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Discovery Channel’s “Sewer Divers” might just showcase the dirtiest job of all.
The series, premiering Jan. 1 at 9 p.m., explores various centuries-old sewer systems throughout the country — and the brave workers who do the essential tasks that most people don’t want to think about, including Don Gann, 35, aka “Dirty Water Don,” who’s featured in the opening episode.
“I’ve had quite a few [close calls] over the years,” Gann told The Post. “I’ve been pinned, I’ve had things fall on top of me where I couldn’t get out on my own [and] another diver had to come in to get me. I’ve been buried digging a hole for an underwater cable. The hole collapsed on top of me, so every time you took a breath, the mud constricts you more. You have to control your breathing, remain calm, and have faith in the guys you have [above the manhole].
“No matter how scary the job is, the guy next to you has to be as good as you.”
Gann, a father of three, is based in North Arlington, NJ. He’s a commercial diver specializing in welding, timber work and sewer repair. He’s journeyed down into manholes and waded in the muck beneath all five boroughs.
“A lot of people think we can just swim around like a fish,” he said. “It’s very difficult to move around with the current and you can’t see what you’re doing. You rely on your 10 eyes, which are your fingers. So, basically, all the dirty and disgusting things that people don’t want to touch – we have to touch those things to understand what we’re doing.”
In the series premiere, Gann wears a $3,000 rubber suit that keeps him safe from toxic chemicals and waste, and a 36-pound helmet.
“Once you hook the neck dam — the suit to the helmet — your mobility becomes spare. It’s hard to get it off by yourself,” he said. “A lot of people in this industry won’t last because they’re claustrophobic. The [manhole] is small, the ladders are in disrepair or broken down there. There’s usually a current or the area is very slick so you can’t get good footing or move around. You really rely on your guys up top. There’s quite a few dangers. Electrical shock, a slew of dive-related sicknesses. You could lose a limb. You could lose your life.”
Gann said that he hopes audiences who tune into “Sewer Divers” get a new appreciation for what he and his colleagues do on the job every day.
“When someone drives by us in the morning rush and we’re creating a delay for traffic patterns, because we’re closing the lanes — and all they see is three guys standing around a hole — we get a lot of bad press,” he said.
“They’re like ‘Oh, what are these guys doing, just standing around?’ People drive by and yell at us. We’ve had people drive by and throw trash at us. Meanwhile, under the [surface of the road], you have a guy working to make sure you can go home after work, flush your toilet, and you don’t have to ask, ‘Where does it go?’ You rely on the fact that you can hit a button and walk away from it.”
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