McAllen Hard at Work: Wastewater Collections Department

Wipes and soups are a nightmare for wastewater collectors who have to go clean the wastewater lines because the wipes are not biodegradable and the fat in the soup builds around the wastewater lines causing them to get clogged. As the McAllen Public Utility Wastewater Collectors or H.E.O’s (Heavy Equipment Operators) say if you get dirty cleaning out the sewer lines you aren’t doing your job correctly. These MPU employees work around the clock 365 days a year to keep the dirt and grime moving through the city’s network of wastewater lines. We followed a two man crew to find out what it takes to do their job. Here’s Roy Cantu with the story.