AUC Group

What AUC Group does

AUC Group, founded in 1970 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, provides modular and decentralized water and wastewater treatment infrastructure to municipalities, municipal utility districts (MUDs), master-planned community developers, commercial and industrial customers, and rural communities across 25+ U.S. states. The company designs, fabricates, leases, and operates treatment systems built around prefabricated steel modular units, membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology, and large-scale clarifier systems (exceeding 57 feet in diameter following the 2024 WAWCON asset acquisition), with treatment capacities ranging from 50,000 to 2,000,000 gallons per day.

The business operates across multiple revenue streams: the Lease Plant Program converts fixed infrastructure costs into variable lease expenses with options to buy; Build-Own-Operate (BOO) agreements bundle system delivery with long-term operations and maintenance under water-as-a-service-style contracts; direct equipment sales serve clients with capital availability; and O&M agreements provide recurring service revenue. The company's core go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting engineering firms, general contractors, and direct municipal/developer accounts, with TCEQ regulatory expertise (enabling MBR permitting in approximately 5 months versus 12-18 months industry-standard) serving as a key differentiator.

AUC Group operates as a subsidiary of Seven Seas Water Group, an international water-as-a-service provider, and has completed more than 2,000 treatment plants over its operating history, with 80% of projects concentrated in the Houston metropolitan area. The company's decentralized architecture eliminates 50-70% of pipeline capital costs inherent in centralized infrastructure, and its phased expansion model allows capacity to scale with actual demand rather than projected need. Recent strategic activity includes a December 2024 acquisition of WAWCON assets, establishment of a Tucson regional office for Western US expansion, and promotion of the BOO model for recurring revenue growth.

Name

AUC Group

Legal name

AUC Group L.P.

Website

https://aucgroup.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

AUC Group provides modular, decentralized water and wastewater treatment infrastructure to municipalities, municipal utility districts, master-planned community developers, and commercial clients across 25+ U.S. states, offering leasing, Build-Own-Operate, equipment sales, and O&M services from its Houston headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Water and Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure

NAICS

Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (5324), Other Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (53249)

SIC

Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950), Services-Equipment Rental & Leasing, Nec (7359)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEUANALAE

Construction Management & Delivery (EPCM/CMAR/Design-Build Oversight)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Water & Wastewater Utilities/Utility Asset Management & Capital Programs (Pipes, Plants, Pumps)

SECONDARYEUAHABAB

Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Environmental Compliance, Monitoring & Consulting/Regulatory Compliance & Auditing (Air, Water, Waste)

Keywords

• Modular wastewater treatment
• Decentralized water infrastructure
• Municipal utility treatment plants
• Wastewater treatment plant leasing
• Membrane bioreactor systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Plant Leasing (Lease Plant Program): AUC offers flexible leasing solutions for water and wastewater treatment infrastructure. Under the Lease Plant Program, clients lease treatment infrastructure with options to buy. Leases can include everything inside the fence and even the fence itself. Leasing converts fixed infrastructure costs into variable expenses, preserving borrowing capacity and providing capital flexibility for developers. Short-term and long-term lease options are available based on project timelines.
2. Build-Own-Operate (BOO) Agreements: Under BOO agreements, AUC builds, owns, and operates the treatment system, with clients paying for treated water or wastewater services under long-term agreements. This bundles system delivery with long-term operations and maintenance (O&M), providing steady recurring revenue for AUC while offloading risk and operational responsibility from clients.
3. Equipment Sales: Direct sale of wastewater treatment equipment including clarifier systems, package plants, and components. Equipment sales are backed by operational expertise and include options for purchase after leasing periods.
4. Wholesale/Alternative Delivery Solutions: Alternative infrastructure delivery models for long-term utility planning, including build-own-operate-transfer arrangements. These comprehensive solutions help communities access water infrastructure without significant upfront costs.
5. Operations and Maintenance Services: AUC can assume staffing and operational responsibilities under O&M agreements. Also offers long-term maintenance agreements for annual expert service inspections to keep installed plants in optimal condition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AUC Group designs, manufactures, leases, and operates modular and large-scale water and wastewater treatment infrastructure, including the Lease Plant Program for flexible financing, prefabricated steel treatment plants, membrane bioreactor (MBR) plants, clarifier systems exceeding 57 feet, and temporary bypass plants. Offerings are delivered as equipment sales, leases, Build-Own-Operate (BOO) service agreements, and operations & maintenance contracts for municipalities, municipal utility districts, master-planned community developers, and commercial/industrial clients across 25+ U.S. states.

Product overview

AUC Group provides a comprehensive portfolio of water and wastewater treatment solutions for growing Texas communities. The core offerings include the Lease Plant Program (flexible leasing for modular treatment plants), Water Treatment Systems (drinking water infrastructure), Wastewater Treatment Systems (including conventional activated sludge and MBR technologies), Temporary & Mobile Treatment (bypass plants), Clarifier Systems, Large-Scale Treatment Plants, Package Plants, Wholesale Delivery Approaches, Equipment Sales, and Build-Own-Operate (BOO) agreements. The company specializes in decentralized, modular treatment systems that can be scaled in phases with development pace, offering capacities ranging from 50,000 to over 2 million gallons per day. Key differentiators include their Lease Plant Program (converting fixed costs to variable expenses), expanded clarifier capabilities (acquired through WAWCON), and faster TCEQ permitting for MBR technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lease Plant Program: Flexible leasing solutions for water and wastewater treatment infrastructure that reduces large upfront infrastructure costs
• Water-as-a-Service (WaaS)

Products and services

• Lease Plant Program Flexible leasing solution for water and wastewater treatment infrastructure that reduces large upfront capital costs; clients lease treatment infrastructure with options to buy under short- or long-term terms, converting fixed CAPEX into variable OPEX.
• Water Treatment Systems Drinking water treatment infrastructure for municipalities, utility districts, and developers that treats well water and surface water to deliver fresh, clean water independent of city infrastructure.
• Wastewater Treatment Systems Wastewater treatment solutions for phased development and long-term infrastructure planning, including conventional or modular activated sludge systems sized to community needs.
• Temporary & Mobile Treatment Bypass wastewater systems that can be quickly installed and removed to provide temporary service during upgrades or repairs to existing treatment plants, deployed rapidly from a standing fleet.
• Clarifier Systems Bridge-supported and pier-supported clarifier systems for wastewater treatment, including configurations exceeding 57 feet in diameter and incorporating WAWCON's top-durability clarifier internals for higher-flow applications.
• Large-Scale Treatment Plants Steel wastewater treatment plants designed for higher-capacity applications exceeding 1 million gallons per day, with associated large-scale clarifiers available in sizes greater than 57 feet.
• Package Plants Modular, prefabricated wastewater treatment plants that can be rapidly deployed and scaled up or down as community needs change, with capacities ranging from 50,000 to 2,000,000 GPD.
• Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) Plants Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) treatment technology that combines biological treatment with advanced membrane filtration in a single unit, producing superior effluent quality in a compact footprint and obtaining TCEQ approval in approximately 5 months versus 12-18 months for conventional projects.
• Wholesale Delivery Approaches Alternative infrastructure delivery models for long-term utility planning, including build-own-operate-transfer arrangements that help communities access water infrastructure without significant upfront costs.
• Equipment Sales Direct sale of wastewater treatment equipment, including clarifier systems, package plants, and components, backed by operational expertise and available as a purchase alternative to leasing.
• Build-Own-Operate (BOO) Long-term Build-Own-Operate agreements in which AUC builds, owns, and operates the treatment system while clients pay for treated water or wastewater services under multi-year contracts that bundle system delivery with long-term O&M.
• Operations and Maintenance Services Operations and maintenance (O&M) services in which AUC assumes staffing and operational responsibilities under service agreements, plus long-term maintenance agreements for annual expert inspections to keep installed plants in optimal condition.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% cost reduction for 600,000 GPD plant ($8M traditional vs $2M AUC lease over 5 years)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WAWCON Inc.coreTechnology or Integration · 19 December 2024AUC Group acquired key assets of WAWCON Inc. to expand clarifier design capabilities. The acquisition adds WAWCON's top-durability clarifier internals for larger systems, allowing AUC to construct steel or concrete design clarifiers to larger specifications than ever before. WAWCON has long delivered high-quality, durable water and wastewater treatment equipment. The partnership enables large-scale clarifiers exceeding 57 feet in diameter and significantly expands AUC's technical capabilities.
• Seven Seas Water GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeven Seas Water Group is the parent company and strategic partner of AUC Group. AUC serves as the wastewater subsidiary of Seven Seas Water Group. Both companies share the mission of providing safe, clean water. The relationship with Seven Seas Water Group vastly expands AUC's supplier network for durable builds. Seven Seas Water Group operates internationally with Water-as-a-Service® offerings, while AUC focuses on wastewater treatment in the US market.
• Environmental Improvements, Inc.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEric Fields, Owner/VP of Environmental Improvements, Inc. partnered with AUC on the D.R. Horton temporary bypass plant project. Environmental Improvements serves as a customer and referral partner, connecting end-users with AUC's treatment solutions.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Smith & Loveless: Smith & Loveless is a long-established US manufacturer of packaged and prefabricated water and wastewater treatment plants serving municipal and industrial clients — directly comparable to AUC's modular plant offering and target customer base.
• Fluence Corporation: Fluence provides modular, decentralized water and wastewater treatment plants with Build-Own-Operate and leasing models globally — directly comparable to AUC's Lease Plant Program, BOO agreements, and rapid-deployment modular architecture.
• ParkUSA: ParkUSA designs and manufactures prefabricated water and wastewater treatment systems, including package plants and clarifiers — a direct peer in modular treatment infrastructure for municipal and industrial customers.
• Aqua-Aerobic Systems: Aqua-Aerobic Systems supplies wastewater treatment equipment including package plants, clarifiers, and MBR systems for municipalities and developers — a direct competitor in the same product categories AUC sells.
• WesTech Engineering: WesTech Engineering manufactures water and wastewater treatment equipment including clarifiers and filtration systems for municipal and industrial applications, overlapping directly with AUC's clarifier and package plant portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Evoqua Water Technologies: Evoqua is a large, established water and wastewater treatment solutions provider serving municipal and industrial customers across the US — a broad incumbent with overlapping treatment capabilities though not focused on AUC's leasing niche.
• Xylem: Xylem is a global water technology company offering treatment, transport, and testing solutions to utilities and industrial customers — a broad incumbent competing with AUC on larger municipal tenders and equipment supply.
• Veolia Water Technologies: Veolia is a global water and wastewater treatment giant serving municipal and industrial clients with EPC, O&M, and equipment offerings — a broad incumbent AUC competes against in competitive municipal bidding.
• De Nora Water Technologies: De Nora provides water and wastewater treatment equipment and electrochemical solutions for municipal and industrial markets — a broad incumbent with overlapping clarifier, filtration, and disinfection capabilities.

Emerging players

• BioMicrobics: BioMicrobics specializes in decentralized and packaged wastewater treatment systems for decentralized applications including small communities and commercial sites — an emerging/ niche player in the same decentralized architecture category as AUC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/auc-group-lp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AUC Group