Careers in Sewer Operations

Our sewer system includes 1,200 miles of sewer lines and more than 25,000 storm drains.....

TV Truck Specialist

The TV Truck Specialist is a union position and is responsible for operating and maintaining a TV truck and its equipment under the Sewer Service Foreman. This includes the camera, float board, tractor, winch, and gas detectors. Some responsibilities include finding and inspecting sewer lines and manholes, conducting dye and smoke tests, filming sewer lines, and keeping footage logs, locating buried manholes and inspecting large sewer lines and entering manholes as needed, reading construction maps and drawings, and maintaining records and logs manually and on a computer.

Requirements: Applicant must present a current, valid Class C (Class 1) Motor Vehicle Operator’s License at the time of application or prior to appointment.  A valid driver’s license must be maintained throughout employment.  Applicant must have permanent residency in Allegheny County at time of appointment and remain a permanent resident throughout employment with the PWSA. A high school diploma or GED and a NASSCO certification covering PACP/LACP and MACP.

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Vactor Operator

The Vactor Operator is a union position and is responsible for operating a Vactor truck, emptying septic tanks, and cleaning sewer pipes to ensure proper preventative maintenance. Some responsibilities include operating the flusher, vactor, jetter, and truck, inspecting the mechanical condition of the vehicle and reporting any malfunctions, performing preventative maintenance and making necessary repairs and adjustments, scheduling periodic maintenance for the vehicle after carefully checking oil, water, gas, tires, maintain records of equipment, and transporting crews and loading and unloading equipment and materials as requested or required.

[ work and assist on the Vactor truck . They setup the tubes and jetter hose up ,getting ready for the operator to clean the sewer mains . Also they will assist and clean debris from catch basins . They will also need to have a confined space training ( safety will provide if there is no prior experience ), UW1 are sometimes required to make entry into manholes to remove debris and clean. They are required to pull manhole lids and catch basins lids /grates. ]

Requirements: Applicant must have permanent residency in Allegheny County at time of appointment and remain a permanent resident throughout employment with the PWSA. A high school diploma or GED and a valid Pennsylvania class B commercial driver’s license in accordance with the commercial driver’s license requirements.  Must maintain a valid Pennsylvania Class B commercial driver’s license with tank (N) endorsement or “X” combination hazardous materials and tank truck endorsements throughout employment.

Utility Worker I

The Utility Worker I will perform manual work of limited complexity and assist in the performance of semi-skilled or skilled tasks. Some responsibilities include street resurfacing, digging ditches, pruning shrubs, maintaining pipelines, valves, hydrants, and manholes. Cleaning streets, gutters, sewers, and catch basins, Loading and unloading materials, supplies, equipment, trash, and other debris. Salting streets, sidewalks and removing snow, assisting craft persons in moving materials, setting forms, mixing cement etc., performing simple construction jobs, such as constructing barricades and fences; cutting grass and weeds, raking leaves and performing related ground keeping tasks. Using a variety of hand and power tools, pumps, sewer rodders, and power mowers, driving trucks of one ton or less in daily routine and assist in locating mains, service lines and in backfilling excavations and performing routine maintenance of equipment, such as power saws and compressors, and other related tasks.

Requirements: Applicant must present a current, valid Class C (Class 1) Motor Vehicle Operator’s License at the time of application or prior to appointment.  A valid driver’s license must be maintained throughout employment.  Applicant must have permanent residency in Allegheny County at time of appointment and remain a permanent resident throughout employment. A high school diploma or GED. Completion of a recognized apprenticeship in the craft or equivalent training at an accredited trade or technical school, or military training preferred.