Imagine a combination vacuum truck that never has to leave a job site for water tank refills.

That might sound like a pipe dream for some sewer-cleaning contractors, but it’s a reality every day for Equix Integrity thanks to three AquaStar water recycling vac trucks from KAISER Premier. The company bought its first AquaStar truck in 2019. 

Why invest in water recycling trucks? Two primary reasons: increasingly limited access to water from fire hydrants and large productivity gains, says Andrew Undicelli, vice president.

“It’s getting harder and harder to obtain access to fire hydrants to fill our trucks’ water tanks,” he explains. “With so many older water lines, municipalities are getting more and more protective about letting contractors hook up to hydrants. But with the AquaStars, we fill up in the morning and don’t stop working for the rest of the day. That results in a considerable productivity increase compared to the downtime caused by breaking down a job site, driving away to get a water refill, then coming back and setting up the job site again.”

While water recycling technology for vac trucks is relatively new in the United States, Undicelli says the company had no problem with investing in the KAISER trucks because the technology was developed decades ago and they have “worked out the kinks.”

Another benefit: The AquaStars are equipped with only one vacuum tube that works in conjunction with nearly 56 feet of suction hose that’s conveniently stored by wrapping around the top of the tank. That’s more efficient than hauling six to eight vacuum tubes, plus the tubes have pinch-points that can cause injuries, Undicelli notes.

“Also, vac-tube extensions tend to get stolen because they’re made of aluminum,” he adds.

The AquaStars feature KAISER KDU water pumps (up to 2,900 psi at up to 132 gpm); a telescoping combined jetting and suction boom with 180-degree swivel drive; 985 feet of 1-inch-diameter jetting hose; a 1,850 cfm KAISER liquid-ring vacuum pump; a 12.8-cubic-yard, stainless steel debris tank; and a highly automated operating system, including a touchscreen control panel and remote-control capability. 

Undicelli estimates that each AquaStar truck recycles between 500,000 and 600,000 gallons of water annually, a “green” benefit that the company uses to market its vac truck services.

Read more about Equix Integrity in the July 2023 issue of Cleaner magazine.