Wastewater Coatings
Lift Station Rehabilitation with Protective Coatings
A manhole sits in a sewer line doing essentially nothing mechanical, just providing access while gravity does the actual work of moving wastewater downhill.…
The ArmorThane wastewater coatings system
Build the business
that keeps cities flowing.
Start your own wastewater coatings company with ArmorThane’s tried-and-true polyurea system — the chemistry, spray equipment, training and support to rehabilitate manholes, lift stations and treatment plants.
No franchise fees
No royalties
Training at your location
24/7 technical support
1989ArmorThane founded, Springfield, MO
50+Countries with ArmorThane dealers
$0Franchise fees or royalties
24/7Lifetime technical support
The opportunity
America’s wastewater systems just earned a D+.
Concrete pipes, manholes and treatment structures are being eaten from the inside by hydrogen sulfide and microbially induced corrosion. Owners can’t replace it all — so they rehabilitate. That’s steady, recession-resistant work for crews who know how to coat it.
Read: Microbially induced corrosion
D+
Grade for U.S. wastewater infrastructure
ASCE 2025 Report Card
17,500
Wastewater treatment plants nationwide
ASCE 2025
$69B
Annual wastewater & stormwater funding gap
ASCE 2025
3.3
Collection-system failures per 100 miles of pipe — up from 2
ASCE 2025
The problem you get paid to solve. Acid generated by sewer gases strips concrete back to aggregate — a seamless polyurea lining stops it.
Why ArmorThane polyurea
Faster jobs. Tougher linings.
Better margins.
Polyurea changed what a small crew can deliver in a day. Here’s why owners specify it — and why applicators build businesses on it.
Back in service the same day
Polyurea gels in seconds, so many structures return to service within hours — less bypass pumping, more jobs per week.
Seamless & monolithic
Spray-applied from chimney to bench with no seams or joints for groundwater to find.
Built for H₂S
Chemical-resistant linings designed for the corrosive atmosphere inside sewers and wet wells.
Flexes with the structure
High elongation bridges hairline cracks and tolerates movement that cracks rigid liners.
Stops infiltration
A waterproof membrane that keeps groundwater out — and sewage in.
Backed for life
Call or text ArmorThane technicians 24/7.
The ArmorThane system
From first call to first manhole
in four steps.
-
01
Plan your business
Start with a discovery call. Map the wastewater opportunity in your region, the structures you will target first, and the equipment that fits your budget.
-
02
Get equipped
Choose a spray package or a turnkey mobile coatings unit — proportioner, heated hose, spray gun, generator and air, built and tested before it ships.
-
03
Train & certify
An ArmorThane technician trains your crew: material chemistry, safety, surface prep, spray technique, equipment care and troubleshooting — then certifies you.
-
04
Win the work
Go to market with marketing materials, referral inquiries, the dealer portal and around-the-clock technical support behind every job.
- Explore the full system
Applications
Every structure is a job.
Collection systems
Manholes
The largest, most repeatable market in any collection system. Line a structure in a single visit and move to the next one.
Pumping
Lift Stations & Wet Wells
Turbulent, gas-rich and hard to take offline. Fast-curing polyurea shrinks the bypass window that owners dread.
Headworks to outfall
Treatment Plants
Headworks, aeration basins, clarifiers and channels — every plant is a portfolio of structures that need protecting.
Large diameter
Sewer Pipes & Tunnels
Person-entry pipe, interceptors and junction structures where corrosion has stripped concrete back to aggregate.
Process vessels
Digesters & Tanks
Concrete and steel tanks, digesters and holding vessels that need waterproof, chemical-resistant linings.
Civil structures
Channels, Basins & Containment
Filter basins, flumes, channels and secondary containment — high-square-footage work that keeps rigs busy.
Startup calculator
Run your numbers.
Move the sliders to model a month of manhole and structure work in your market.
Illustrative only. Pricing, costs and volume vary by market, structure condition and specification. Use your own local numbers.
Your estimate
$0monthly revenue
$0Monthly gross profit
0%Gross margin
$0Annual gross profit
—Months to recoup investment
Direct costGross profit
Compare materials
Polyurea vs. the alternatives.
How the main lining options stack up on the things owners and engineers care about.
| Criteria | Our pick ArmorThane polyurea | Epoxy | Cementitious liner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cure & return to service | Gels in seconds — service often in hours | Typically hours to a day or more | Often requires days of cure |
| Flexibility & crack bridging | High elongation bridges moving cracks | Rigid — can crack with movement | Rigid — cracks with the substrate |
| Seamless coverage | Spray-applied, monolithic, no seams | Seamless, usually multi-coat | Cold joints between lifts |
| H₂S & acid resistance | Excellent, formulation dependent | Good to excellent | Cement is vulnerable to acid attack |
| Application window | Wide temperature & humidity range | Sensitive to cold and moisture | Tolerant, but slow to cure |
| Build per visit | High build in a single mobilization | Moderate per coat | High build |
General comparison of material classes. Performance depends on the specific product, surface preparation and service conditions — always follow product data sheets and project specifications.
Equipment
A complete coatings business on wheels.
ArmorThane mobile coatings units are built, plumbed and tested before they ship — so you roll up to the job site ready to spray.
- Standard 20′ rig with PMC PHX-40 proportioner
- 45 kW generator & 23 CFM air compressor
- 100 ft of heated hose, spray gun & safety gear
- 24′ and 26′ gooseneck builds available
From the blog
Field notes & guides.
Wastewater Coatings
Wastewater Treatment Plant Coatings: Where and Why They’re Used
Walk through almost any wastewater treatment plant built more than a decade ago, and you’ll find concrete and steel structures under constant attack from…
Polyurea Vs Epoxy
Polyurea vs. Epoxy Coatings for Wastewater Infrastructure: A Technical Comparison
The selection of protective coatings for wastewater infrastructure is among the most consequential materials decisions that municipal engineers make. Choose incorrectly, and the result…
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Still deciding? Talk with an ArmorThane specialist — no pressure, no obligation.
Contact usDo I need coatings experience to start?
No. ArmorThane training covers material chemistry, safety, surface preparation, machine setup, spray technique, equipment care and troubleshooting. Many successful applicators come from construction, concrete, painting, plumbing or municipal maintenance backgrounds.
Are there franchise fees or royalties?
ArmorThane is not a franchise. There are no franchise fees, no royalties and no long-term contracts — you own your business and keep what you earn.
How much does it cost to get started?
Spray packages start around $25,000 and scale up to fully equipped mobile coatings units that are quoted to your build. Third-party equipment financing is available. Your discovery call will match equipment to the work you plan to target.
Where does training happen?
Hands-on training is delivered at your location by an ArmorThane technician, and virtual e-training is available so your team can learn and refresh at its own pace.
Who buys wastewater coatings work?
Municipal public works departments, sewer and sanitary districts, utilities, consulting engineers, general contractors and industrial plant owners all buy rehabilitation and protective lining work.
What support do I get after training?
Technical support by call or text 24/7 for the life of your business, a dealers-only portal with manuals, tech tips, data sheets and videos, plus marketing materials and referral inquiries.
Do I get a protected territory?
Qualifying fixed-location dealers can receive an exclusive territory sized to the population their equipment and product line can serve. Ask about availability in your area during your discovery call.
Get started
Talk with an ArmorThane specialist.
Tell us about yourself and your market. We’ll send your startup plan — equipment options, training and next steps — and follow up within one business day.
- No franchise fees, no royalties
- Hands-on training & certification
- Equipment financing available
- 24/7 lifetime technical support
