¢
BIZBITE

Storm Drain Filter Maintenance

Tiny grates, ugly floods, recurring compliance work

Bottom line

Worth studying, but do not buy without strong local proof.

Storm drain filter maintenance companies clean catch basins, replace filter media, service trash-capture inserts, remove sediment, and document stormwater BMP work for commercial properties. The acquisition angle is that parking lots, industrial yards, retail centers, HOAs, schools, and municipalities do not call until drains clog, inspectors ask for records, or a storm turns deferred maintenance into a flooding problem.

Acquisition score
Margin · multiple · SBA data
61Strong
Avg revenue
$650K/yr
$180K–$1.8M range
Profit margin
29%
~$189K SDE
Multiple
2.1–4.2×
of SDE
Est. buy price
$396K–$792K
startup: $45K–$220K

How It Works

The operator sells quarterly or seasonal stormwater maintenance routes, vacuums sediment from catch basins, cleans trench drains and grates, replaces filter inserts, photographs the work, and sends compliance-ready service reports. Revenue comes from recurring maintenance contracts, emergency flood response, filter-media replacements, and add-on drain repair or pumping jobs.

BizBite verdict

Watch / verify

Storm Drain Filter Maintenance has enough high-level data for a first look, but BizBite has not assigned a category-specific operating model yet. Treat the score as preliminary.

61Strong
low data confidence · 40/100medium financing fit

Why it may work

  • No strong positives yet. More verified data needed.

Be careful

  • !Source link status has not been verified yet
  • !No last-checked date yet
  • !No SBA category enrichment yet
  • !No category operating model yet
  • !Low data confidence

Deal Calculator

Priced off $189K SDE — can this deal service its own debt?

2.29×
DSCR · Lender-comfortable
Purchase multiple — 3.0× SDE ($565K)
Category range: 2.1×–4.2× SDE
Down payment — 10% ($57K)
SBA minimum equity injection is 10% for change-of-ownership
Interest rate — 10.50%
Typical SBA 7(a) range: 9.5–12% (prime-based)
Loan term — 10 years
Standard SBA 7(a): 10 years for business acquisition
Purchase price
$565K
3.0× of $189K SDE
Cash to close
$73K
$57K down + ~3% closing
Debt service
$7K/mo
$82K/yr on $509K loan
Cash-on-cash
145%
cash back in ~9 mo
Debt service coverage · what the lender sees
2.29×+$9K/mo after debt
Most SBA lenders want ≥1.25× coverage; 1.5×+ is a strong file.

SDE = revenue × margin estimate for this niche; it includes owner compensation, so budget your salary out of cash flow. Excludes working-capital injection, capex reserves, and taxes. Actual SBA terms vary by lender and borrower.

Pros

  • +Recurring maintenance is easier to sell after one flooding event or failed inspection
  • +Compliance documentation creates switching costs with property managers
  • +Route density can turn small drains into a profitable local service line
  • +Emergency calls produce premium work when storms expose neglect

Cons

  • -Dirty field work with weather spikes and messy disposal logistics
  • -Vacuum equipment, confined-space rules, and environmental handling matter
  • -Municipal and property-management buyers can be slow to approve budgets

Best For

Drain, paving, sweeping, landscaping, or facility-service buyers who want a compliance-adjacent recurring route with emergency upside

Operating Costs

Costs include vac or jetting equipment access, trucks, filter media, disposal, PPE, insurance, field labor, report software, and emergency scheduling. June 23 2026 recheck found the existing range still reasonable: municipal BMP guidance and service-provider pages continue to frame storm-drain/filter work as recurring catch-basin cleaning, filter-media replacement, trash-capture insert service, photo/GPS documentation, and audit-ready compliance reporting.

Where to Buy

Service Pumping & Drain - Storm Drain Maintenance

Provider reference for commercial storm drain cleaning, emergency support, and recurring maintenance plans

SWIMS - Storm Water Maintenance

Provider reference for cleaning trench drains, replacing filter media, documenting service, and preparing audit records

Oxmaint - Commercial Stormwater Maintenance

Facility-management reference describing stormwater as a recurring operational and compliance priority

Get the full breakdown in your inbox

Weekly boring business breakdowns

One boring business. Real numbers. Every week. Free.

Buy a storm drain filter maintenance
via Service Pumping & Drain - Storm Drain Maintenance
See listings →