SHACOG maintains two vactor trucks (a primary unit and an emergency unit) and two camera trucks for use by member communities.  Designed primarily as a preventive maintenance program, the vactor trucks are capable of cleaning sanitary and storm sewers.  When blockages occur the trucks are also capable of opening obstructed trunk sanitary sewer lines. Member municipalities schedule use of the primary vactor several weeks per year on a one week at a time basis. The second vactor is used only for emergency calls and allows the primary unit to remain dedicated to the municipality it is servicing without disruption. The camera unit allows routine inspection of the sewers while creating a video record of the inspection.  Most communities require this type of work 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 an annual flat fee that is approximately one-third of the cost charged by private sector companies for the use of this equipment

A unique feature of this program is the intergovernmental cooperative venture utilized to secure a new primary vactor. Scott Township, a member municipality and a participant in the program , was the beneficiary of a substantial grant for rehabilitation of its own sewer system. Part of that grant was to be used for the purchase of a vactor. The allocation for that piece of equipment, however, did not allow acquisition of the machine that was desired. SHACOG, which was also considering the purchase of a new vactor, had a reserve fund established for equipment replacement but it was less than sufficient to procure a new unit without supplemental funding. Consequently, Scott Township and SHACOG decided to combine resources and jointly procure a new vactor. The new machine was assigned to SHACOG for use in the vactor program with Scott Township remaining as a participant in the program. This arrangement was formalized by an agreement approved by both the Scott Township. Board of Commissioners and the SHACOG Board of Directors. Specifications were then developed and the bid for a new vactor was released jointly by the Township and SHACOG. Both Boards approved the acceptance of a bid which resulted in a new $200,000.00 vactor being place in service in July 2000 without requiring any contribution from the program participants.