The past few months of upheaval have proven many things about the resilience of people across the globe. The COVID-19 pandemic has been unlike anything we have seen before, and the world has battled the virus through sheltering in place, travel bans and the accelerated development of medical treatments.
And through the unprecedented tumult, the pumping industry has stood tall and helped people in need. You haven’t flinched when the public needed you most — as wastewater issues had to be dealt with for safety’s sake.
Several weeks ago, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security called on critical infrastructure industries — including septic service providers’ associated equipment manufacturers — to continue providing essential services during the spread of the coronavirus. Through an announcement by President Donald Trump, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency shared this guidance:
KEEP ON TRUCKIN’
“If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as health care services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule.”
CISA distributed a list of “essential critical infrastructure workers” covered, including private wastewater-related service companies. It released a memorandum recognizing the role wastewater workers and, by extension, the companies that provide their specialized equipment play in promoting public health during a crisis.
This is something we at Pumper and COLE Publishing have always known. Since 1979, COLE Publishing has highlighted the unsung and sometimes dangerous work of wastewater professionals. The country could not function without the dedication of your workforce to pump tanks and maintain septic systems for nearly one-third of U.S. residents.
The CISA document spelled out the importance of infrastructure workers continuing to provide their crucial services. As many states enforced shelter-in-place or other safety measures aimed at protecting the public, Homeland Security reminded infrastructure workers to coordinate with state and local officials to continue to deliver services.
“All decisions should appropriately balance public safety while ensuring the continued delivery of critical infrastructure services and functions,” CISA announced.
PROUD TO SERVE
Pumpers have taken heed of the memorandum. In my experience speaking with our wastewater contractors over the past several weeks, they have been nothing but professional and selfless in their approach to serving their customers. Emphasizing the safety of their workers and the general public, they have continued to go out every day to help keep septic systems operating properly.
What I’ve learned through this ordeal:
This has been a maintenance crisis
Two factors in particular have brought stress to decentralized wastewater systems during the mass shelter-at-home orders. One is that having families at home 24/7 puts a lot of burden on septic systems, many of them older systems that could be prone to failure with constant high usage. The second is that a panic over toilet paper purchases has left many people scrambling for alternative sanitary products. Both of these issues have requires pumpers to step up and act as educators about proper septic system usage.
Service providers have been called on to speak about both of these issues in the media. They have also taken the time to educate their customers, one-on-one, throughout this emergency. As we all know, many homeowners have no idea how to properly care for their septic systems. It could be that they’ve moved off the public sewer to a dream home in the country and they don’t change their water and wastewater habits to protect the septic system from overuse. Or they are among the folks who are convinced septic tanks never need to be pumped. Many of those people are now being convinced otherwise, as they make emergency calls during a crisis.
And often, consumers see wipes manufacturers tout their products as “septic safe” or “flushable” and use these products at the worst possible time, leading to wastewater backups in the home. Pumpers continue to bring attention to the misleading marketing by wipes manufacturers, but so far it seems like a losing battle.
It’s business as usual for your crews
Many of us followed government sheltering guidelines and protected ourselves at home. Not so for wastewater workers who have an obligation to help those of us who must follow the guidelines to help keep a pandemic from spreading. Like health care workers, over-the-road truckers and grocers, pumpers hop in their vacuum trucks to provide a vital service as if nothing has changed. They also continue to place and service portable restrooms, which have played a huge role in helping essential service workers in the field.
And they have performed these tasks without taking advantage of the situation. I have heard stories of contractors doing whatever they can to work out problems to everyone’s satisfaction, following best safety practices. They recognize many people have lost their jobs or faced reduced wages. Pumpers have offered deferred payment when customers can’t afford their services. And they have recoiled at the idea that a few businesses have taken part in price gouging — the illegal practice of overcharging for their services in times of great need.
We’re all in this together
Teamwork is the key to success for pumping companies, many of them small family businesses where employees are used to pitching in for each other in stressful times. But I look at the entire wastewater industry as a team. The contractors have relied on suppliers and manufacturers who keep them stocked with indispensible tools that allow them to keep serving the customer.
That means new, efficient vacuum trucks, pumps, hoses and other accessories. It means portable restrooms, specialty restroom trailers and hand-wash stations needed by emergency workers on the front lines and by the public who require clean, safe places for relief.
I also aim to work with you by providing valuable information for the pumping community. As we move forward, please let me know how I can serve you. Stay safe!
