What Hydro vacs does

HydroVac Inc (HVI), operating as Hydro-vac, Inc. and based in Lakeville, Minnesota, is a privately held underground utility services company founded in 2001. The firm delivers an integrated trenchless service portfolio across five core lines: sewer televising (high-resolution and lateral-launch camera inspection), high-pressure sewer jetting (1,500–4,000 PSI), sectional CIPP point repair, mechanical spot repair using stainless steel sleeves with rubber gaskets, and hydro excavation (pressurized water + industrial vacuum daylighting). Together these offerings form a closed workflow in which the company diagnoses pipe defects, cleans lines, rehabilitates damaged sections, and exposes utilities non-destructively, with CIPP liners meeting ASTM F1216 standards and designed for 50+ year service life. Service capability extends across pipe diameters from 6" to 118" and is operable year-round, including in frozen ground conditions.

The company monetizes through professional-services engagements — project-based or hourly pricing for hydro excavation, per-repair pricing for trenchless work (single point repairs from a few thousand to $7,000+; full CIPP lining averages $40–$100 per linear foot), and inspection fees for televising. Go-to-market is direct field sales with relationship-based account management, supported by phone (24/7), website contact forms, free consultations, and a content marketing engine (blog, service-area pages, social). It targets four customer segments — municipalities, contractors (including named partner Frattalone), utility providers, and residential/commercial property owners — across five Upper Midwest states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota.

Operationally, HydroVac Inc is a small, closely held business with a leadership team of approximately six (CEO Shelly Thompson, COO Caleb Fouss, Operations Manager Loren Thompson, Safety & Compliance Manager Jennine Dominice, plus administrative and executive assistants). No outside institutional investment, M&A activity, patents, trademarks, or formal certifications/awards are disclosed. Two office locations are listed (Lakeville HQ and a Cannon Falls contact address), and infrastructure scale in its core markets is substantial — 20,000+ miles of sewer lines in Minnesota, 15,000+ municipal systems in Wisconsin, 47,000+ miles in Iowa, and 4,500+ miles in South Dakota.

Name

Hydro vacs

Legal name

HydroVac Inc

Website

https://hydrovacmn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HydroVac Inc is a privately held Lakeville, Minnesota-based underground utility services company delivering trenchless sewer repair, hydro excavation, sewer jetting, and camera inspection across five Upper Midwest states for municipalities, contractors, utilities, and property owners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Underground Utility Services

NAICS

Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (237110)

SIC

Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Cleaning & Decontamination (Hydroblasting/Vacuum/Confined Space) (IMAIACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hydro Jetting Services (HSAOABAD), Storm Drain & Yard Drain Cleaning & Repair (HSAOABAL), Sewer Pump/Lift Stations & Wet Wells (EUANACAC)

Keywords

• Hydro excavation services
• Trenchless sewer repair
• Sewer jetting cleaning
• Sewer camera inspection
• Underground utility locating

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakeville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Hydro Excavation Services: Hourly or project-based hydro excavation services for utility exposure, trenching, daylighting, and debris removal. Pricing varies by project scope, location, and access conditions.
2. Trenchless Pipe Repair Services: Sectional point repair and mechanical spot repair services using CIPP and stainless steel sleeve technology. Revenue generated per repair with costs ranging from thousands to $7,000+ per point depending on scope and complexity.
3. Sewer Jetting Services: High-pressure sewer jetting for cleaning storm and sanitary sewer lines. Service fees based on pipe length, diameter, and blockage severity.
4. Sewer Televising & Inspection Services: Camera inspection services using advanced sewer camera technology. Inspection fees typically based on pipe length and access complexity. Often paired with repair services.
5. 24/7 Emergency Services: Emergency response services for urgent utility and sewer issues. Premium pricing for emergency response availability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HydroVac Inc provides hydro excavation (non-destructive digging using pressurized water and vacuum), trenchless sewer repair (CIPP sectional point repair and mechanical spot repair with stainless steel sleeves), high-pressure sewer jetting (1,500-4,000 PSI), and sewer camera televising services. The company delivers these underground utility services to municipalities, contractors, utility providers, and private property owners across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota.

Product overview

HydroVac-Inc operates as a trenchless underground utility services company offering a coordinated suite of five core service offerings. The portfolio includes Sewer Televising (camera-based pipe inspection), Sewer Jetting (high-pressure water cleaning), Sectional Point Repair and Mechanical Spot Repair (both trenchless pipe rehabilitation methods), and Hydro Excavation (non-destructive digging). These services function as an integrated workflow where televising identifies issues, jetting prepares pipes, repairs address damage, and hydro excavation enables safe utility exposure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hydro Excavation Non-destructive digging service using pressurized water and industrial vacuum systems to safely expose underground utilities, trench, and remove soil without damaging critical infrastructure. Works year-round including frozen ground conditions.
• Sectional Point Repair (CIPP) Trenchless sewer repair using a cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) liner inserted via packer or guide system and cured in place to form a structural pipe wall over damaged sections. Targets cracks, joint separations, root intrusion, and corrosion in concrete, HDPE, CMP, PVC, and clay pipes for diameters from 6" to 118".
• Mechanical Spot Repair Trenchless pipe repair using stainless steel sleeves with rubber gaskets mechanically expanded inside damaged pipe sections. Seals infiltration, exfiltration, and root intrusion without excavation, providing structural integrity from inside the pipe.
• Sewer Jetting High-pressure water jetting service using controlled water pressure (typically 1,500-4,000 PSI) to clear grease, sediment, roots, and mineral buildup from sewer and storm lines, restoring full pipe capacity and flow for pipes 4" to 96" in diameter.
• Sewer Televising Real-time camera inspection service using high-resolution sewer cameras, 360-degree rotating cameras, lateral launch systems for branching lines, and push cameras for residential laterals to inspect pipe interiors, locate damage, blockages, and structural defects without excavation.
• 24/7 Emergency Services Round-the-clock emergency response services for urgent utility exposure and sewer issues, including rapid-response hydro excavation and sewer repair with premium pricing for emergency availability.

Quantifiable outcome

• Most CIPP point repairs completed within hours
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FrattaloneminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional utility contractor partnership for sewer jetting and clearing services. Frattalone partners with HVI for pre-final inspection jetting and clearing of newly installed or repaired pipes for municipal and commercial projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• National Water Main Cleaning Co. National Water Main Cleaning provides sewer cleaning, inspection, and rehabilitation services for municipal and industrial clients in the eastern U.S. Closely comparable service bundle (jetting, televising, rehab) to HydroVac, though operating in a different geography.
• Vortex Companies: Vortex Companies provides trenchless sewer rehabilitation products and services including CIPP lining, pipe coatings, and sewer repair. Direct overlap with HydroVac's CIPP sectional point repair and trenchless pipe rehabilitation offering.
• Pro-Pipe Services: Pro-Pipe provides sewer cleaning, CCTV inspection, and trenchless sewer rehabilitation services across the western U.S. Closely analogous full-service trenchless sewer offering to HydroVac, differing primarily in geographic footprint.
• Hydro Physics: Hydro Physics provides hydro excavation, sewer jetting, and CCTV inspection services with multiple regional locations. Direct competitor to HydroVac's core hydro excavation and sewer service offerings, primarily operating in the western U.S.
• HammerHead Trenchless: HammerHead Trenchless designs and manufactures trenchless equipment and provides CIPP, pipe bursting, and point repair solutions used by sewer rehabilitation contractors. Overlaps with HydroVac's CIPP and mechanical spot repair services and is a likely equipment supplier.
• LMK Technologies: LMK Technologies manufactures and supplies CIPP lateral lining systems, spot repair systems, and related trenchless rehabilitation products. Direct competitor/peer in the CIPP sectional and spot repair space where HydroVac operates.

Broad incumbents

• Aegion Corporation: Aegion (parent of Insituform Technologies) is a global leader in CIPP pipeline rehabilitation for water, sewer, and industrial pipelines. Comparable trenchless technology offering to HydroVac's CIPP work but at enterprise scale serving municipal and industrial clients nationwide.
• Badger Daylighting: Badger Daylighting is North America's largest hydrovac excavation services provider with a fleet of more than 1,000 trucks across the U.S. and Canada. Directly comparable to HydroVac's hydro excavation service line, but operating at vastly greater scale and as a publicly traded incumbent.

Others

• Vermeer Corporation: Vermeer is a major manufacturer of underground construction equipment including hydro excavation trucks and trenchless installation tools. Comparable ecosystem participant — a likely equipment supplier to HydroVac and broader category anchor.

Regional players

• USIC Locating Services: USIC is the largest utility locating services provider in North America, performing underground utility locating for contractors and municipalities. Comparable adjacent service to HydroVac's "daylighting" and utility exposure work, though focused on locating rather than excavation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hydro-vac-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Hydro vacs