Victoria’s crappiest job? If you thought your job was bad, spare a thought for commercial sewage diver Brendan Walsh as he earns a reputation for having the worst job in Australia. We speak to Brendan from his home on the Mornington Peninsula about the highs and lows of being the owner and chief “poo diver” at East-West Dive and Salvage. Is it necessary to dive in sewage plants?
Interview by Melissa Walsh
How long have you been working as a poo diver? We started the business in 1996, so 18 years in commercial diving and then working in sewage treatment plants all over Australia, but mainly the Eastern Treatment Plant near Carrum Downs and Western Treatment Plant at Werribee.
What’s it like down there? Does it smell? Can you see anything? When working at the treatment plant it is 100 per cent done by feel. There is zero visibility down there so before jumping in the diver gets given a map of the treatment plant and it’s their job to memorise everything when down there. The main diver gets fresh oxygen so they can’t smell anything but I can’t say the same for the dress-in diver or site crew.
E ssence
58 | PENINSULA
Summer 2014/15
Victorian treatment plants contain huge mixers to blend in all the sludge (very technical term). The mixers tend to get encased or bound in “ragging”, that is, hair, rubbish, condoms and everything else you can imagine people flush down the toilet. It is our job to pull the mixers up and clean them so they can continue doing their job. Other reasons we get called in are to retrieve dropped items or conduct an inspection of the pumps and pipes.
What equipment and skills do you need for this kind of contaminated diving? The biggest lesson I’ve learnt when hiring is it’s easier to turn a tradie into a commercial diver than a diver. We aren’t swimming with dolphins and looking at the pretty fish. A good knowledge and background of tools is critical. The other helpful skills we look for include working at heights, working in confined spaces and welding.