We not only clean, but also check the condition of the channels. Here, too, we get technical support: we use small, remote-controlled camera robots to look for damage. We also measure how high the water level was in the canals and how much precipitation there was in the past few months. Sometimes we also clean rainwater retention basins.
What my everyday work looks like
Early in the morning we are divided into teams of three or four because we are never alone. Arrived at the place of use, we place the so-called suction hose in the channel. Water shoots out of the cleaning nozzle at high pressure and flushes the dirt – for example gravel or mud – in the direction of flow to the next manhole. There the suction hose sucks in the dirt and the truck picks it up. It used to be different, you had to go down there yourself with a broom and shovel. In the on-call service we help in emergencies, for example if someone has lost their key in the gully. Or in heavy rain, when a gully is clogged and a street is flooded as a result.
Does working without daylight bring me down?
Especially in winter there are days when we cannot work on the surface. Then we are sometimes down for up to four hours at a time. But that rarely happens. Due to the modern technology that we use, we are usually only half an hour to assemble and disassemble hoses and nozzles in the sewer and let the truck do the work. So no, the darkness doesn’t bring me down.
How I became a sewer worker
I used to work in the automotive industry, but then I wanted to change industries. I didn’t have any specific ideas, but I wanted the prospect of a permanent contract and a secure job for the future. When I searched the internet, I had all the filters turned off.
I came across the Munich City Drainage Department by chance and did an internship there. I really liked the working atmosphere and the varied work, as you are traveling throughout the entire city of Munich. After a short period of familiarization, I also found the working hours pleasant. Although you start at 6:30 a.m., you can go home at 3:15 p.m. I liked the overall package so much that I started the three-year apprenticeship after the internship. I finished my apprenticeship in June last year and have been employed ever since.
What qualities a sewer worker needs
Teamwork is our top priority. We are never alone. This is the wrong job for the quiet loner, because we always have to talk to each other. Some canals down there are ten meters deep under the road and entering them is very dangerous. We have to be able to rely on one another 100 percent.
What the job is doing to my personal life
Compared to my previous job, my personal life has improved significantly. I like going to work every day – and I don’t take anything home with me in the evening either. I used to write a lot of reports, had meetings and thought more about work. You can take your work laptop home with you. In some corporations, people sometimes think about their projects around the clock and then bang their heads in the office. On the other hand, I can only do the craft on site. And: We are all pulling together here. Incidentally, my relationship with dirt hasn’t changed as a result of the job. I didn’t mind that much before. But I’ve become more environmentally conscious. Now I can see what people flush down the toilet that doesn’t belong there. Wet wipes, for example, are a huge problem. They do not dissolve and regularly clog the sewage system. I also pass this new awareness on to my friends.
The biggest challenges in my job
For one thing, I sometimes find it difficult to get up so early. You get used to everything, but work starts at 6:30 a.m. every day. So I have to get out of bed at 5:15 am. On the other hand, the canal network is 2,400 kilometers long. There are always tricky problems. Blockages occur time and again during sewer cleaning or there are technical problems with the truck. Manual creativity often helps here.