Maguire Wastewater Solutions in business since 1996!

By Cindy Ladage

Maguire Wastewater Systems LLC is a family business, started by Rick and Jane Maguire.  The business began over almost thirty years ago back in 1996. Located at 103 Bissel Street in Virden, Illinois, they provide a variety of much needed services for both residential and commercial customers.  On their website they explain, “We offer a great team of specialists in septic system design, installation, and septic servicing along with quality expertise in the backhoe and equipment operation field.”

Rick said he got his start through hands on experience.  “I learned how to install septic systems from my father-in-law when I worked for Miller & Sons.”

He added this experience to what he learned from his father.  “My dad-built houses and was an appraiser. I feel like those combined backgrounds helped me step into the construction industry on my own.”

Getting started it was just Rick and his wife.  “I started my own company as a one-man show with a backhoe and a dump truck while Jane was able to run the office from home when the kids were young.”

Over the years, they expanded their business to include a wide range of services, from septic systems and water lines, to crawl spaces and demolition. “We install all types of septic systems and offer pumping, service contracts, inspections, sewer jetting, sewer camera and utility locating.”

Maguire Wastewater is certified to install and pump private sewage systems in the following Illinois counties: Macoupin, Sangamon, Montgomery, Christian, Macon, Morgan, Menard, Brown, Cass, Clinton, Franklin-Williamson.

Maguire Wastewater Systems has nine employees, and Rick feels that choosing the right employees has been part of the reason that their business has been successful.   “It is not always easy to find the right ones,” he said, but “We’ve been lucky to find some really good ones.”

Many of Maguire’s employees carry various licenses.   Each year Maguire employees attend the Illinois Onsite Wastewater Professionals conference and receive the State required continuing education classes.  This helps assure that they keep pace with the ever-changing industry and legislation of private sewage management. Rick Maguire is very involved with the industry.  In fact, he currently serves as President of OWPI (Onsite Wastewater Professionals of Illinois).

Working with local, state, and federal guidelines is a very important and time-consuming part of the wastewater and excavation industry.  However, it is not only important from a regulatory aspect, but a safety one as well.   Rick said, “The importance of following the guidelines for digging anytime is a number one priority for the safety of our employees. The health Departments are pretty strict when it comes to filing permits.  We like to train our own people and get them licensed correctly.  We see in the industry and even at the local level the people that are not licensed typically end up costing the homeowner more money in the long run with legal issues or a system that doesn’t work.”

To avoid that from happening Rick said, “We provide our employees with continuing education and training. The cost associated with this employee expense is minimal compared to the satisfaction of our customers.”

While they are located in Virden, Maguire Wastewater will travel up to an hour and a half for work with exceptions for certain jobs.

Working in the Virden community and Macoupin County has been a boon for the Maguires.  They enjoy the locale and small-town life.  “Doing business in Virden is great.  It is a small town, but close enough to Springfield to get supplies.  Everybody knows everybody so if you do reputable work, the good word spreads.”

Rick added, “It is rewarding to take care of small town people.  They always seem grateful and seem to like knowing who they are dealing with versus in a big city where you never know who, or what kind of service you are dealing with.”

To Contact Maguire Wastewater Solutions LLC, call 217-965-3863.