diff --git a/requirements.dev.txt b/requirements.dev.txt
index c1e3358c2..3f0d4f2f2 100644
--- a/requirements.dev.txt
+++ b/requirements.dev.txt
@@ -10,10 +10,8 @@ invoke>=1.4.1
 lxml==4.9.1
 matplotlib==3.6.2
 mypy>=0.790
-mysql-connector-python==8.2.0
 numpy==1.22.4
 pycountry==22.3.5
-pymysql==1.1.0
 pytest==7.2.0
 pytest-check==1.3.0
 sas7bdat==2.2.3
diff --git a/src/acquisition/covid_hosp/common/database.py b/src/acquisition/covid_hosp/common/database.py
index a0870f67b..57286c831 100644
--- a/src/acquisition/covid_hosp/common/database.py
+++ b/src/acquisition/covid_hosp/common/database.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def logger(database_class):
 
   @classmethod
   @contextmanager
-  def connect(database_class, mysql_connector_impl=None):
+  def connect(database_class, mysql_connector_impl=MySQLdb):
     """Connect to a database and provide the connection as a context manager.
 
     As long as the context manager exits normally, the connection's transaction
@@ -73,18 +73,11 @@ def connect(database_class, mysql_connector_impl=None):
 
     # connect to the database
     user, password = secrets.db.epi
-    if mysql_connector_impl is not None:
-      connection = mysql_connector_impl.connect(
-        host=secrets.db.host,
-        user=user,
-        password=password,
-        database='epidata')
-    else:
-      connection = MySQLdb.connect(
-        host=secrets.db.host,
-        user=user,
-        password=password,
-        database='epidata')
+    connection = mysql_connector_impl.connect(
+      host=secrets.db.host,
+      user=user,
+      password=password,
+      database='epidata')
 
     try:
       # provide the connection to the context manager
diff --git a/src/acquisition/covidcast/database.py b/src/acquisition/covidcast/database.py
index 156b2e722..9a6ea8b6a 100644
--- a/src/acquisition/covidcast/database.py
+++ b/src/acquisition/covidcast/database.py
@@ -38,23 +38,16 @@ class Database:
   # TODO: also consider that for composite key tuples, like short_comp_key and long_comp_key as used in delete_batch()
 
 
-  def connect(self, connector_impl=None):
+  def connect(self, connector_impl=MySQLdb):
     """Establish a connection to the database."""
 
     u, p = secrets.db.epi
     self._connector_impl = connector_impl
-    if connector_impl is None:
-      self._connection = MySQLdb.connect(
-          host=secrets.db.host,
-          user=u,
-          password=p,
-          database=Database.DATABASE_NAME)
-    else:
-      self._connection = self._connector_impl.connect(
-          host=secrets.db.host,
-          user=u,
-          password=p,
-          database=Database.DATABASE_NAME)
+    self._connection = self._connector_impl.connect(
+        host=secrets.db.host,
+        user=u,
+        password=p,
+        database=Database.DATABASE_NAME)
     self._cursor = self._connection.cursor()
 
   def commit(self):
diff --git a/src/maintenance/signal_dash_data_generator.py b/src/maintenance/signal_dash_data_generator.py
index e9c704803..75ec2fe9b 100644
--- a/src/maintenance/signal_dash_data_generator.py
+++ b/src/maintenance/signal_dash_data_generator.py
@@ -62,22 +62,15 @@ class Database:
     STATUS_TABLE_NAME = 'dashboard_signal_status'
     COVERAGE_TABLE_NAME = 'dashboard_signal_coverage'
 
-    def __init__(self, connector_impl=None):
+    def __init__(self, connector_impl=MySQLdb):
         """Establish a connection to the database."""
 
         u, p = secrets.db.epi
-        if connector_impl is None:
-            self._connection = MySQLdb.connect(
-                host=secrets.db.host,
-                user=u,
-                password=p,
-                database=Database.DATABASE_NAME)
-        else:
-            self._connection = connector_impl.connect(
-                host=secrets.db.host,
-                user=u,
-                password=p,
-                database=Database.DATABASE_NAME)
+        self._connection = connector_impl.connect(
+            host=secrets.db.host,
+            user=u,
+            password=p,
+            database=Database.DATABASE_NAME)
         self._cursor = self._connection.cursor()
 
     def rowcount(self) -> int: