<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-02-27</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000895565</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SYNAGRO TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SYGR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001309092</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Donnini David</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O GTCR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>6100 SEARS TOWER</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60606</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-02-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>263525</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.67</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12570123</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-02-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2413</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.67</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>115081</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-02-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>18868</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.67</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>899984</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">By GTCR Fund VII, L.P. (&quot;GTCR Fund VII&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">By GTCR Co-Invest L.P. (&quot;GTCR Co-Invest&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">By GTCR Capital Partners, L.P. (&quot;GTCR Capital&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">GTCR Fund VII, GTCR Co-Invest and GTCR Capital are direct beneficial owners of the shares of the Issuer's Common Stock.  GTCR Golder Rauner, L.L.C. (&quot;GTCR&quot;), is the general partner of GTCR Partners VII, L.P., which is the general partner of GTCR Fund VII.  GTCR is also the general partner of GTCR Co-Invest.  In addition, GTCR is the general partner of GTCR Mezzanine Partners, L.P., which is the general partner of GTCR Capital.  The Reporting Person is a principal of GTCR and may be deemed to have an indirect pecuniary interest in the Issuer's Common Stock owned by GTCR Fund VII, GTCR Co-Invest and GTCR Capital to the extent of the Reporting Person's direct and indirect proportionate general partnership interests in GTCR Fund VII, GTCR Co-Invest and GTCR Capital.  The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of shares held by GTCR Fund VII, GTCR Co-Invest and GTCR Capital.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/S/ David A. Donnini</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-04-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
