Pacific Sewer is a California-based sewer service company specializing in both chemical root control – Pacific Sewer Maintenance (PSM) – and robotic high-pressure obstruction removal – Pacific Sewer Robotics (PSR). These services are available across the United States.
Established in 1976 and incorporated in 1979, Pacific Sewer Maintenance (PSM) has always been in the business of bringing unique solutions to a traditional industry. The founder of PSM, Richard Gayman, was the first Southern California contractor to utilize a hydro-jet for large sewer line cleaning, the second to provide CCTV sewer inspection, and the only contractor to provide chemical sewer line root control. In keeping with the tradition of unique services, Pacific Sewer Robotics was launched in 2017 and is currently the only US contractor to provide robotic high pressure obstruction removal.
With 45 years in the root control business and 100 years of combined worker experience providing chemical root control, Pacific Sewer combines decades of experience, forward thinking, professional planning, experienced and responsible staff, and the use of the latest technology to offer a reliable and exhaustive solutions to sewer and pipeline maintenance.
Our History
As a result of watching Fred’s foundational work in the development of the budding root control industry, Scott’s father, Richard Gayman, formed PSM in response to local demand for a specialized commercial and municipal contractor in this industry. Richard Gayman began applying chemical root control in 1976 and incorporated PSM in 1979. During that time, he helped develop the machinery and processes that would be used for the next 40 years by cities and contractors across the country.
Chemical sewer root control was developed in 1967 by Fred Horne, grandfather of current Pacific Sewer owner Scott Gayman. Fred worked in collaboration with the University of California Davis (1971 – 1973) on early root control testing and research, and he then developed the first practical use of chemical root control for sewer systems.
Pacific Sewer led the contracting industry in innovation and forward thinking by utilizing one of the first hydro-jet systems and CCVT sewer inspection systems. Now Pacific Sewer is leading the industry again through the use of the United States’ only robotic high-pressure system.
Pacific Sewer is never a company to shy away from the newest and best technology. Today through the use of GIS, reporting is done immediately in the field, enabling crews to note any field conditions that might need to be recognized by the managing engineer and to track and provide up to the minute reports. Pacific Sewer utilizes Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) ArcGIS software to provide its crews with printed maps, eliminating the need of a city to provide printed maps. Pacific Sewer uses cellular-connected WiFi devices to connect their mobile tablet systems to the GIS online system for immediate updates to the work they perform. Pacific Sewer regularly updates their field-reporting devices to allow for the best reliability and results using the most extensive cellular connections possible. This service is standard for any project we are engaged in. Pacific Sewer will even assist in developing a proper reporting protocol for the clients needs.
Scott Gayman, President/CEO
Scott, Owner of Pacific Sewer, has 40 years of direct experience in the sewer maintenance industry, having personally performed over 6 million feet of chemical sewer root control and 2 years of operation of the robotic high pressure system. Scott is a third-generation sewer maintenance specialist, the son of PSM’s founder, Richard Gayman and the grandson of the father of chemical root control Fred Horne.
Decades of diverse experiences have provided Scott with a unique perspective on how to provide the most thorough, effective, and professional service in chemical root control treatment. Scott spearheads the use of the latest technologies to provide Pacific Sewer’s clients with extensive and useful data at no additional cost to the client.
Scott has been directly involved in all large projects for Pacific Sewer, including internationally in 1989 with a 4-year USAID contract in Egypt where he oversaw that contract’s day-to-day operations.
Scott also organized and managed PSM’s longest repeat contract in the City of San Diego. In 1998 while managing the San Diego contract, Scott was introduced to Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping services through the City’s consultant, HDR. Scott began working with HDR and the City to develop a regular data input and reporting process that employed the City’s GIS database, Microsoft Access, and available maps to create high quality scans of the city’s sewer maps for the most accurate and complete reports available at that time. This process provided the city with reports that could be easily accessed, altered and updated, and allowed the city to provide the contractor with all of the data they may need for use in the field. Scott’s developments eliminated the need for costly and bulky sewer map books in the field, and utilized the earliest mobile technology to improve the speed and efficiency of the work. These developments by Scott for the PSM contract was recognized by engineer Mike Flores of HDR as “the clearest and most complete work reports” provided to the City of San Diego at that time.
While working on the City of Los Angeles chemical sewer root control project in 2004, Scott approached them to share the GIS processes he had begun using in San Diego. This provided the City of L.A. the opportunity to work out the details of a combined effort between a contactor and the City in the future use of GIS as a tool. Los Angeles now solely uses online GIS reporting for its root control program. While Scott doesn’t claim credit for this development, he is proud of his role in initiating the use of GIS by contractors to provide up to date reports to the City of L.A.
Scott currently manages daily operations for all contracts, including the largest chemical root control program on the west coast with the City of Los Angeles. Scott holds a Qualified Applicators License for Sewer Root Control, QAL #104498 and California Contractor’s License #904921, classification C-42 Sanitation System / C-61 D64 Herbicide Sewer Root Control.
Pacific Sewer Robotics
In addition to chemical root control treatment, Pacific Sewer provides innovative, robotic high-pressure services to specifically target large mass roots, grout, tuberculation or concrete that may be create a pipeline obstruction. This targeted high-pressure service physically removes obstructions through the use of high-pressure water from a pipeline or confined space without requiring manned entry.
Robotic high-pressure obstruction removal has been utilized in Europe for more than a dozen years and is newly available in the United States. The system that Pacific Sewer Robotics adopted is the only robotic system that is specifically designed for high pressure water blasting.
The robotic system has the ability to perform at up to 40,000 psi (2,800 Bar) in pipes sized from 6 inches to 42 inches. Through the use of ultra high pressure water Pacific Sewer Robotics can break up some of the hardest concrete without ever having to utilize a grinding tool. See the Projects page of this website for videos of the robot in action.