Early every weekday morning, PWSA’s sewer team assembles at our facility on the North Side to begin their day protecting our city’s sewer system.

With our sewers largely out of sight, the essential work they perform often goes unnoticed. Make no mistake: their diligence and hard work ensures the operability of the infrastructure that protects our health and the environment.

PWSA’s sewer team of Vactor Operators, TV Truck Specialists, and Utility Workers help maintain our sewer system, which can take on a variety of different kinds of work. Our Vactor Operators, who drive a truck shown on the right, flush water into sewer pipes to brush away debris. They also help to identify possible leaks or cracks in the pipes in conjunction with our TV Truck Specialists, who maneuver specialized cameras along the sewers for a better view of the pipes. Upon suspicion of a sinkhole caused by a break in a sewer lateral, these crews perform a dye test, which sends a colored liquid into the pipes to identify possible breaks. Our Utility Workers partner with the rest of the team to support their work. For example, those team members oversee the safety of our crews when they must man a confined space entry.

In September, we’ll release a “Day in the Life” video highlighting our sewer crews and the critical work they perform to protect our sewers. Please keep an eye on our social media for that fun video.