From a single-division operation in Miami to one of the Southeast’s most diversified trenchless rehabilitation and municipal services firms, Envirowaste Services Group has built its reputation on adaptability, responsiveness and a relentless focus on client needs. 

Founded in 1998, the company first established itself in South Florida’s demanding municipal market, where the subtropical climate and aging infrastructure requires both speed and innovation.

Hurricanes played an early role in shaping the company’s trajectory. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the firm expanded its service capabilities to meet the urgent demand for debris removal, sewer cleaning and stormwater system rehabilitation. What began as a regional provider quickly grew into a multi-division enterprise with a reach across the Southeastern United States. Strategic acquisitions — including KRG Utility, Jamco, IVAC and Altair — broadened both geographic footprint and service depth, adding specialized expertise and a workforce with decades of local experience.

Today, EWSG operates seven locations, employs nearly 300 people and maintains one of the industry’s largest fleets of combination trucks, CCTV inspection units and trenchless rehabilitation rigs. Its customer base spans municipalities, airports, utilities and private industry, and the company is widely recognized for its ability to mobilize quickly in emergency situations — from catastrophic storms to critical infrastructure failures.

For CEO Jim Long, growth has always been about more than numbers. “We’ve never been interested in being the biggest for its own sake,” he says. “It’s about building capacity in the right places, with the right people, so when a client has a problem, we can be there with the equipment, the expertise and the solutions that work.” 

That philosophy has guided EWSG’s steady evolution into a trusted partner for some of the largest and most compliance-sensitive infrastructure owners in the region.

Broad capabilities

EWSG delivers end-to-end underground infrastructure services across three key segments: 

• Assessment — CCTV, smoke-testing, manhole inspections, I&I/SSES studies
• Maintenance & Cleaning — Sanitary, stormwater, industrial
• Rehabilitation & Renewal — Sectional CIPP point repairs, pipe-bursting, manhole rehab, sliplining, excavated point repairs

This breadth lets clients move from diagnosis to repair with one contractor. 

Much of the work starts with cleaning and televising. “All cities with a sewer collection system permit are required to do a certain percentage of cleaning each year,” says Josh Powers, business development manager for EWSG, noting that compliance drives steady inspection programs and helps cities prioritize repairs. “We lean on the state rules and regs to help educate clients on why it matters.”

When defects are found, EWSG favors trenchless solutions. Justin Andre, region manager of KRG Utility, highlighted the value of sectional liners for localized failures: “We installed a $7,000 patch that passed city inspection where opencut was quoted at $200,000-$300,000 — same outcome, a fraction of the disruption.”

Nash Huffman, region manager of KRG Rehab adds that difficult replacements — large diameters or constrained corridors — often call for pipe bursting: “If someone’s calling us, it’s because they know the job is going to be hard. We always want to have a solution.”

Beyond sanitary, EWSG increasingly supports stormwater owners — HOAs, golf courses and cities — where aging corrugated systems and sediment lead to corrosion and sinkholes. “A lot of private systems weren’t doing preventive maintenance,” Andre shares. “We’re helping boards phase sectional repairs, slip lining or bursting into their maintenance plans, and we educate them on funding alternatives since HOAs don’t have the same access to grants as municipalities.”

Solving problems

EWSG’s footprint allows multi-crew mobilization for emergencies — from hurricanes to sudden infrastructure failures. For example, crews deployed after Hurricane Helene to support recovery in North Carolina communities while maintaining scheduled work elsewhere. The team also handles aviation support for American Airlines at Miami International Airport: “When a holding-tank line on an aircraft is blocked, we connect, clear it and get the plane back in service,” says Mike Garcia, Miami Region manager of EWSG. 

For time-sensitive municipal work, piggyback contracting has become a force multiplier. “Some prospects prefer to rebid, but when they speak with peer agencies already using the contract — on pricing, service, capabilities — they see how fast we can start,” Garcia shares. He cited a recent multimillion-dollar effort helping a city lift moratoriums by bringing pump stations back into compliance.

Across divisions, the emphasis is on solving the whole problem rather than delivering siloed tasks. As Powers put it, education plus condition data helps owners decide “what to do next,” and the company’s integrated model means inspection, cleaning and rehab can be sequenced without losing momentum. Internally, cross-regional support keeps response times tight. “If one region is overloaded, another sends crews or equipment,” says HR Director Dorothy Tillett.

In the field

Behind Envirowaste Services Group’s reputation for reliability is one of the most comprehensive cleaning, trenchless and inspection fleets in the Southeast. The company’s investment in high-capacity units, advanced rehabilitation tools and specialized inspection technology ensures crews can tackle everything from large-diameter interceptors to small service laterals.

At the core of EWSG’s operations is a fleet of nearly 50 Vacall, Vac-Con and Vactor combination trucks, ensuring the company can respond to multiple projects or emergencies simultaneously. On the inspection side, EWSG has a large fleet of CCTV camera trucks and crawler systems from CUES and Aries. Using pan-and-tilt robotic crawlers, operators provide detailed condition assessments for both municipalities and private clients. These systems support PACP-compliant coding, ensuring that utilities have the documentation needed for prioritizing capital projects and regulatory reporting.

The company’s trenchless division is equipped with a full arsenal of TT Technologies pipe bursting rigs, allowing the replacement of failing water and sewer lines with minimal surface disruption. Crews are also trained and equipped for cured-in-place spot repairs, manhole rehabilitation and lateral reinstatement. This allows EWSG to extend the life of underground assets while reducing community impacts such as traffic delays, noise and open excavation.

And for wet-weather surcharges, treatment plant shutdowns or major relining projects, EWSG maintains a fleet of high-capacity bypass pumps and pump trucks — a capability that often makes the difference in meeting tight schedules or regulatory requirements.

“If a city calls with a collapsed main or an emergency overflow, we can have the right crew and the right equipment rolling within hours,” Andre says. That redundancy — in both people and specialized assets — gives EWSG a competitive edge.

Building a culture

While Envirowaste Services Group is defined by its fleet and capabilities, what truly sets the company apart is the culture that runs through its seven southeastern branches. With nearly 300 employees, EWSG is built on a foundation of trust, loyalty and shared accountability.

The leadership team consistently points to one factor that has sustained the company’s growth: investing in people. From onboarding and training new hires to retaining seasoned operators, the company works deliberately to create an environment where employees can thrive. Turnover is low compared to industry averages, with many team members staying for years because they know they have support, stability and opportunities to grow. 

Professional development is taken seriously. Field crews regularly undergo safety training, with confined-space entry, traffic control and OSHA requirements emphasized as part of everyday operations. NASSCO certifications in PACP, LACP and MACP ensure that inspection and rehabilitation work meets the standards municipalities require. The company also places strong emphasis on mentorship. Newer employees are paired with experienced operators, learning both the technical aspects of sewer cleaning, CCTV inspection and trenchless rehabilitation, and the practical realities of working in sometimes difficult environments.

That culture of preparation has real-world benefits. It fosters confidence in the field and provides clients with crews that are not only well trained but also motivated to do the job right the first time.

Importantly, EWSG’s culture also prioritizes safety and responsibility. Crews are encouraged to flag hazards without fear of repercussion, and daily job site meetings reinforce the importance of keeping both workers and the public safe. This attitude has made EWSG a trusted partner for municipalities and industries that cannot afford downtime, accidents or costly errors.

Ready to respond

For municipalities and industries in the Southeast, storm events, flooding and unexpected infrastructure failures are a fact of life. Envirowaste Services Group has built its reputation on being the company that can mobilize quickly when these challenges hit. Emergency response is not treated as a sideline; it is woven into the company’s structure, resources and training.

With seven strategically located branches, EWSG is able to stage crews and equipment close to areas most vulnerable to weather and infrastructure risk. When hurricanes have swept across Florida and neighboring states, the company has deployed multiple divisions simultaneously — vacuum trucks clearing storm drains, CCTV units assessing damage and bypass pumps maintaining flow when critical systems were offline. 

“When hurricanes roll through Florida, we’re not waiting for the phone to ring,” Andre says. “Our crews are already staged with vac trucks and pumps because we know the calls are coming.”

Emergency mobilization requires more than equipment; it requires personnel who are prepared to work under unpredictable and sometimes hazardous conditions. EWSG emphasizes readiness by training crews in incident command protocols, confined-space safety and flood response procedures. Because of this preparation, clients know they can depend on the company to step in without hesitation when water is rising or when sewer systems are on the brink of failure.

Municipalities also rely on EWSG for less dramatic but equally urgent needs, such as collapsed mains, sinkholes or plant shutdowns that require immediate attention. 

“A lot of times a city will call with a collapsed main or a plant shutdown, and they need bypass pumping or clean up right away,” Garcia says. “That’s where we step in — we can mobilize fast and keep their systems flowing.” 

The ability to respond quickly has made EWSG a trusted partner not only to cities but also to state agencies and private industries whose operations cannot tolerate downtime. Clients return because they know the company will not only show up fast but also bring a solution-oriented mindset. Emergency calls are approached with the same professionalism as planned projects, with documentation, safety oversight and follow-up reporting that meet the standards of regulators and engineers. 

Looking ahead

As Envirowaste Services Group looks ahead, its leaders see mounting demands on the region’s infrastructure. Rapid population growth, aging systems and climate-related stresses mean municipalities and industries will increasingly need partners capable of providing fast, compliant and scalable solutions.

To meet that demand, EWSG is concentrating on three priorities: strategic growth, technology investment and workforce development. Expanding its branch network across the Southeast will ensure coverage in high-growth areas while maintaining the company’s hallmark responsiveness. At the same time, continued investment in trenchless technologies, high-resolution CCTV platforms and environmentally responsible disposal methods will allow the company to stay on the cutting edge of efficiency and compliance.

For EWSG, the future isn’t just about growth — it’s about reinforcing its role as a trusted infrastructure partner. By aligning expansion, innovation and workforce development with the needs of its municipal and industrial clients, the company is positioning itself to deliver sustainable solutions well into the decades ahead.