Who is buying septic companies?
10 named consolidator platforms are actively acquiring US septic businesses; 8 of them are private-equity-backed. Typical septic acquisitions price at 4x-6x EBITDA (2.5x-3.5x SDE for smaller owner-operated businesses), per published ranges from Glacier Lake Partners, Exit Lab and others. The most recent named acquisition tracked on this page closed in September 2026.
Why septic companies are consolidating
- •The US septic, drain and sewer cleaning services industry is an estimated $8.7 billion market in 2026, according to IBISWorld.
- •There are 7,717 businesses in the US septic, drain and sewer cleaning services industry, and no company holds a market share greater than 5%, according to IBISWorld.
- •More than one in five homes across the US relies on a septic system to manage its wastewater, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
- •The largest consolidator, Wind River Environmental, reports more than 100 acquisitions and locations in 16 states, according to Wind River Environmental.
- •Liquid Environmental Solutions, which Goldman Sachs Alternatives agreed to buy in July 2025, served customers from 64 service locations and 26 treatment and processing facilities at the time of the deal, according to Liquid Environmental Solutions.
The platforms consolidating septic companies
The named groups acquiring US septic businesses, with their current owner and a source for each. Most grow through individual partnerships that are not separately disclosed; where a platform publishes named deals, recent ones are listed.
| Acquirer | Owner / backer | Type | Headquarters | Latest named deal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind River Environmental | Gryphon Investors | Private equity | Marlborough, MA | Aug 2026 |
| Septic Blue | Georgia Oak Partners (Source Capital provided debt and an equity co-investment) | Private equity | Atlanta, GA | Jun 2026 |
| Premier Tech Water and Environment | Premier Tech (private; Bélanger family) | Strategic / family-owned | Rivière-du-Loup, QC | Aug 2026 |
| Liquid Environmental Solutions (LES) | Infrastructure at Goldman Sachs Alternatives | Private equity | Irving, TX | Mar 2026 |
| P3 Services | Stellex Capital Management | Private equity | Hockley, TX | Mar 2025 |
| Smith's Sanitary Septic Service | Full Guard Capital | Private equity | Hanover, PA | — |
| SES Mid Atlantic / Advantage Septic Service | Seekye Capital | Private equity | Manassas, VA | — |
| Rescue Cesspool & Drain | Chelsea Square Partners (majority, alongside the founder) | Private equity | Islandia, NY | — |
| LJP Waste Solutions | Nonantum Capital Partners | Private equity | North Mankato, MN | Mar 2026 |
| Half Moon Plumbing & Electric | Dustin and Tiffany Mitchell (founders) | Strategic / family-owned | Owasso, OK | Sep 2026 |
Wind River Environmental
Private equity- Owner
- Gryphon Investors
- Headquarters
- Marlborough, MA
- Scale
- Locations in 16 states; "a robust portfolio of over 100 acquisitions" (Aug 2026)
Gryphon has backed Wind River since 2017 and published the March 2026 J&M Transfer deal as portfolio news. Mergermarket reported in June 2024 that Gryphon was exploring a sale with William Blair and Baird. This run found no completed sale or recap. Wind River also buys grease-trap and sludge haulers: HydroTech and J&M are sludge haulers, and East Coast Resources is a grease-trap pumper. The Liquid Assets Disposal purchase was announced as an agreement pending regulatory approval. GDM (Aug 2026) is its first deal in the western US.
Septic Blue
Private equity- Owner
- Georgia Oak Partners (Source Capital provided debt and an equity co-investment)
- Headquarters
- Atlanta, GA
- Scale
- Atlanta, Charlotte and Raleigh at the 2023 buyout; has since added the Orlando area, Florida's Nature Coast and Dade City, FL through acquisitions
Georgia Oak announced the buyout on Nov 15, 2023. Source Capital, which supplied financing through its SBIC fund, dates the closing to February 2024. The June 2026 release still says Septic Blue is backed by Georgia Oak.
Premier Tech Water and Environment
Strategic / family-owned- Owner
- Premier Tech (private; Bélanger family)
- Headquarters
- Rivière-du-Loup, QC
- Scale
- 6,100 team members in 31 countries (whole Premier Tech group; US service footprint not stated)
A Canadian group that makes Ecoflo septic systems and buys pumping and service companies to integrate vertically. Hile is its 'third acquisition in the United States in the past year.' HEC Montréal's family-enterprise chair says the Bélanger family has been involved since 1963. Premier Tech's own 2021 report says it went private in February 2007. No company filing confirms the current shareholding, so confidence in family ownership is medium. Its UK septic deals are excluded.
Liquid Environmental Solutions (LES)
Private equity- Owner
- Infrastructure at Goldman Sachs Alternatives
- Headquarters
- Irving, TX
- Scale
- 65 collection branches and 25 wastewater treatment plants (Mar 2026 release); 64 service locations and 26 treatment and processing facilities at the July 2025 sale
Bought from Audax Private Equity. The deal was announced July 22, 2025, and Houlihan Lokey says it closed Sep 2, 2025. LES is mainly a grease-trap and commercial liquid-waste business, and all three recent deals are grease-trap firms. Its septic exposure comes from older add-ons: FloHawks Plumbing + Septic (Puyallup, WA, Sep 2020) and Advance Plumbing & Septic of Birmingham (Hueytown, AL, Feb 2021).
P3 Services
Private equity- Owner
- Stellex Capital Management
- Headquarters
- Hockley, TX
- Scale
- 20 operating companies across eight states (Aug 2026)
Mainly a plumbing platform, and Forsyth is its only named septic deal. Forsyth was acquired during 2024 and announced on March 4, 2025. The August 2026 release still says P3 is backed by Stellex.
Smith's Sanitary Septic Service
Private equity- Owner
- Full Guard Capital
- Headquarters
- Hanover, PA
- Scale
- Serves South Central Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland
A new platform from July 2026. Full Guard, based in Lancaster, PA, describes itself as offering 'the flexibility of an independent sponsor' and says it is backed by family offices and high-net-worth individuals. It says septic is 'a highly fragmented industry' and that it sees room to grow by acquisition. No add-ons have been published yet. The Hanover HQ comes from the company's own website and directory listings, not the release.
SES Mid Atlantic / Advantage Septic Service
Private equity- Owner
- Seekye Capital
- Headquarters
- Manassas, VA
- Scale
- Serves Virginia (not otherwise disclosed)
Seekye's first platform (August 2025) combines soil evaluation and septic design (SES Mid Atlantic), septic service (Advantage Septic) and an environmental lab (Joiner Labs). The Manassas HQ comes from SES's website and Advantage's BBB listing. Seekye's only later deal, in January 2026, was the accounting firm DuvallWheeler. No septic add-ons have been published.
Rescue Cesspool & Drain
Private equity- Owner
- Chelsea Square Partners (majority, alongside the founder)
- Headquarters
- Islandia, NY
- Scale
- Serves Long Island
A majority recapitalization completed in May 2025. The release talks about adding service lines, not acquisitions, and no add-ons have been published. Treat it as a PE-owned septic company rather than a proven consolidator.
LJP Waste Solutions
Private equity- Owner
- Nonantum Capital Partners
- Headquarters
- North Mankato, MN
- Scale
- Not disclosed
A solid-waste, recycling and zero-landfill platform owned by Nonantum since 2022, not a septic specialist. ULWR is mainly a food-waste recycler, and its septic exposure comes through United Septic and Drain.
Half Moon Plumbing & Electric
Strategic / family-owned- Owner
- Dustin and Tiffany Mitchell (founders)
- Headquarters
- Owasso, OK
- Scale
- Not disclosed (serves Owasso, Tulsa, Broken Arrow and Bartlesville)
An owner-run plumbing and electrical contractor with one septic tuck-in. Both sources are paid press-release syndication (XPR Media).
Selling in your state?
What septic businesses sell for, who is buying, and how many there are, state by state.
Frequently asked
Who buys the most septic companies?
Wind River Environmental, backed by Gryphon Investors since 2017. It reports more than 100 acquisitions and locations in 16 states. Its 2025-2026 deals include septic, grease and sludge-hauling firms in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, West Virginia and Rhode Island. In August 2026 it bought GDM Environmental of Colorado, its first deal in the western US.
What multiple will my septic business sell for?
CT Acquisitions says most owner-operated septic companies trade at about 2.5x-3.5x SDE (seller's discretionary earnings), and established multi-truck operations with recurring routes at 4x-6x EBITDA. Glacier Lake Partners puts septic and drain service at 4-7x EBITDA: 5-7x for businesses with documented recurring pump-out programs and 3.5-5x for operators that mostly answer emergency calls.
What makes a septic business worth more?
Glacier Lake Partners says recurring pump-out contracts and commercial grease-trap work raise the multiple. In its table, a business with more than 40% of revenue from commercial grease traps reaches 6.0-7.0x, against 4.0-5.0x for a mainly residential pump-out business. CT Acquisitions adds route density, an owned fleet, transferable permits and established disposal relationships. CT says install-only revenue, an aging fleet, no secure disposal arrangement and cash handling or unrecorded work pull the price down.
Is private equity the only buyer?
No. Premier Tech, a private Quebec company that makes septic systems, bought Karr's Septic Service (Vinton, IA), Welu Pumping Service (Dubuque, IA) and Hile Septic (Mercer, PA) between August 2025 and August 2026. Owner-run Half Moon Plumbing & Electric bought Blue Bison Services of Bartlesville, OK, in September 2026. Rice Septic Solutions was formed in Oklahoma City to buy Vets Septic Service, a deal that closed May 29, 2026.
Can I sell only part of my business?
Some buyers take only one line. In 2018 United Site Services bought just the portable restroom business of J&J Portable Toilets & Septic Services in Owings, MD, and J&J kept its septic work.
Are new buyers entering the septic industry?
Yes. In July 2026 Full Guard Capital partnered with Smith's Sanitary Septic Service, which serves South Central Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland, and said it sees room to grow by acquisition. In August 2025 Seekye Capital made SES Mid Atlantic and Advantage Septic of Virginia its first platform. In May 2025 Chelsea Square Partners completed a majority recapitalization of Rescue Cesspool & Drain of Islandia, NY.
Methodology & sources
Compiled in October 2026 from acquirer, sponsor and adviser press releases, private equity portfolio pages and trade press, then checked by a second, adversarial pass. Sources were found through Parallel search and a limited number of web searches, and each was read directly. Each platform's owner was checked for a 2025-2026 sale, recap or merger. A deal is listed only if a source names the target, the buyer and the date. Grease-trap and sludge-hauling deals by the same buyers are included and noted as such. Manufacturers, portable-toilet-only carve-outs, industrial wastewater and underground-infrastructure firms, municipal utilities and non-US targets are excluded. The list is not a census: septic M&A outside Wind River is thinly reported, and small private deals often go unannounced.
Multiple sources
- Glacier Lake Partners, Selling a Septic & Drain Service Business M&A guide (May 5, 2026) ↗
- Exit Lab, Service Business Valuation Multiples by Industry (2026) ↗
- bzwrth, What's My Septic Services Business Worth? ↗
Market sources
- IBISWorld, Septic, Drain & Sewer Cleaning Services in the US (updated June 2026) ↗
- US EPA, 14th SepticSmart Week release (Sept 14, 2026) ↗
- Wind River Environmental, GDM Environmental acquisition release (Aug 28, 2026) ↗
- Liquid Environmental Solutions, Goldman Sachs Alternatives acquisition release (July 22, 2025) ↗
Last updated October 6, 2026. Platform ownership last verified October 6, 2026. Ownership in this sector changes frequently; figures reflect the most recent public sources available and are not investment, legal, or tax advice.
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