American Liquid Waste June 2025 by PHX Publishing

Companies For Sale

•

FMC Advisors is currently offering the following businesses for sale:

& liquid

hauling, $16mm revenue

• Southcentral portable sanitation & rolloff, $15mm revenue – under LOI

• East Coast restroom & shower trailer rental, $11mm revenue

• West Coast Emergency Services, $8mm revenue

• Southcentral portable sanitation & rolloff, $7mm revenue

• Northeast septic pumping, installation & repair, $5mm revenue

• Plains solid waste hauler & rolloff, $5mm revenue

• West coast portable sanitation, $4mm revenue

• Southeast portable sanitation & rolloff, $4mm revenue

• Southeast solid waste & rolloff, $3.5mm revenue

• Southeast portable sanitation, $2.5mm revenue – under LOI

• Northeast septic pumping & installation, $2.5mm revenue

• Northeast portable sanitation, $2mm revenue

• Southeast portable sanitation, $1.5mm revenue – under LOI

• Northeast portable sanitation & rolloff, $1.5mm revenue

• Southeast portable sanitation, $1mm revenue – under LOI

• More coming soon!

CEO & PUBLISHER

Gideon W. Smith

SENIOR EDITOR

Katherine Nolan

ADVERTISING Tracy Rodean

Phoenix Global Media Inc.

P.O. Box 235, Stockton New Jersey 08559 866-418-4400 phone 973-532-0319 fax sales@americanliquidwaste.com American Liquid

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CIRCULATION Noah Aiden

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ENTREPRENEUR FRANK PEREZ

Still Blazing New

Trails

in Alaska and Beyond

When we met Frank Perez for the first time back in 2023, it was a one-of-a-kind experience. Like every new entrepreneur, he was fielding challenges from every direction and, like all who go on to great success, he was overcoming them at a feverish pace. But, that’s where his similarities to recognizable business management end. We learned that Perez and his Anchorage-based team go “anywhere anytime” to

provide service in “almost any environment of The Last Frontier” by “any form of motorized transportation.”

The Alaska Porta Potty, LLC service area is the entire state of Alaska, which is comparable in land size to the whole eastern seaboard of the US. When the techs get to customers’ remote outback locations, they deliver excellence, every time. Two years out from our original interview, snowballing growth now has the company

Frank

had left a good regional job in the industry to launch his own niche service to outback customers in the mountains on the tundra ...

rolling out operations in distant locales far from the northern frontier.

UNUSUAL ALASKAN SERVICE ALTERNATIVE

Frank had left a good regional job in the industry to launch his own niche service to outback customers in the mountains, on the tundra, everywhere regular portable restroom rental companies do not dare approach. In mid-2018, he opened the new family

business with his wife Sarah, his daughter, Persasis (Pur-say-iss) staffing the office, and his Labrador Retriever, Duke, as his partner running routes through the Alaskan wilderness. By the time we met him in 2023, he also had one part-time and two full-time employees.

To fund his new business in 2018, Frank had cut expenses, sold off a lot of his off-road toys, and used the proceeds to buy porta potties, including handicap

SPOTLIGHT

units, handwashing, and hand sanitizing stations, maintenance equipment, etc. He paid cash for the porta potty trucks to avoid financing costs.

He recalled that the first year had a rough start, opening very late in the season. Then, revenues were up and down for a while. He thought he was going to have to get a part time job. But, 7 months after opening, a 7.2 earthquake hit the area, causing a surge in new orders due to the urgent demand for services.

DOUBLING IN SIZE EVERY YEAR

While the physical coverage area of Alaska Porta Potty, LLC has remained roughly the same (because of the state's natural boundaries limiting it), the business has doubled its income and inventory each year since its startup. Frank attributes his competitive success to his equipment. In 2023, he explained, “That is what sets us apart. We can go places our competitors can’t.

A small tank I have can be put on the back of a pickup and taken into terrain that regular tank trucks cannot access. We’ve gone down some goat trails with

While the physical coverage area of Alaska Porta Potty, LLC has remained roughly the same the business has doubled its income and inventory

that truck. I didn't realize it was a thing until the tank inspector had to do an inspection (regarding the tariff charge to empty the liquid waste). The inspector said the tank I was using was the smallest he had ever seen. That was by design, specifically to service areas that cannot be accessed with a larger tank. For example, the State of Alaska hired us to go down a cliff trail. And, the smallest tank I use is the only one light enough to cross some bridges that have low maximum weight limits.”

A large percentage of Frank’s revenue came from those remote customers for the first few years, but eventually, he picked up more urban accounts, including various municipal government accounts. However, he said he still enjoys serving in the most remote North Alaskan areas of off-grid users accessible only by 4-wheeler, snowmobile, cargo sled, airplane, or boat.

VIABILITY OF SERVING WILDERNESS CUSTOMERS

Frank noted the benefit of learning from experience, including understanding how to protect yourself as a business owner with such a specialized service model, “I’ve been in the industry so long I’ve done every single porta potty on every back area, every goat trail. I’m prepared for the bad ones. I get a $300 - $400

continued on page 12

SPOTLIGHT

security deposit up front, and I bill in advance instead of in arrears. We bill remote customers early so that if the payment doesn’t go through, we know it before delivering. You have to learn how to protect yourself. Having a big cash deposit prevents losses.”

Per Frank’s 2023 broader characterization of the sales model for remote customers, “The customer has to be willing to pay for the six hours of driving time, for example, and the fuel, and that’s how we justify our pricing. We don’t say — you’re out there in the middle of nowhere so we need to increase our rate. But we’ll charge you for our time, costs, and fuel surcharge like we do with any other customer, and you’ll pay for the service. When you break it down that way, it seems more fair, instead of saying we could make more doing

it down the street, so we will charge you more for being farther away.

These people need sanitization as well. We’re not losing money, but we’re not making a lot from that. We don’t charge them additionally from our office. We only charge an added amount from the point where the coverage area ends. Yes, I’m driving a long distance to go there, but I know I’m always taking care of a community out there.”

Alaskan Porta Potty is also a U.S. military contractor, supporting the vast armed forces serving the Arctic and the Gulf (Gulf of Alaska) regions to help them be “mission-ready.”

ORGANIC GROWTH – ZERO MARKETING

Initially, Frank spent a couple of hundred dollars on

continued on page 14

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SPOTLIGHT

Our advertising is all still by word-of-mouth. I haven’t spent any more money on marketing over the years..

advertising, but, he said he then discovered he preferred to generate new business by drinking coffee and just starting up conversations. The company uses only magnetic signs with the logo on its trucks, because, as Frank explained, “It’s not practical to invest in custom-

painted lettering and artwork, etc. Because our vehicles, like all others here, are the famous Alaskan dirt color. You can’t see anything on them but dirt anyway, so we don’t spend much for labeling them.”

Today (2025), Frank explains, “We’ve been bringing in new customers every day. We’ve grown a lot since the last time we talked. Alaska is weird when it comes to advertising. Billboards and other traditional advertising stuff you normally see on or around commercial buildings are not allowed here. Our advertising is all still by word-of-mouth. I haven’t spent any more money on marketing over the years.

During the previous federal administration, the Alaskan economy was really hurting, due to what basically amounted to a shutdown of a lot of oil and gas industry

operations here. Everything in the state is tied to oil and gas. Things slowed down for a while throughout the whole state, including our business. We’ve now recovered our previous level of business activity. Now we’re completely out of porta potty units, and I have ordered 32 more. We have grown by about 7 to 9 percent since the last time we talked, and it’s still growing.

Our customer base is growing, and we have more of the customers we want most — the annual renters, vs. only those renting for a few months or shorter terms. We have got some much bigger customers now too, including major construction firms. And, a couple of cities outside Anchorage want us to take over their municipal accounts, which would require more manpower.

We have gotten a couple of new employees, including a new driver we hired to do our events, but we'd need more right away to handle large new accounts.

DIFFERENT SERVICE ENVIRONMENT, DIFFERENT PRIORITIES

Frank noted in our original talk, “We’ve gone everywhere from Seward, Alaska to Fairbanks. We don’t have those periodic highway rest stops open year-round up here. The road-side pull-outs we have are unlighted, often with no cell phone signal. We take everything for vehicle breakdowns, and you can expect to lose your cell signal for long distances. You have to be prepared.

I do my traffic reports when I can (to help inform other drivers of conditions), and I like to put it online when I

SPOTLIGHT

The major challenge is equipment maintenance in this climate. If you’re on the road system, we’ll get there. We can go anywhere.

run across ducks, geese, lynx, bears, moose, coyotes, wolves, wolverines, mountain goats, or other animals.

My dog (Duke) is my constant work companion, and he’s my security system. He alerts me to any other animals in the vicinity while I’m servicing a porta potty unit.”

BIGGEST CHALLENGES OF THE APP, LLC SERVICE MODEL

As Frank explained in 2023, “The major challenge is equipment maintenance in this climate. If you’re on the road system, we’ll get there. We can go anywhere. The weather is a challenge. The temperatures can make things difficult, causing frozen vehicle components, from doors to mechanical parts, etc.

The wildlife is also a challenge. For example, if you get cherry- or banana-scented oils to make the units smell nice, those can attract bears and other wildlife, like wolves or wolverines. It’s too dangerous.

Other challenges include the stuff off-road, fuel diesel

gel, and oil, for example. You have to keep inverters and heat guns in the vehicles, in case the pump veins freeze up. When we’re out that far in the middle of nowhere, we don’t have excuses. We’ve spent all the money on the equipment, so it has to get done.”

On the budgeting end, Frank explained that getting portable toilets to increase inventory is comparatively very expensive, “There’s the shipping cost. Nobody here makes them. You’ve got to order a bunch of them to get volume savings, so you have to wait to order till you build up a sizable amount. To order 6, 10, or 32 may seem like small potatoes to companies down in the states, but shipping cost could get me 40 in the Lower 48 vs. the 30 we purchased on our last order. And then there’s the labor to build them, because they ship to Alaska unassembled. Freight on an assembled porta potty would be astronomically expensive to ship all that by air!

EXPANDING INTO THE LOWER 48

Back in 2023, when we met Frank, his oldest daughter, Alaska, was 21 years old and traveling the world. His youngest was in high school, and Frank viewed her departure for college within a few years as a “turning

continued on page 18

SPOTLIGHT

point” for him and his wife. Their plan was to expand by launching operations in one or more of the lower 48 states where Frank has family or close friends (including either Texas, Florida, or Washington state, or ultimately perhaps all of those, (and Wisconsin potentially)).

He reflects, “The idea was to have an operation in another state up and running by year 10. This is year 7, and we now expect to have 6 to 7 months of revenue in Texas by the end of next year.” Today (2025), Frank has put Washington plans on the “back burner” due to what he calls “huge increases” in taxes in that state, which he describes as “through the roof.” Thinking in terms of business operating cost, he said the property taxes alone now on a suitable building are “almost as much as someone’s salary.”

Frank mentioned that he has a truck and equipment ready to start up the Texas branch and that he has already scheduled a flight to that state for early July, to meet with an associate of his who lives in the target market area, “We’ll go look at the property he’s secured. Then, we’ll start drawing up contracts.

I have a family member there who will be involved. So, we’ll figure out the details. For example, we’ll work on how to iron out ownership arrangements. Lawyers will need to draw up a contract for an employee type role and another for percentage of ownership of just that location (including a non-compete agreement). Then, I will have to train him.”

(Frank has a right-hand management protégé whom he describes as “fantastic.” He’s training him to take on

continued on page 20

SPOTLIGHT

We have a 10-point system for our porta potty sterilization and sanitization system. We cover all the high-touch areas and do our best to keep the exteriors and roofs clean.

in one of the lower 48 states may have 4 million. So, for a growth-minded industry expert like him, looking southward for expansion is the most logical course.

QUALITY MANAGEMENT AT ALASKA PORTA POTTY

more responsibilities and eventually take over the Anchorage operation.)

Frank points out that there are not even a million people in the state of Alaska, whereas just one town

Frank Perez previously explained his ingeniously simple quality control system, and it well bears repeating here, “We have a 10-point system for our porta potty sterilization and sanitization system. We cover all the high-touch areas and do our best to keep the exteriors and roofs clean. But we train our guys to do it consistently the same way every single time. That way, we can guarantee the quality of the work we do to pump them and clean them.

To maintain consistent quality, we gauge it this way. If you go to the first unit someone services in

continued on page 22

SPOTLIGHT

the morning, then to the very last one, the last one that the technician does should look exactly the same as the first. We can expect that the first is pristine because a person is feeling fresh and energetic at that point in the day. But, by the last one, they may be fatigued. So, meeting the expectation that the last looks exactly like the first is a simple system for helping measure quality. I train the employees myself. We’re very thorough in making sure the units are clean, and we don’t leave waste in them when they come back, ever. Every porta potty of ours that you go into smells clean. The service is seamless for the customer. There’s not one service ticket involved. When you go into the unit, the whole thing speaks for itself.”

2025 ADVICE FOR INDUSTRY NEWCOMERS FROM FRANK PEREZ, ALASKA PORTA POTTY, LLC, ANCHORAGE AK

Franks’ original advice to ALW readers has held up well throughout the U.S. portable toilet rental industry. We’ve

Despite the employment market problems and the financial risks in the startup, it was the best decision of my life.”

heard the same wisdom repeated by other successful owners over the past couple of years, since Frank emphasized this in 2023: “It can be a huge unnecessary expense to buy new equipment.”

He suggested that you “may be better off putting your investment in other areas of a startup business to support your goals for growth.” He said make your purchases of new items in the area of the rental products, the porta potties, hand sanitizing stations, etc., not in pumps and other service or maintenance equipment.

ON THE UNIQUE PEREZ EXPERIENCE

“Despite the employment market problems and the financial risks in the startup, it was the best decision of my life.”

As we noted in 2023, Frank Perez has lived on the edge. We can’t help reflecting on that point again today. Not only does he persist in grappling with the usual daily obstacles to running a business in an industry fraught with its special challenges (as all such physically and financially demanding industries are), he does it in the world’s most severe cold climate, in the Alaskan wilderness, among a comparatively dense population

continued on page 24

SPOTLIGHT

of ferocious wildlife. And, in that circumstance, he demands of himself and his team the highest quality of service and rental products.

If all that wasn’t altogether much more than enough to do, he’s now embarking on interstate expansion into the distant Lower 48 — just as he had been planning to do when we spoke two years ago. He’s making it happen now. We’re not surprised. His somehow measured but at the same time boundless seeming energy and his consistency of focus on goals are a perfect framework for his strategic advancement into the great unknown of national corporate management.

We are sorry to report that Duke died. Some time later, Sarah brought Frank a new dog, a Great Dane pup the family named Solo. He has become Frank’s new pal, and, as he and Duke had done for so long,

they now travel the backroads of the great state of Alaska together, where only the most dauntless of men and their dogs dare to go.

Clearly, as we observed in the past, the business adventure story of Frank Perez and AAP, LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, is second to none. We will continue following his exceptionally exciting entrepreneurial journey and reporting any information and wise advice he may share.

For more information about Alaska Porta Potty, LLC, contact Frank Perez, Owner at (907) 519-4144 or alaskaportapotty@ hotmail.com, or visit the website at alaskaportapottyllc.com/.

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THOMPSON PUMP EARNS BACK-TO-BACK

GATOR100 HONORS UF Alumni-led Company

Celebrates Second Consecutive Year on Prestigious Growth List

Port Orange, FL (May 14, 2025) – Thompson Pump is honored to be recognized for the second year in a row as one of the fastest-growing Gator-led businesses in the world, earning a spot on the University of

Florida’s prestigious 2025 Gator100 list. After debuting at #97 in 2024, Thompson Pump and Manufacturing Company climbed to #61 in 2025, a significant rise that reflects the company’s ongoing growth and commitment to excellence.

With 55 years of experience manufacturing heavy-duty dewatering and bypass pumps, Thompson Pump has built a reputation for high-quality equipment, innovation and entrepreneurship. These qualities exemplify the spirit of The Gator Nation® and earned the company its repeat recognition by the UF Alumni Association.

Founder and Chairman Bill Thompson, a proud 1970 UF graduate, laid the company’s foundation after serving as a Section Advisor in Murphree Area, a member of the Theta Chi fraternity, and a member of the Army Reserves. In 1999, his son Chris Thompson, a Chi Phi fraternity member and UF graduate, joined the family business. Today, as President, Chris leads Thompson Pump in full-service manufacturing and sales across the United States and several countries worldwide.

“It is an honor to be a part of the Gator100 for a second year,” said Chris Thompson. “We’re proud of the team, several of whom are UF alumni, who helped get us here. From a small family business to an international operation with more than 125 employees, this recognition speaks to the strength of our Gator roots and our commitment to growth.”

Fellow Gator alumni helping guide the company’s success include: Vice President of Sales Bobby

Zitzka (UF Class of 2000), Municipal Sales Manager David Perry (UF Class of 2004), Municipal Sales Representative Allan Curry (UF Class of 2013) and Engineering Manager Ryan Intriago (UF Class of 2018).

Thompson Pump received the honor during the Gator100 Celebration in April. See the full list of Gator100 businesses at gator100.ufl.edu/home.

ABOUT THOMPSON PUMP AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY:

An ISO 9001, 45001, and 14001 Certified company, Thompson Pump and Manufacturing Company is an awardwinning, full-service manufacturer and provider of high-quality, high-performance pumps, pumping equipment and engineering expertise for bypass pumping, dewatering, mining and flood control.

For more, visit thompsonpump.com.

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SPOTLIGHT

EARLY MORNING MICROTRENCHING AT DAY EXCAVATION

For the team at Day Excavation in Phoenix, Arizona, the day begins early. The crew works as early as allowed often starting their work microtrenching at 6:30 a.m.

That enables them to beat temperatures as high as 115 degrees Fahrenheit. With their Guzzler MT, they’re often done cutting by 10 a.m.

“Without Guzzler, we wouldn’t even be able to do

this work,” said Bear Day, Co-Owner of Day Excavation LLC. “The Guzzler MT means everything to our business and what we do. You basically can’t do this work without it. You can, but it’s going to be a lot slower, a lot more cleanup and a lot more headaches.”

Bear Day, Christopher Day and Jerry Day are the co-owners of Day Excavation LLC. The brothers were

Frank had left a good regional job in the industry to launch his own niche service to outback customers in the mountains on the tundra ...

working on the road for a dozen years when they decided they wanted to stay closer to home. When they first heard about microtrenching, they were intrigued and began teaching themselves about the process.

They began their own company five years ago and then started microtrenching three years ago. Now their

crew has expanded to 20 people.

“We started out as landscapers…I can't explain to anybody how hard me and my brothers have worked to get where we're at,” said Christopher Day, Co-Owner of Day Excavation LLC. “And we just want to keep ascending and do it right. You know, even when no one’s looking. We care about people’s yards. We care

SPOTLIGHT

about cleanup. We care about the roads. We care about the cities. Honestly, that's our thing.”

To continue their company’s rapid growth in microtrenching, the Day brothers have relied on the Guzzler MT, a microtrenching vacuum unit that significantly speeds up fiber optic installations by swiftly cleaning trenches for the deployment of FTTH, FTTP, CCTV, smart grid, and electric networks.

“The Guzzler MT plays a crucial role in the fiber industry and the process of microtrenching by assisting the contractors and utility companies with speeding up the process through various features,” said Kevin Fulkerson, Director of Industrial Sales, Guzzler. “Simply put, the Guzzler MT will allow you to cut more feet per day, which equates to better production results for the utility companies. With increased production, crews are able to cut more feet per day. They can lay more fiber optic into the ground and reach more customers. This translates to cutting

...we now expect to have 6 to 7 months of sales done in Texas by the start of next year.

and laying more feet of fiber per day, which translates to the ability to charge more and increase revenue.”

That increased efficiency is something the Days recognized in helping their bottom line. With the Guzzler MT, they’ve been able to cut up to 3,000 feet in one span. Christopher Day estimates they’re cutting 3,000 feet in three hours whereas with a pull-behind vac they’d be lucky to accomplish that amount in 10 hours.

“We started with the Guzzler MT, and it was the best thing that has ever happened to us,” said Christopher Day. “Honestly, it's very efficient. It cleans our trench first try, and we don't have to come back multiple times for the cut. It gets every piece out of where you’re sawing, and it’s just great.”

The record for the crew is 5,500 feet and 41 handholds. In a typical day, Christopher said they easily get 2,000 feet “like child’s play” and then they’re off the road by 12:30 p.m.

When it came time to decide on a machine to help the brothers in jumping into the world of microtrenching, they were originally going to use a pull-behind vac truck, but then they reached out to Guzzler. The

Guzzler team had a demo out to them in just a few days.

“The Guzzler MT is, besides my crew, the second most important thing in our business,” said Christopher Day. “Honestly, back when everybody first started, they were using pull behind vacs. And before we got the Guzzler MT, you'd have to dump 15 times a day. Now we're dumping twice tops.”

Previously taking time to dump the accumulated material necessitated trips back and forth to dump sites. With the Guzzler MT’s capacity, operators and crews can work much longer, nearly an entire day before going to the location to dump the accumulated materials.

Minimal dumping is a big deal as Bear Day noted the dumping fees in Arizona. Christopher Day said they’d have to dump every 45 minutes if it wasn’t for their Guzzler MT.

“Whether it’s a small vac truck or a big truck, the fee is the same, so only having to dump once a day with the use of the Guzzler MT helps the company’s bottom line,” said Bear Day.

Bear noted a job in downtown Mesa, Arizona and how the Guzzler MT made the job easier thanks to not having to get in and out of a tight spot to dump multiple times. The team was able to get in and out of the congested area quickly thanks to the Guzzler MT’s quick work.

“The Guzzler MT allows you to vacuum faster than other methods because it has higher CFM (cubic feet per minute),” said Dustin Rhodes, Product Manager, Guzzler. “Therefore, it’s cleaning the channel the first

time, so you don’t have to do a repeat path or multiple cuts to get the desired depth.”

Another benefit of the Guzzler MT is how quiet it is. With the team starting at 6 a.m. to beat the high temps of Arizona yet working in neighborhoods, a huge benefit is that noise reduction.

“You can barely hear the thing,” said Bear Day of the Guzzler MT. “We try to start earlier and get off as quick as possible so we’re not disrupting everyone. And if people are coming out of their houses because something is loud, then it’s going to take us longer to get it done. So having the Guzzler MT and it being quiet helps us get out of there quicker. So it’s nice.”

One of the biggest productivity features on the Guzzler MT is the creep drive. The Guzzler MT vacuums as the vehicle moves along, eliminating the need to start and stop as production moves forward. Instead of needing to go back and clean after trenching, the Guzzler MT’s filtration and baghouse enable great suction for cleaner trenches on the first go and less impact on the air quality.

One particularly tough job for Day Excavation was a deep trench on an arterial road, which is a main road

in the city. The crew had to cut 16 inches deep. The suction of the Guzzler MT enabled them to make the cut while Guzzler MT’s creep drive made it more efficient decreasing the impact on that main road.

With creep drive, the truck drives and sucks at the same time. Bear Day called it “a game changer.”

“It’s priceless,” said Bear Day of the Guzzler MT’s impact on their business. “We probably wouldn’t even be doing this work and making money.”

Another feature the brothers appreciate are the cameras on the Guzzler MT, which enable Day Excavation to only have a three-person team on a job instead of four or five. The cameras’ multiple angles make it so a spotter isn’t needed.

“Honestly, the camera system in there is awesome,” said Christopher Day. “Our operator can see every cut, every turn, every reverse side view. So it's perfect.”

Christopher also noted his appreciation for the ease of maintenance. They’ve only had to fix a couple basic things, and in those cases, Guzzler’s support team had them up and running in no time. In fact, a support person drove from Long Beach to Arizona, fixed it overnight and had it ready to work the next day.

Day Excavation has plans to grow. Those plans include expanding to two or three crews yet this year and purchasing two or three more Guzzler MTs. “Microtrenching is the future,” said Christopher Day. “It’s shallow. You don’t risk utilities or cutting someone’s sewer that wasn’t located. There’s no dusting debris. I love it. I'm out here every day with my whole crew, and it's just fun work.”

For more information on the Guzzler MT, visit www.guzzler.com/guzzler-mt.

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IF

YOU RUN A SEPTIC, SEWER OR PORTABLE RESTROOM BUSINESS, YOU'RE WORKING AROUND RISK EVERY DAY. TRUCKS BREAK DOWN, SPILLS

HAPPEN AND EQUIPMENT CAN GET LOST OR STOLEN. ONE BAD INCIDENT

CAN SET YOU BACK HARD — UNLESS YOU’VE GOT THE RIGHT INSURANCE.

Give yourself points on a scale of 1-5 for your performance on each of these key priorities..

But most standard policies aren’t built for the kind of work you do. They leave out critical stuff. If you don’t catch those gaps early, you’re the one holding the bag. Here’s what to look out for!

GENERAL LIABILITY DOESN’T COVER EVERYTHING

General liability might be the first policy you bought. It covers things like property damage and third-party injuries. Don’t, however, assume that means you’re covered across the board.

Got a spill that causes environmental damage? Probably not covered. An employee messes up a system install underground? Also not likely. Most policies exclude pollution and don’t cover professional mistakes. If you use subcontractors, that might be another blind spot. This kind of policy helps, but it’s only part of the picture.

POLLUTION COVERAGE IS OFTEN MISSING

If you pump tanks, haul waste or manage portable restrooms, pollution isn’t a rare risk — it’s built into your work. And here’s the problem: most general liability policies exclude it.

You need separate pollution liability coverage. Say a hose bursts and sewage spills onto a customer’s property. Cleanup and legal costs can stack up

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B1100 SPARTAN PUMP PACK

POWERED BY BATTIONI

Our new B1100 Spartan Pump Pack is built around the Battioni Ballast 11000 rotary vacuum pump. This pump is an absolute beast. The Ballast Pump is the perfect choice for heavy-duty applications, thanks to its innovative Crash Protection System. Featuring a sliding flange protection mechanism, this system prevents housing or rotor breakage in the event of vanes crashing. This ensures reliable and efficient operation, even in the toughest conditions.

JETTER POWER WASHER

With 3000 PSI of pressure and our premium aluminum cam-over box, our American made Jetter unit is reliable and tough enough for any job, including washing decking, driveways, or jetting out the toughest clogged pipes and drains.

FEATURES:

• USA Made 24”x24”x48” Aluminum Box

• Stainless Steel Cam Over Latch with Padlock

• One Piece Gasket with Rain Gutter

• Jetter Stand with Anti-Vibration Pads

• Honda GX390 Gas Engine with Electric Start

• Rear Access Removable Panel with Vents

• Hannay Electric Reel with 200ft of Hose

• Guide Rollers and Electric Rewind Reel

• Wash Down Gun with Quick Connect Tips

PART NUMBER: 5000-8000

3,000 PSI

BUSINESS CORNER

quickly, and pollution insurance helps you manage them. If you’re in this line of work, you shouldn’t go without it.

YOUR TOOLS MAY NOT BE PROTECTED I N THE FIELD

You’ve got expensive gear on every truck: hoses, pumps, tools, thousands of dollars’ worth. But if that gear gets damaged or stolen off-site, your regular property policy might not pay.

This is where inland marine insurance comes in. It covers tools and equipment in transit or on job sites, making it a must-have for mobile operations. Don’t wait until something goes missing just to realize it’s not covered.

WORKERS’ COMP HAS LIMITS

You likely carry workers' compensation insurance if you have employees, as it’s required in most states. But that doesn’t mean the coverage matches the work you do. Septic jobs involve confined spaces, slippery surfaces and physical labor. Some carriers underestimate the risks, or you might’ve been placed in a lower-risk category. That can cause problems during a claim or an audit.

Also, make sure you're not misclassifying labor. Calling someone a contractor doesn’t protect you if they work like an employee. And, if you’re a oneperson operation, workers’ comp won’t apply. An occupational accident policy can help cover medical bills or lost income if you get hurt on the job.

COMMERCIAL AUTO DOESN’T ALWAYS GO FAR ENOUGH

You probably have a commercial policy on your trucks, but what if you rent a vehicle for a few days, or an employee uses their own car to pick up supplies? Many policies don’t cover those scenarios.

Hired and non-owned auto coverage can fill that gap. Also, make sure you’re covered for spills or environmental damage tied to an accident, as not all commercial policies include that.

CYBER COVERAGE ISN’T JUST FOR BIG COMPANIES

If you use software for scheduling, invoicing or storing customer info, you’ve got cyber risk. A phishing email or ransomware attack can lock you out of your systems and cost real money to fix.

Cyber insurance helps cover recovery costs, provides legal assistance and facilitates customer notifications. It’s not just for big corporations. If you’re using digital tools to run your business, this coverage matters.

Insurance gaps don’t seem like a problem — until they are. A small hole in your policy can turn into a big financial hit. And in this business, it doesn’t take much to knock you off track. Review your coverage, ask questions and fix the gaps before they get expensive.

SUBSCRIBE TO AMERICAN LIQUID WASTE MAGAZINE TODAY FOR MORE INDUSTRY INSIGHTS AND REAL-WORLD ADVICE TO HELP PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS.

Stock UnitS AvAil Able

Slide-In Unit

2025 Peterbilt 567 with 4200

2024 Ford F550 4x4 equipped with 1200-gallon 2C (300 water/950 waste), with a Masport HD4 hydraulic drive with a cooler, dual-sided service, 50’ hose spring rewind DC 10 water pump, dual-side bucket fill, dual 36” toolboxes, dual-side 2” x 30’ Tigertail suction hose, dual-side bucket holder, chemical holder drivers-side, dual-side wand holders

$130,000.00

2024 Ford F550 4x4 equipped with a 999-gallon 2C (300 water/699 waste), with a Masport HD3 engine drive, dual-sided service, 50’ hose spring rewind 45 PSI water system, dual-side bucket fill, dual 48” toolboxes (not shown), dual-side 2” x 30’ Tigertail suction hose, dual-side bucket holder, chemical holder drivers-side, dual-side wand holders

$107,000.00 (Gas Models starting at 96,000.00 complete)

2025 Peterbilt 537 Paccar PX-7 equipped with with an Allison 2500 RDS-P Transmission Gen 6, a 2500-gallon 2C (200 freshwater/2300 waste), Masport Titan 407 CFM’s, Masport water system PTO driven with 50’ rewind garden hose, 48” Toolbox

$168,950.00

Optional Add-on: Jetter Box $6,000.00

CHOOSING THE BEST BOOM

A clean sewer system creates a healthier community. Sewer cleaners are used to efficiently remove blockages and prevent buildup. Breaking up blockages often demands a combination approach that includes the use of a boom.

That means using water jetting to break up the blockage and vacuum technology to suck up the

debris that created the blockage in the first place. For a combination sewer cleaner truck, this requires the use of a hose reel to manage water jetting and a 6-8-inch vacuum hose to enter the sewer to suck the debris through a boom and into a debris tank on the truck.

A boom is a mechanized arm that can extend off a sewer cleaner and be easily maneuvered allowing

Vactor has options including fully hydraulic, extendable, telescoping and 360-degree rotation booms in a variety of lengths to tackle any sewer maintenance challenge.

the operator to precisely position the suction hose to reach hard-to-access locations and depths common to underground sewer lines and catch basins.

Vactor has options including fully hydraulic, extendable, telescoping and 360-degree rotation booms in a variety of lengths to tackle any sewer maintenance challenge.

But choosing the best boom for a given application or situation can be a challenge. Vactor has a few tips for getting it right.

• Consider the application. Booms have multiple applications, most commonly sewer line maintenance, hydro excavation and catch basin cleaning. When removing debris and blockages

from a sewer line, the boom is crucial for directing the high-pressure water jet while simultaneously vacuuming the loosened debris. Choosing the right boom for the job will increase efficiency and effectiveness. The Vactor 2100i 10’ telescoping boom, for example, is ideal for sewer cleaning and hydro excavation of blockages, while Vactor’s RDB 1015 is great for catch basin and lift station cleaning.

• Know the depth of the site. Booms vary in both their reach from the truck and their depth into the ground.

A Vactor 5x5 boom may be effective for a shallow site, while a deeper site might require the 15’ depth.

• Consider time constraints. In most cases, it takes several minutes to lift additional tubing off the rack to extend a truck's boom. Vactor's rapid deployment booms, like the RDB 1015 boom, increase operator convenience and reduce set-up and tear-down time. The RDB 1015 telescopes 10 feet out and extends an additional 15 feet down for faster cleaning of catch basins, sewer lines and utility holes without taking the

Booms vary in both their reach from the truck and their depth into the ground..

time to manually assemble and disassemble added tubing between locations. The RDB 1015 boom can be added to the 2100i and iMPACT combination sewer cleaners to optimize performance.

• Get to know the location. Booms are designed to work with the existing landscape and infrastructure. In areas with dense vegetation or tree canopies, a longer boom may be needed to reach the worksite without risking worker and truck safety. In more condensed urban areas, a smaller boom like a 5’x5’ or 7’ telescope model may be the safest option to minimize disturbance. The Vactor 7’ hydraulic model features 360-degree rotation, maximizing efficiency on complex sites.

In addition to choosing the right boom for the job, ensure operators are properly trained before beginning operation. Operators control the boom using a remote or joystick from the truck's cab. This allows for precise positioning of the boom while allowing operators to maintain a safe distance.

Vactor is revolutionizing sewer cleaning through the continued development of new and improved technology. For more information on how sewer cleaning can be better, faster and safer, visit Vactor.com.