How Much Do Sewer Divers Make? A New Discovery Show Has Fans Wondering

If there's one thing that Discovery has proven over the years, it's that they're willing to make a show about the most niche things possible. In that very same vein, enter the world of Sewer Divers, the channel's new offering that takes viewers on a tour of some decrepit, old, and massive sewer systems across the U.S. and just what goes into keeping them running.

Needless to say, diving into sewers isn't a job that you'd wear your best suit to. So, how much do the divers on Sewer Divers get paid to go where most people would never dare? Keep reading to find out!

Although there are no confirmed figures for how much extra on top of their jobs they're being paid to appear on Discovery, we can figure a relative amount for how much a sewage treatment facility worker makes each year. According to the Commercial Diving Academy, sewage diver jobs typically pay over ​$58,000​ per year. However, to be a sewage diver one must be HAZMAT trained and certified as it is a particularly dangerous job.

In an interview with the New York Post, Don Gann, aka "Dirty Water Don," a star on the show, explained just how dangerous it can get in the sewers.

"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," he explained.

Don also noted that "[i]t’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."

He revealed that he wears a special $3,000 suit that keeps him safe from toxic waste.

Be sure to check out Don and the rest of the Sewer Divers on Discovery on Sundays at 9 p.m. EST.