VAC Truck

When a storm drain backs up, a sewer main clogs, or you need to dig within inches of a live gas line, you need a VAC truck and the crew who knows how to run it. American Water, Sewer & Drain operates an industry-leading Vactor fleet for storm and sanitary sewer cleaning, hydro-excavation, and debris removal across Vero Beach, the Treasure Coast, and the entire state of Florida. We are a Florida State Certified Underground Utility Contractor (CUC 1225741), bonded, licensed, and insured, with the FDOT and municipal track record to back it up. Whether you manage a public works system, a commercial property, or a construction site, you get one vendor who cleans the line, excavates safely, and handles the whole job from the first jet to final haul-off.

How Our VAC Trucks Work

Our Vactor combination units pair a high-pressure water jet with a powerful vacuum to clean and excavate in a single pass. The jet head breaks up grease, sediment, roots, and debris packed into storm drains and sewer mains, while the vacuum simultaneously pulls the loosened material into the onboard debris tank for clean haul-off. For hydro-excavation, we use pressurized water to cut soil and a wide-bore vacuum to lift the spoil, exposing buried utilities without the strike risk of a mechanical excavator. It is fast, non-destructive, and precise enough to dig around live water, sewer, gas, and electrical lines.

Where VAC Truck Service Is Used

Hydro-excavation and Vactor cleaning fit any job where you cannot afford a utility strike or a backed-up line. We clean municipal storm and sanitary sewer systems, catch basins, lift stations, and culverts; we daylight (potholing) to verify the exact depth and location of existing utilities before boring or trenching; and we excavate clean, stable holes for new pole sets, valve installations, and tie-ins. The same fleet supports our CIPP trenchless rehabilitation work on lines from 2 inches to 110 inches, clearing and prepping pipe before a cured-in-place liner goes in. From public works contracts to commercial sites and construction staging, the VAC truck is the first tool on the ground.

Why American Water, Sewer & Drain

This is not a rented truck and a day-rate operator. We are a Florida State Certified Underground Utility Contractor (CUC 1225741), fully bonded, licensed, and insured, and we hold a proven FDOT and municipal track record, including the Kanner Highway E4V49 project at $1.42M, District 5 work in Lake County, and PGA Village WO9 at $1.345M. That means our crews run to DOT-grade standards on traffic control, safe digging, spoil handling, and disposal. Because we also self-perform trenchless CIPP lining and full underground utility construction, you get one certified contractor for cleaning, excavation, and repair, no subcontractor finger-pointing, no gaps in accountability.

What to Expect on the Job

We start with a clear scope: what needs cleaning or exposing, the utilities in play, and the site access and traffic conditions. Our crew arrives with the right Vactor unit and trenchless rigs, sets up proper traffic control and containment, and works to certified underground utility standards from start to finish. We jet, vacuum, and excavate cleanly, document the work, haul off and dispose of debris responsibly, and leave the site restored. For emergencies, blocked storm lines, sewer backups, or a utility you have to expose before crews can keep moving, you reach a contractor with the fleet and certification to respond statewide.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a VAC truck and hydro-excavation?

They run on the same equipment. A VAC (Vactor) truck combines a high-pressure water jet with an industrial vacuum. When we use it to clean storm drains and sewer mains, that is sewer cleaning. When we use the same jet-and-vacuum system to safely dig soil and expose buried utilities, that is hydro-excavation, also called daylighting or potholing. Our fleet does both.

Is hydro-excavation safe around gas, electric, and water lines?

Yes, that is exactly why it is used. Hydro-excavation cuts soil with pressurized water instead of steel teeth, so there is no mechanical blade to strike a buried line. It is the preferred method for exposing live gas, electric, water, and sewer utilities before boring or trenching, which is why utilities and the FDOT specify it. Our crews are state-certified underground utility contractors and dig to DOT-grade safety standards.

Do you serve municipalities and large public works projects?

Yes. We are a Florida State Certified Underground Utility Contractor (CUC 1225741), bonded, licensed, and insured, with an FDOT and municipal track record that includes the Kanner Highway E4V49 ($1.42M), Lake County District 5, and PGA Village WO9 ($1.345M) projects. We work for public agencies, contractors, and commercial clients across Vero Beach, the Treasure Coast, and statewide Florida.