Jet-Vac Tanker Services

Jet-vac tankers are one of the best ways to clear blockages, remove heavy build-up, and get your drainage flowing again quickly. They combine high-pressure water jetting with powerful vacuum extraction, so one unit can break up stubborn deposits and remove the waste in a single job.

ICE Drainage provides professional jet-vac tanker services across the UK for commercial, industrial, and public sector sites. Whether you need planned maintenance, an emergency response, or help with a tricky drainage asset, our jet-vac tankers get the job done fast and clean, backed by clear reporting and waste transfer documentation.

What are jet-vac tanker services?

A jet-vac tanker, sometimes called a jetting and vacuum tanker, is a specialist vehicle with high-pressure water jets to cut through and dislodge blockages, a vacuum system to pull out liquids, sludge, silt, and debris, and onboard storage so waste can be transported to an authorised disposal site.

Because it can both break up material and take it away, a jet-vac is the right tool when you need waste actually removed, not just pushed further down the pipe.

When you need a jet-vac tanker

Jet-vac services usually come into play when a drainage asset has heavy build-up, restricted flow, or waste that's piled up.

Common call-outs include blocked drains and recurring blockages, gully and catch pit emptying, silt and sludge removal from chambers and manholes, interceptor cleaning and waste removal, grease trap emptying and FOG waste removal, pumping station and wet well cleaning, attenuation tank cleaning and desilting, flood water removal, and drainage clean-downs on construction sites.

If your site keeps having slow drainage, flooding, or repeat call-outs, a planned jet-vac visit can often stop a small problem turning into a big one.

Key benefits of jet-vac drainage services

A jet-vac approach is built to be quick, thorough, and low-disruption. It clears stubborn blockages faster, actually removes settled solids instead of just flushing them along, lowers the risk of the same blockage coming back, restores drainage capacity and performance, keeps the job clean with controlled waste handling, works for both planned maintenance and emergencies, and supports your Duty of Care with documented waste disposal.

For a lot of commercial sites, jet-vac tankers are the most reliable way to keep key drainage assets running.

Our jet-vac tanker process

We follow a structured process to keep results safe and consistent.

1) Site assessment and access planning

We confirm access points, where the tanker needs to be, and any site rules. We also work out what type of asset we're dealing with, whether that's a gully, manhole, interceptor, tank, or pumping station, and what waste stream to expect.

2) Safe set-up and traffic or pedestrian management

Where needed, we put controls in place to protect staff and the public, including segregating the working area and positioning the vehicle safely.

3) High-pressure jetting

We use high-pressure water jets to cut through silt and grit, sludge and settled solids, grease and FOG build-up, and debris and scale. Jetting is targeted, so we dislodge material efficiently without causing more disruption than needed.

4) Vacuum extraction and waste removal

As material is loosened, the vacuum pulls it straight into the tanker. This matters most with heavy silt and sludge that would otherwise just settle again, grease waste that can stick and reattach further down the line, and interceptor waste, where controlled removal is essential.

5) Final checks and reporting

We confirm flow has been restored and the asset is left in working order. If we spot any defects, like damage, root ingress, collapsed sections, or failed benching, we'll flag them clearly with next steps.

6) Waste transport and disposal documentation

We provide waste transfer documentation for everything we remove, supporting your Duty of Care.

Jet-vac services for key drainage assets

Gullies, catch pits, and silt traps

These are designed to catch solids before they reach the wider drainage network. Jet-vac emptying clears out the settled waste and helps prevent blockages further downstream, standing water and surface flooding, and odours and hygiene issues.

Interceptor cleaning

Interceptors protect the environment by separating oils and hydrocarbons from surface water. We use jet-vac tankers to remove oil and water mixtures, sludge and silt from settlement chambers, and debris that's eating into capacity. Regular cleaning cuts pollution risk and supports compliance.

Pumping stations and wet wells

Jet-vac cleaning removes settled sludge and debris that reduces wet well volume and causes pump issues. Planned cleaning supports more reliable pumps, fewer alarms and emergency call-outs, and a longer life for the equipment.

Attenuation tanks and surface water storage

Attenuation systems lose capacity over time as silt builds up. Jet-vac desilting restores that storage volume and helps the system cope when heavy rain hits.

Who uses our jet-vac tanker services?

We support a wide range of sectors, including facilities and property management, retail, hospitality, and leisure, warehousing and logistics, manufacturing and industrial sites, healthcare and laboratories, education estates, construction and civil engineering, and local authorities and public sector sites.

If your site needs contractor governance, RAMS, or audit-ready documentation, we can support that too.

Planned maintenance versus emergency jet-vac call-outs

Planned jet-vac maintenance

Planned maintenance is usually the most cost-effective option, especially for higher-risk assets like catch pits, interceptors, and pumping stations. It helps reduce reactive call-outs, keep drainage performance consistent, and make budgeting easier while cutting disruption.

Emergency jet-vac response

When flooding or a blockage is affecting your operations, jet-vac tankers give you a fast, controlled way to clear it. We prioritise safe access, getting flow restored quickly, and keeping you informed throughout.

Compliance and waste documentation

Drainage waste removed by jet-vac tanker counts as controlled waste and has to be transported and disposed of correctly. We provide clear documentation, which may include Waste Transfer Notes, waste descriptions that match the waste stream, and carrier and disposal route details where required.

This supports your Duty of Care and helps keep your records audit-ready.

Book jet-vac tanker services with ICE Drainage

If you need reliable jet-vac tanker services for drainage clearance, waste removal, or planned maintenance, ICE Drainage can help.

Contact ICE Drainage to arrange a planned visit or request an urgent call-out. We'll assess your drainage asset, clear blockages, remove waste safely, and provide compliant documentation for your records.