Proper Nozzle Selection In Sewer Cleaning

By NASSCO member Barry Howell, General Manager, Visu-Sewer, Inc. | August 2010 Vol. 65 No. 8


As with most humans, jetter operators are creatures of habit. It is very common for an operator to “fall in love” with a particular nozzle or type of nozzle and use that tool for all applications. Cleaning and debris removal are a process, analogous to building a house. A carpenter wouldn’t use the same tool to plane a door as he or she would to drive roofing nails. Conversely, the jetter operator should not use the same tool to penetrate a blockage as he or she would to do standard cleaning; there is a correct tool available for every job.

Before nozzles can be used on a job, they must be purchased from the manufacturer or vendor. A buyer
of sewer nozzles would be wise to read NASSCO’s Jetter Code of Practice for an in-depth discussion on
nozzle selection. However, a quick synopsis of nozzle selection is as follows:

Budget Available – Nozzles can run the gamut from inexpensive to pricey. The contractor must determine what is important in their purchasing decision: First cost, versatility, life cycle costs, or other considerations. The Jetter Code defines nozzles as Tier One, Tier Two, or Tier Three. Tier One nozzles are typically the least expensive, have good to poor fluid mechanics, and can only be configured for one flow and pressure scenario, e.g. 65 GPM at 2,000 PSI; they also tend to have a short life cycle before they lose effectiveness. Tier Two nozzles typically have better fluid mechanics, replaceable inserts for configuration flexibility, and a longer life cycle than Tier One products, but are usually more expensive. Finally, Tier Three nozzles have excellent fluid mechanics, replaceable inserts for flexible configurations, and lower life cycle costs than other products, but the highest first costs. Understanding the options available and their impact on equipment budgets and operating budgets is a must in nozzle selection.

Buyer's Guide