Sewer Maintenance Operative

Lanes Group; Crawley; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Lanes Group is seeking a Sewer Maintenance Operation at Crawley Depot (Crawley, West Sussex) for a permanent, full-time role.

Working hours are 45 per week, Monday to Friday, within the Southern Water contract service to address wastewater network and drainage issues. The role emphasizes safety, teamwork and delivering reliable, high‑quality drainage solutions.

Responsibilities

• Clear overgrown vegetation around drainage assets such as manholes, gullies and culverts
• Carry out minor ground preparation to ensure safe access points for drainage works
• Check condition of drainage assets and escalate safety risks as needed
• Perform asset maintenance checks on drainage assets including anti-flood devices and non-return valves
• Perform scoping for follow-on activities as appropriate
• Safely operate hand tools and powered equipment (e.g., strimmer, hedge cutter, brush cutter)
• Remove and correctly dispose of green waste and debris from site
• Work in accordance with health, safety and environmental procedures, including PPE use
• Assist drainage teams by preparing access routes and maintaining clear working areas
• Report any site hazards, damage or obstructions encountered
• Maintain a clean and professional reinstatement standard where required
• Adhere to all Lanes Group policies and responsibilities
• Handle other reasonable ad-hoc duties as requested by management

Job description

Lanes Group is a leading nationwide utility services provider with c.5000 dedicated employees. Our diverse subsidiaries drive our success across various sectors, contributing to a remarkable turnover of over £700 million. We are committed to excellence and innovation, ensuring we provide industry leading services to our clients and stakeholders. Join us to be part of a dynamic and growing team that values diversity and fosters professional growth.

Department: Southern Water

is one of the UK’s leading water and wastewater companies, delivering essential services to 2.3 million customers across the Southeast of England.

As a trusted delivery partner, Lanes Group plays a vital role in maintaining critical infrastructure networks, delivering essential wastewater and drainage services that protect communities and the environment. Our teams carry out everything from sewer maintenance and network cleansing to CCTV inspections and pollution response, ensuring customers receive a safe, reliable, and resilient service every day

Purpose of the role:

Due to continued growth and development, we are now looking for customer focused people to join us in our Utility Division, working on our Southern Water contract service to deliver real and effective solutions to waste-water network and drainage problems

Position: Sewer Maintenance Operation

Location: Crawley Depot (Crawley, West Sussex)

Job Type: permanent, full-time

Hours: Monday to Friday, 45 hours per week

Key Responsibilities:

• Clear overgrown vegetation, shrubs, weeds, roots and any obstructions around drainage assets such as manholes, gullies, and culverts.
• Carry out minor ground preparation to ensure safe access points for drainage works.
• Check condition of any drainage assets uncovered ensuring they are left safe, escalating where an environmental or customer safety risk is present.
• Perform asset maintenance checks on a variety of drainage assets including anti flood devices, non-return valves, combined sewer overflows and other drainage elements.
• Perform scoping for follow on activities as appropriate.
• Safely operate hand tools and powered equipment (e.g., strimmer, hedge cutter, brush cutter…).
• Remove and correctly dispose of green waste and debris from site.
• Work in accordance with health, safety, and environmental procedures, including safe use of tools and PPE.
• Assist drainage teams by preparing access routes and maintaining clear working areas.
• Report any site hazards, damage, or obstructions encountered.
• Maintain a clean and professional standard of reinstatement where required.
• Be aware of all Lanes Group policies and your responsibilities towards them.
• Any other reasonable ad-hoc duties, task or projects as requested by management.

Living the Company Values

By embedding our companies core values and purpose into each role, ensures that every employee, regardless of their role or level, understands how their individual development and contributions align with our purpose of ‘improving today for a better tomorrow’.

Each role and value has an alignment to set proficiency levels and expectations; this role holder is expected to:

• Leading: Acts as a role model, shaping the learning agenda and influencing change.
• Agile: Anticipates learning needs, adjusts quickly to changing operational contexts.
• Nurturing: Supports the development of others through coaching and structured development plans.
• Engaging: Inspires and motivates learners, builds trust and credibility
• Safe & Secure: Ensures all learning is aligned to safety and compliance standards.

Your Contribution to the company:

• Strive to be always positive and constructive
• Adhere to all company policies
• Straight talking about the facts of the situation – open discussions are the best way to find solutions
• Help others through communicating clearly
• Deliver on commitments
• Ensure that any ideas that may enhance the productivity or systems of the company are brought to the attention of Senior Management, or your colleagues
• Deliver our Company Values understanding that by working together in unity we are ‘Stronger Together’

Equality, Diversion & Inclusion

At Lanes Group, we are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered. We believe that our differences make us stronger and are committed to providing equal opportunities for all employees. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups. Join us in our commitment to creating a more inclusive and diverse world.