Stormwater construction jobs involve drainage pipes, concrete structures and basins; maintenance crews clean and repair systems already in service.[6][3] Pay and entry requirements depend on which work you choose. AQUALIS’s Green Bay cleaning-crew laborer listing offers $26 an hour with construction experience preferred, not required.[1] Its Edmonds vacuum-truck listing offers $40–$50 an hour but requires a Class B CDL and at least one recent year of Class B driving experience.[2]
This guide compares six employer listings checked on October 30, 2026. It covers installation, cleaning and grounds maintenance, with separate pointers for municipal inspection and construction-site filtration. The quoted rates belong to specific jobs and locations, not a national wage range.
Part of the Water & Underground Infrastructure series
Start with your experience
- No construction background: compare AQUALIS in Green Bay and S.W.I.M.S. in San Juan Capistrano. Both offer routes into cleaning or maintenance support, not a confirmed beginner pipe-installation assignment.[1][4]
- Class B CDL plus recent driving experience: check AQUALIS in Edmonds. Prior vacuum-truck experience is preferred rather than required.[2]
- Pipe installation or construction leadership: compare Garney’s Buford pipelayer with Apex’s St. Louis foreman. They ask for two years of pipe experience and five to seven years of wet-utility construction, respectively.[5][6]
- Outdoor or grounds-maintenance experience: read Apex’s Fort Worth role, including its experience wording and typical 10–15 travel days per month.[3]
Six employer listings: pay, qualifications and travel
These are selected requirements, not complete eligibility checklists. Read the employer’s full description before applying. The table preserves the stated pay interval, identifies travel conditions and flags Garney’s unresolved application route.
| Employer and work base | Stated pay and assignment | Selected requirements and travel | Employer route |
|---|---|---|---|
| AQUALIS, Green Bay, Wisconsin. Construction Laborer. AppOne R_ID 6766274.[1] | $26/hour. Cleaning or televising crew support, manhole setup, hauling water and traffic control.[1] | Construction background and Class B CDL with tanker preferred, not required; CDL assistance offered. Clean driving record, map reading and out-of-town overnight travel listed. Per diem not stated.[1] | Read the role, then use its Apply Now button. Read role and apply |
| AQUALIS, Edmonds, Washington. Vac Truck Driver/Operator. AppOne R_ID 7100870.[2] | $40–$50/hour. Catch-basin and manhole cleaning, hydro-excavation and related duties.[2] | Valid Class B CDL and at least one recent year of Class B driving experience required. Vacuum-truck experience preferred, not required. DOT health-card eligibility and screening apply; evenings, weekends and overtime listed. Per diem not stated.[2] | Read the role, then use its Apply Now button. Read role and apply |
| Apex, Fort Worth, Texas. Landscape Technician (Stormwater). Requisition 11980.[3] | $19–$21/hour, depending on experience. Mowing, debris removal and light repairs at stormwater assets.[3] | Lists 1–2+ years of manual labor experience; outdoor experience and equipment knowledge described as preferred. Age 21, valid license, safe record, transport and screening listed. Typically 10–15 travel days/month; lodging and $55 per diem on travel days.[3] | Employer listing with application form. Confirm how the employer applies its experience wording. Read role and apply |
| S.W.I.M.S., San Juan Capistrano, California. Laborer/Technician (Driver), on Apex’s board. Job ID 12202.[4] | $21–$23/hour, as labeled in the pay-range panel. Storm-drain devices, vaults, filters and remediation support.[4] | No experience necessary; training provided. Valid license, clean record, transport, cell phone, English reading/writing and equipment ability listed. Overtime required; physical work includes lifting 25–75 lb. Various Southern California locations; per diem not stated.[4] | Employer listing with application form. The description names S.W.I.M.S. as the business hiring. Read role and apply |
| Garney, Buford, Georgia. Pipelayer. Requisition 12156.[5] | Wage rate not stated. Installation and repair of water, sewer and drain pipe; not an exclusively stormwater posting.[5] | Two years installing large-diameter water, sewer or storm-drain pipe; willingness to complete company training. Out-of-state travel and overtime required. Per diem not stated.[5] | Listing available, but Apply Now redirected to the careers homepage during our check. Search requisition 12156 or use the recruiter contact on the listing to confirm the route. Read listing and recruiter details |
| Apex, St. Louis, Missouri. Stormwater Construction Foreman. Requisition 12147.[6] | $25–$30/hour, depending on experience. Concrete structures, underground utilities and stormwater basins.[6] | Five to seven years of underground wet-utility construction; concrete, piping and basin experience; equipment operation and crew management. Valid license, safe driving record, transport, screening and physical-work conditions also apply. Typically 85% or more regional travel. Lodging, company vehicle and $68 per diem on out-of-town travel days.[6] | Employer listing with application form. This is an experienced construction-leadership route. Read role and apply |
The Apex listings displayed application forms. Both AQUALIS Apply Now links reached branded application welcome pages in our browser check; we did not complete the questionnaires. We did not submit applications or confirm that the jobs remain unfilled. Before planning travel or a move, ask the employer to confirm the requisition, work base and current terms.
What stormwater crews build and maintain
Stormwater drainage collects runoff from streets, parking lots and other surfaces.[7] EPA distinguishes separate stormwater pipes from sanitary pipes carrying wastewater to treatment, although combined sewer systems carry both.[7] For drinking-water work, see our water distribution jobs guide.
Install or repair drainage
Garney’s pipelayer description includes trench grading, pipe placement, fittings, backfill and leak testing.[5] Apex’s construction foreman role covers underground utilities, concrete structures and stormwater basins, with excavators, skid loaders and dozers among the listed equipment.[5][6]
Clean existing systems
AQUALIS’s vacuum-truck role includes catch-basin and manhole cleaning.[2] S.W.I.M.S. crews remove debris and sediment, pump water from vaults and filtration systems, and use pressure washers and vacuum trucks.[2][4]
Maintain ponds and grounds
Apex’s Fort Worth landscape technician maintains retention ponds, detention basins, drainage ditches and grates.[3] The work includes mowing, trimming, debris removal and light repairs, rather than a dedicated pipe-installation assignment.[3]
Work with green infrastructure
EPA describes bioretention as engineered sunken areas that receive runoff; permeable pavement can store or infiltrate it.[8] Maintenance depends on the installation and can include weeding, replanting, sediment removal and inlet cleaning.[9][10] These tasks overlap with outdoor maintenance skills, but the system’s maintenance plan determines the work.[8][9][10]
A job title alone can obscure the assignment. AQUALIS calls its Green Bay role “Construction Laborer,” but the description places the worker with a cleaning or televising crew.[1] Ask which crew you would join and what its next assignments involve.[1]
Other jobs that use the stormwater label
A municipal “Stormwater Technician” can have a different assignment from a contractor’s cleaning crew. Clemmons, North Carolina, describes field inspections, GPS data collection, GIS mapping, discharge investigations and recordkeeping.[14] Its description asks for an associate degree or equivalent experience and one year of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of training and experience. ArcGIS experience is desired, not required.[14] The page does not give a pay rate or closing date, so it is a role example here rather than an additional verified current opening.
For a public-utility search route, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services links to City and County job searches and recommends the keywords “Storm Water.” Its career menu includes construction inspection, operations, water quality and GIS roles. Check each posting’s qualifications; the career page does not establish no-experience eligibility.[13]
Construction-site filtration is another specialty. Washington Stormwater’s careers page describes water-filtering system installation and operation on construction sites, including Lead Installer/Operator and CESF Operator roles.[12] It lists starting pay as DOE rather than a numerical rate.[12] Use it to explore that specialty; this guide has not verified a completed application route for those positions.
Which requirements match your experience?
Starting without a CDL or construction background
The Green Bay AQUALIS listing makes both construction experience and its Class B tanker CDL preference optional, while requiring a clean driving record and willingness to travel overnight.[1] Its promised CDL assistance is worth asking about: request the training schedule, who pays, and whether any repayment agreement applies.[1]
S.W.I.M.S. explicitly offers training without prior experience, but its driver’s-license, equipment, communication and physical-work conditions still apply.[4] Confined-space or traffic-control certification is a plus in that listing, not a universal prerequisite for every stormwater job.[4]
Bringing driving, pipe or equipment experience
AQUALIS’s Edmonds role requires a Class B CDL and recent Class B driving experience.[2] Prior vacuum-truck work is preferred rather than required.[2] Garney asks for two years of large-diameter pipe installation.[5] Apex’s St. Louis foreman must have five to seven years of underground wet-utility construction experience and be able to manage budgets, schedules and staff.[6]
Describe the equipment and tasks you have performed instead of writing only “construction experience.” Garney names pipe lasers, transits, hand signals and pipe placement; Apex names concrete finishing, rebar, underground piping and detention or retention basins.[5][6] These details help you compare your experience with the actual assignment.[5][6]
Checking safety and training before accepting
For excavation work, OSHA requires employers to determine expected underground utility locations before opening the excavation.[11] The construction rule also requires competent-person inspections when employee exposure can reasonably be anticipated, including after rain or other events that increase hazards.[11]
Ask who performs those inspections and what training you receive before being assigned to the work. For catch-basin maintenance, EPA specifically says operators need proper training.[10] A job advertisement’s reference to manholes, vaults or confined spaces is not an entry procedure or permission to enter.[10]
Garney lists company-provided rigging/signaling, confined-space and OSHA 10 training among certifications workers must be willing to complete.[5] That is one employer’s training route, not a national credential package for all drainage workers.[5]
Compare the whole offer, not just the hourly rate
Apex’s Fort Worth listing states $55 per diem on travel days and typically 10–15 travel days per month.[3] Its St. Louis foreman listing states $68 per diem on out-of-town travel days and travel of 85% or more.[6] Those are different jobs with different conditions; neither allowance should be treated as guaranteed pay for every calendar day.[3][6]
Use this checklist during the employer conversation. Save each answer with the employer, requisition number, recruiter and date. If you are comparing two offers, complete a separate copy for each one. Keep base pay, conditional premiums and travel allowances on separate lines.
| Confirm before accepting | Write down |
|---|---|
| Actual assignment | Installation, repair, cleaning, vegetation work or a mixture; first project location and reporting yard. |
| Starting compensation | Offered base rate, expected paid hours, overtime rules and any conditional premium. |
| Travel | Overnight frequency, expected time away, paid travel time, transport and return-home schedule. |
| Lodging and per diem | Who books and pays; eligible days; allowance amount; meal or other costs you must cover. |
| Training | Required credentials at hire, training the employer provides, paid training time and any repayment terms. |
| Crew and equipment | Machines you will operate, tasks you will assist with, supervision and equipment training. |
| Application status | Correct requisition, application destination, recruiter contact and next hiring step. |
The Edmonds AQUALIS posting mentions opportunities for prevailing or premium wage work after an operator demonstrates the required skills.[2] It does not promise that every hour receives that premium. Ask which assignments qualify and how the employer communicates the applicable rate.[2]
Questions workers ask
Can I get a stormwater job with no experience?
Yes, the S.W.I.M.S. San Juan Capistrano listing explicitly offers training with no experience necessary.[4] AQUALIS’s Green Bay cleaning-crew laborer listing says construction experience is preferred, not required.[1] Driving and other job conditions still apply, and neither listing establishes a beginner opening on a new pipe-installation crew.[4][1]
Do stormwater jobs require a CDL?
It depends on the role. AQUALIS requires a Class B CDL and recent Class B driving experience for its Edmonds vacuum-truck job.[2] Its Green Bay laborer listing makes a Class B tanker CDL preferred, not required, and offers assistance obtaining one.[2][1]
Is green infrastructure work the same as drainage construction?
Green infrastructure includes systems such as bioretention and permeable pavement, with installation and maintenance tasks that depend on the system.[8][9] A vegetation-maintenance job is not automatically a pipe-construction job. Check the duties and equipment rather than treating “green infrastructure” as a single trade.[8][9]
Are these national pay rates?
No. The figures belong to the named employer listings and locations checked on October 30, 2026. They cover different responsibilities and experience requirements. Garney’s Buford listing does not state a wage rate, so this guide leaves it unspecified rather than substituting a job-board estimate.[5]
Tell us what kind of work you want
Apply through the employer links for a specific role. If you want Echelon to know your trade, location, experience and travel preferences, use our free private worker-interest form. It is separate from an employer application and does not guarantee a job. Sharing your information with a named recipient requires separate permission.
Hiring a drainage or maintenance crew? Submit a free job listing for review. Read our jobs privacy terms.
Sources and method
Echelon Reports reviewed six selected employer listings and EPA and OSHA guidance on October 30, 2026. We retained the descriptions and reviewed three additional employer or municipal career pages. We also checked where the six comparison listings’ application links led. We did not submit forms or contact employers. The Garney redirect remains unresolved. The comparison is a dated selection, not a complete contractor directory, hiring survey or verified list of unfilled vacancies.
Green-infrastructure guidance explains the work category; this sample does not establish a dedicated green-infrastructure installation opening. No listing is tied here to an awarded public contract or named construction project. For work on existing sewer pipes, see our sewer rehabilitation jobs guide; for other specialties, return to the water and underground infrastructure hub.
Sources
- AQUALIS | Job Information: Construction Laborer Job
- AQUALIS | Job Information: Vac Truck Driver – Operator Job
- Apex Companies – CSW | Landscape Technician (Stormwater)
- S.W.I.M.S. (Storm Water Inspection & Maintenance Services, Inc.), listed on Apex Companies – CSW board | Laborer/Technician (Driver)
- Garney Construction | Pipelayer
- Apex | Stormwater Construction Foreman, St. Louis
- Combined Sewer Overflow Basics | US EPA
- Types of Green Infrastructure | US EPA
- Green Infrastructure Installation, Operation, and Maintenance | US EPA
- Stormwater Maintenance | US EPA
- 1926.651 – Specific Excavation Requirements.
- Water Treatment Jobs & Careers | Washington Stormwater
- Join Our Team
- Stormwater Technician I