SHACOG maintains two sewer vactor trucks (a primary unit and an emergency unit) and a van equipped with a self-propelled sewer camera and recording equipment for use by member municipalities. Incorporated into a program designed primarily for preventive maintenance of municipal sewer systems, the sewer vactors are used to clean sanitary sewers, storm sewers and catch basins. When blockages occur they are also capable of opening obstructed trunk sanitary sewer lines. Routine inspection of the sewers is provided, also on a weekly prescheduled basis, by the sewer camera while creating a video record of the inspection.

Municipalities participating in the program preschedule and pay for use of both the primary sewer vactor and the sewer camera, each on a weekly basis, for several weeks during the year. The resulting master schedule then dictates the location and services to be provided for the participants. The second sewer vactor is used only for emergency calls and allows the primary unit to remain dedicated to the municipality it is servicing without disruption.

Most municipalities require the services of a sewer vactor or sewer camera only several weeks each year. Participation in this program, therefore, precludes duplicate investments in very expensive equipment while providing for access to the equipment necessary to meet municipal needs at a very modest cost. Municipalities interested in this program simply pay the appropriate weekly fees which are currently 30% less for the sewer vactor and 50% less for the sewer camera when compared to the fees charged by private sector companies for this equipment. Notwithstanding these steep discounts, the program is self-sustaining and operates under its own SHACOG Board approved budget.