The companies of the Adenus Group come from a humble beginning. In the mid 1980’s, three brothers, Tom, Bob, and Bill Pickney founded a small construction and engineering company, appropriately named “Pickney Brothers” which operated out of a converted country store (below) that the family ran in rural west Nashville. Their work in the early years earned the Pickney Brothers a reputation for expertise in the installation of onsite wastewater systems. In the early ‘90s, they set out on the mission of becoming the first full-service decentralized wastewater company in the United States.


(pictured from left to right): Charles, Bill, Bob and Tom Pickney

Brother Charles came on board in 1994, and the four brothers then began to focus on
providing permanent wastewater infrastructure through their public utility company, Tennessee Wastewater. In 1997, Effluent Collection Supply (ECS) was formed as the need to locally stock system components and support contractors grew. All of the Companies experienced steady growth, and new wastewater utility companies were established by the brothers in other southeastern states as a result.

In 2004, the Pickney Companies began to reorganize under the brand name of Adenus, reflecting the consolidated impact that the collective group of companies were providing. Today, Adenus is recognized as a national leader in providing sustainable wastewater solutions.