinfect domestic basements and other areas flooded by sewer stoppages. | 0.003697480372541689 | 3.71 |
- **Usage Release:** 2026-01-15-v4-plus-2025-03-27-v2

### Bls

- **Growth Percent:** 7.6
- **Growth Percentile:** 87
- **Direction:** Growing fast
- **Annual Openings Thousands:** 2.9
- **Annual Openings Percentile:** 37
- **Employment2024Thousands:** 30.4
- **Employment2034Thousands:** 32.7

### Sources

| Source | Version |
| --- | --- |
| bls_employment_projections | 2024-2034 |
| dingel_neiman | dingel-neiman-workathome |
| felten_aioe | felten-raj-seamans-aioe |
| frey_osborne | frey-osborne-automation |
| microsoft_working_with_ai | working-with-ai |
| openai_gpts_are_gpts | gpts-are-gpts |

## Counts

- **Tasks:** 22
- **Skills:** 34
- **Capabilities:** 120
- **Tools:** 6
- **Related Roles:** 20

## Source

- **Dataset:** gold.onet_role_starter_surface
- **Version:** 30.3
- **Generated At:** 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00
- **Content Hash:** 62d779527c2c99e9