Meet the crews of NYC Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Water and Sewer Operations and see their most powerful heavy-duty vehicles up close. This family-friendly event is a chance to learn how DEP uses these specialized trucks to keep New York City’s 7,500 miles of sewer pipes and 150,000 catch basins flowing.
- Flusher Truck: The flusher truck uses high-pressure jets of water to clean sewers and clear stubborn blockages in the city’s sewer lines. The flusher truck is a key tool to prevent sewer backups and street flooding.
- Catch Basin Machine: Often compared to an arcade claw machine, the catch basin machine is designed to scoop out accumulated leaves, trash, and sediment from the city’s 150,000 catch basins. Catch basins drain the city’s streets during rainstorms, and this truck is used when a basin becomes so full of debris it can no longer drain to the sewer.
- Vactor Truck: The vactor truck is a combination of a high-pressure water jetter and a heavy-duty vacuum system. Used for the most challenging sewer blockages, this truck can suck up tons of sediment, debris, and grease that builds up in sewers over time and reduce the system’s capacity.