Septic systems, portable toilets, grease traps and lagoons are not bottomless pits, you may be surprised to learn. In many instances, when these get full, or need to be managed in some way, there will inevitably be hoses involved. There are a few terms for the type of trucks that handle the vacuuming of waste, being a septic truck, honey wagon, environmental management vehicle, and a few others. Listed below are some common items found waste management vehicles that American Hose and Supply provides to this industry daily:

- EPDM Hose

   EPDM hose is a synthetic rubber and compound hose use in waste management. For all the nerds out there, it stands for  Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer. This marvel of laboratory science has properties that make it resistance to heat, ozone, and all around harsh weather exposure for long periods of time. Here's another great thing about EPDM hose - it's lightweight and flexible. This hose can hold a full vacuum, and given all it's characteristics, it's obvious why it is the preferred type of hose for this industry. EPDM hose can be green and black, or blue, or even yellow and red. It is commonly referred to as septic hose, Tiger tail, bumble bee hose, or just EPDM.

- Poly Ball Valves

      A quick tour around a septic truck and you will find quite a few ball valves. In most instances, these valves are constructed of polypropylene, or commonly known as poly. The reason for this is that generally, when exposed to freezing temperatures, a brass ball valve will freeze and crack, whereas poly made ball valves usually will make it through the freeze without having to be replaced. That's not a guarantee here folks, so don't send us an angry email if you have one that freezes and cracks. Just know it USUALLY will fare better than brass. These types of valves come in a wide variety of styles. Construction of the valve body is usually in either a 4 bolt or 6 bolt set up, and the threaded inlets can be female, male, or a combination of those in either an on / off set up, or a directional, or "three way" set up.

- Camlocks

       Here they are again to grace us with their presence. The almighty cam and groove coupling. What can we say about them that we have not already? Well, perhaps not much, but it's a guarantee that on septic trucks and vacuum trucks alike, you will see some camlocks. Typically aluminum will be used, and if you're good at "I spy" you will probably see a 4" to 3" jump size camlock adapter on there. What's that you say? You need a camlock adapter? well you can check out our huge selection of jumpsize cam locks here.

- Water Hose with a Nozzle

    Along with sucking up waste materials, another part of waste management is to wash down and wash out receptacles. Water hoses, which are typically a nitrile lined general service hose, will usually be on a reel or coiled up on the truck. A common pressure rating and size for this hose is 200 to 300 PSI, and will come in 1/2" or 5/8". To achieve some pressure on this set up, most hoses will be equipped with a nozzle that contains some type of flow adjustment. These nozzles are usually insulated and have a handle that is squeezed to regulate flow, just like you would have on your garden hose at home.

American Hose and Supply offers every hose, valve, and elbow that is needed to outfit a waste management vehicle. Call us anytime, we can help you or your company get rollin' in no time!

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