As infrastructure investment continues nationwide, demand for qualified drain cleaning professionals will increase. With that demand comes heightened expectations for safety, performance and accountability. In its quest to set industry standards, NASSCO recently launched its Drain Cleaning Certification Program, a self-paced online course for plumbers and small contractors.
Sewer drain cleaning plays a critical role in maintaining both municipal and privately owned collection systems. When performed improperly, the consequences can include sewer backups, sanitary sewer overflows, inaccurate inspections and premature infrastructure deterioration. Despite the technical importance of this work, the industry has historically lacked standardized training for small-diameter and lateral drain cleaning professionals. Instead, most expertise has been developed through informal knowledge transfer and on-the-job experience.
To address this long-standing gap, the NASSCO Drain Cleaning Certification Program establishes structured education, clear performance standards and industry-recognized credentials for plumbers and collection system professionals. It creates a consistent baseline of competency, helping utilities, municipalities and contractors ensure that cleaning operations are performed safely, effectively and in alignment with accepted best practices.
Certification matters
Drain cleaning is often perceived as routine maintenance. In practice, it is a highly technical operation that directly influences:
- The visibility and accuracy of CCTV inspections
- The success of trenchless rehabilitation installations
- The long-term structural and hydraulic performance of pipeline assets
Improper cleaning can:
- Leave residual debris that obscures inspection findings
- Damage pipe walls due to incorrect nozzle selection or excessive pressures
- Displace blockages without resolving root causes
- Compromise preparation for lining systems such as cured-in-place pipe
As trenchless technologies continue to advance, the quality of preparatory cleaning becomes increasingly critical. Certification promotes standardized methodology, reinforces proven best practices and reduces variability in field performance, benefiting both asset owners and contractors.
Program overview
NASSCO’s Drain Cleaning Certification Program provides both foundational knowledge and applied technical understanding. The curriculum addresses:
- The importance of standardization
- Cleaning methodologies and process control
- Common pipe materials and linings
- Typical cleaning challenges and obstruction types
- Cleaning equipment and nozzle/attachment selection
- Deterioration mechanisms
- Safety considerations
- System types and access points
- Field operations for small-diameter and lateral systems
The program is specifically designed for plumbers and drain cleaning professionals who routinely perform lateral and small-diameter sewer cleaning. It bridges the gap between practical field experience and formalized industry standards. Participants complete structured coursework followed by a competency examination. Successful candidates receive certification valid for three years.
Life cycle support
Drain cleaning represents the first operational step in the trenchless project life cycle. Whether preparing for CCTV inspection, CIPP lining, point repairs or lateral reinstatements, proper cleaning directly impacts downstream success.
NASSCO is widely recognized for establishing industry standards through its PACP, MACP and LACP certification programs as well as its Building Sewer & Drain Inspection certification. The Drain Cleaning Certification Program expands this framework upstream, strengthening the quality of work performed before inspection and rehabilitation begin.
For plumbing contractors, certification provides a clear pathway to demonstrate competence to municipalities and system owners. For asset owners, it delivers increased confidence that cleaning activities are being conducted according to established technical standards, reducing the risk of infrastructure damage and inspection inaccuracies. To learn more, please visit nassco.org.
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