Kenneth Cockrill, President & CEO, WaterFleet
In an interview with Invest:, Kenneth Cockrill, president and CEO of WaterFleet, discussed the company’s growth, from serving the oil and gas exploration fields to providing clean water and wastewater solutions for construction, data centers, solar projects, and disaster response across 20 states. He credited San Antonio’s workforce for driving expansion. “The San Antonio workforce is service-minded and committed to helping others, which aligns perfectly with our mission and values.”
What should people know about WaterFleet and how it has evolved recently?
WaterFleet is an 11-year-old company headquartered in San Antonio. About 70% of our staff is based here, and we operate in about 20 states on a regular basis. We also have facilities in Midland, Texas, and in Carlsbad, New Mexico, which serve our O&G clients. San Antonio is our main hub for manufacturing and permanent installations throughout the nation.
The company was founded to improve conditions for remote or isolated workers. Early on, that meant serving oil field workers in temporary housing who were often 50 to 60 miles from the nearest utility and dealing with poor-quality water that made them sick. Our founders, Alans and Allison Pyle, who had experience in the bottled water business, launched WaterFleet to provide mobile trailers that offered clean water and better living conditions.
Over time, the business has evolved. Today, about half of our work is in oil and gas, and the other half spans several verticals. We serve large construction and infrastructure projects, including LNG facilities, data centers, chip manufacturing plants, and aerospace projects. We help these organizations reduce plastic bottle waste by distributing clean drinking water on-site, which has a strong sustainability impact.
We also have a utilities division focused on wastewater treatment, turning wastewater into reusable water at about a 95% recovery rate. That water can then be reused on job sites for industrial purposes or returned to communities for purposes like irrigation.
Another key vertical is emergency response. Out of San Antonio, we deploy to support hurricanes, forest fires, and other disasters, providing first responders and communities with potable water for human consumption, showers, laundry, and cooking facilities. We often support FEMA and U.S. Forest Service camps set up to support firefighters and other responders in remote locations.
Overall, it’s a business built on a noble cause. I joined after selling a business in New York and specifically wanted to relocate back to Texas, where I find it easier to do business and where I feel at home.
Why is San Antonio the right base for WaterFleet’s operations?
The people. The San Antonio workforce is service-minded and committed to helping others, which aligns perfectly with our mission and values. As we grow nationally, we’re able to carry that DNA with us, promoting people into larger roles so they can spread those qualities across the organization.
People here are open and friendly. Even the city reached out to ask how they could support us with things like power, infrastructure, or hiring — you don’t get that in most large cities. San Antonio may be the seventh-largest city in the country, but it doesn’t feel that way. It feels like a community. We’re committed to staying and growing here.
The only drawback is the summer heat — it’s brutal. But aside from that, San Antonio is a great place to do business. The community is friendly, the food is fantastic, and the business environment is supportive.
Which new industries are driving the company’s growth beyond oil and gas and construction?
We see strong growth in two areas: data centers and solar. Data centers are expanding rapidly nationwide, and companies are competing hard for labor. Workers often choose job sites based on quality-of-life amenities like restrooms, lunch areas, and water availability. Having clean, air-conditioned restrooms and cold drinking water can give one company an edge over another. We’re well-positioned to deliver that. In solar, projects are often located in remote areas with no infrastructure. We can set up micro-utilities to provide water and wastewater treatment, enabling companies to support their workforce at a high level.
In Texas, we also work with municipal utility districts (MUDs), which help cities expand when local infrastructure can’t keep up. We manufacture wastewater treatment plants, including advanced membrane bioreactor systems (MBR’s), that allow for water reuse in irrigation and limited community discharge. Given Texas’ water challenges and drought conditions, this sector is a major growth driver.
How are economic conditions affecting your business?
Interest rates certainly have an impact, but most of the projects we support, especially in construction and large infrastructure, are funded years in advance, so the money is already allocated. That cushions the effect of higher rates.
In utilities, we do feel some impact. Housing starts slow when water rights are limited or when communities face drought. Like any business leader, I try to balance risk. Many of our clients are multibillion-dollar organizations, and they’re strategic about getting ahead of these challenges. We invest where the return makes sense.
I’ll also note that we’ve had excellent support from partners like Texas Capital Bank. They understand our business and clients, and they’ve been easy to work with.
What strategies are you using to recruit and retain skilled workers, especially for remote operations?
It’s always a challenge, especially in oil and gas, where conditions are harsh and the competition for labor is fierce, but we’ve had strong success overall.
Most of our staff is trained in-house, aside from degreed engineers and other credentialed roles. What helps is our mission. People want to be part of a company with a noble cause, and we’re able to show them how their work contributes to the community. That sense of purpose goes a long way in retention.
How are you helping clients improve water efficiency and meet sustainability goals?
It’s becoming increasingly important. Large international companies are setting ambitious sustainability goals, including zero-water targets on construction projects. That would have been unheard of 10 years ago. The life cycle of water is important in most communities, and now that is entering the construction phase of project work.
Project owners are now prioritizing environmental responsibility alongside profitability, and they’re pushing those requirements to contractors and vendors like us. It makes it easier for us to tell our story because we can offer sustainable solutions that are both effective and cost-neutral, or in many cases, save our clients money and provide a better product and service.
Is WaterFleet’s technology proprietary, and how does it set you apart from competitors?
We hold multiple U.S. patents and trademarks. We pioneered the concept of a mobile micro-utility. From our 24/7 operations center in San Antonio, we monitor water and wastewater treatment systems nationwide and even some abroad.
Our founders designed the technology to handle almost any water quality scenario. In remote areas, particularly in South and West Texas, water quality can be poor. Our systems are designed to reliably treat that water, no matter the challenge. We have also pioneered a new product that is similar to a backup generator but for your water supply. It is intended for clients like medical facilities, critical care facilities, and even grocery stores. It allows them to carry 24 to 48 hours of backup water supply and constantly monitors inbound quality. It is called Assure Water, and we are currently designing systems for clients throughout the state.
Our products are a robust but flexible solution, and we’d be happy to give you a tour if you’re ever in town.
What are your top priorities and growth expectations over the next few years?
My top priority is always taking care of our people and ensuring a safe work environment. From a business perspective, my goal is to continue growing WaterFleet.
I see strong year-over-year growth in our construction and utilities divisions. Oil and gas remain stable — fewer rigs are drilling now than a few years ago, but the industry will always be part of Texas’ fabric, and it will continue to be part of our business.
We’re nearly at capacity in our San Antonio facility and have already added a satellite location. I expect further expansion in the next few years.
