Don't Wait Till The Well Runs Dry!

By Dean Taylor

CATEC Reclaim Systems Division

Ben Franklin put it well with one of his famous quotes: "We will not appreciate water until the Well Runs Dry" It is truly a wise person that recognizes the value of this statement and takes steps to preserve their existing resources today, before the well is dry.

With the droughts that have plagued much of the country over the past several years, the subject of car wash water recycling has become a topic that many owners/operators are being forced to address. Cities that are being affected by droughts are desperately seeking water conservation methods and most seem to have no sympathy towards the car wash owner when it's time to cut usage. From regulating hours of operation to complete shutdowns, the drought restrictions that are often implemented can be devastating to the business and livelihood of the car wash owner(s) that aren't prepared.

Water (the Universal Solvent) can be easily subjected to the old rules of "Supply and Demand." Supply goes down, demand goes up and vice versa. Unfortunately, when the supply goes down, the demand AND price both go up. Since Mother Nature is usually the one regulating the supply, the only real control we have is on the demand.

How can I reduce my demand?

Well, you could restrict your hours or days of operation, but wait, that's what they wanted to do to you! Let's see…………you could block off half of your spray tips or cut the volume of the tips in 1/2…..hummmmm ½ a car wash? "That won't work for me………….or my customers."

Can I reuse the water?

Absolutely! When done correctly, recycling water makes very good business sense. A 60% to 90% savings in water and sewer bills can often be the sole driving force that motivates owners to enrolling in a water-recycling program. In addition, recycling water is a very effective means for carwash operators to meet and resolve conservation and environmental standards and avoid drought restrictions. The drastic reduction in water and sewer use can also lead to substantial savings on high sewer impact fees. These savings are often substantially more than the cost of a recycling system itself, offering an instant return on investment as well as an instant increase in profits.

There are so many systems on the market, how do I know which one to use? Better yet, which one works?

As with any product, the sales person is going to tell you that he/she has the best system on the market. Most will have a list a mile long on why you should use their equipment.

A good reclaim company should ask you the following questions prior to recommending or quoting equipment to you:

Is this New Construction or an existing location?

What is the size and configuration of the car wash?

Self Serve? Automatic? Tunnel?

Where is the facility located?

Snow? Salt? Clay? Manure? Etc. All can affect the system.

Are there sewer impact fees associated?

(New Construction) A good reclaim company should be able to help you get these fees reduced or eliminated.

What means do you have for getting rid of excess water?

Sewer, Irrigation, leach field etc.

What volume of vehicles do you anticipate washing per day?

This helps determine the dirt load for the system.

Do you have existing tanks?

How Many? What is the volume of each? Can they be put to use?

Do you have space for tanks?

In ground? Above Ground?

What wash chemicals will you be using?

Since the chemicals go down the drain, the reclaim system will have to deal with it.

As you can see, there is a multitude of factors that need to be addressed prior to recommending a reclaim system. If they don't ask the questions, they are not covering all the bases for you.

After answering the questions above, the manufacturer or distributor should be able to help you select a system that is best suited and most cost effective for your application. He should take the guesswork and hassles out of the equation for you. He/she should provide you with complete drawings, specifications, recommended tanking designs, a quote and technical support during any phase of your project.

What type of system is right for you?

There are many factors, such as wash loads, sewer availability, and site location that will determine what type of system and tanking you need. Every system on the market has drawbacks in some form or another. Most of the time the drawbacks are not pointed out or are hidden by the sales person because it's their downfall. If they promise a system that will never need maintenance or attention, it's time to move to the next supplier because they are taking you for a ride.

Now, it's your turn to grill them!

Below is a list of questions that you should ask to each and every reclaim sales person or company you inquire with. Be sure you get direct answers from them. If they beat around the bush, they most likely have something to hide. Don't be afraid to ask questions!

1. How do you address water odor?

Water odor is the biggest enemies associated with reclaim systems. Water odor will drive customers away, never to be seen or heard from again. A reclaim system that doesn't properly address water odor can be devastating to your business. Be sure they have an affective means of combating odor.

2. What is required to install the reclaim system?

Water collection reservoirs (tanks) will be required with any water recycling system. These concrete (typical) tanks are used for oil / water separation, settling of particulate matter. The tanks are typically buried in the ground. Above ground configurations are usually available where there is no suitable location available for in ground tanks.

3. What maintenance tasks can I expect?

As with any equipment, reclaim systems will require maintenance to keep them operating at peak performance. It's important to know how much time and money it will cost you to keep the system at peak performance.

4. Ask how much time per month is required for maintenance?

Time IS money, calculate this into the annual maintenance costs.

5. What are the costs associated with maintenance?

Filter replacement? Frequency? Media replacement? Cost and time? How often is pumping the tanks required? Down time? All important factors because they all cost money.

6. What quality of water can I expect?

Water quality is important! Pump and Car Wash Manufacturer's warranty's are often void if the water quality doesn't meet their specifications. Pumps and spray tips can take a beating if you are pumping water that has sand and grit in it.

7. What cycles can I run on reclaimed water?

Good reclaim water should be able to run in all wash cycles except the final rinse and chemical mixing. Although some operators are rinsing with reclaim water, a good spot free pass has to follow.

8. What kind wash chemicals are required with your machine?

All the chemicals you wash with will be in the water the reclaim system has to process. Some chemicals may or may not be compatible with the technology you are interested in using. Some reclaim companies actually call out specific chemicals that are to be used with their reclaim systems. Be careful not to get locked in to a proprietary chemical that is only available from one source. If they go out of business, you could be stuck with a reclaim system that won't work with alternatives.

9. Will your machine remove colors and dyes such as triple foam?

It looks funny washing with pink or blue water; there should be a valid means of removing colored dyes.

10. Does your machine backwash?

If so, where does the effluent go? If it goes back to the tanks, beware, you will probably have to pump your tanks much more often. At $300 to $1,600 a shot, you better find out up front! It can also be detrimental to the reclaim equipment because of the perpetual dirt load.

11. My Sewer Impact fees are outrageous!

Can you help me lower them? Your reclaim supplier should be able to provide sufficient means of proving the reduction on sewer thus reducing or eliminating impact fees. I've personally seen impact fees in excess of $100,000. A reduction of 75% to 90% is common when using a reclaim system.

12. I don't want/have sewer, can I do Zero Discharge with your system?

There are several ways to build with no sewer however, there is no such thing as a true "Zero Discharge System" Somewhere, sometime, water has to be discharged. Whether it's periodically pumping your tanks, irrigation or leach field used water eventually has to go somewhere!

13. Can I design in a reclaim system now and install it later?

If you do not have a recycling system designed into your new facility, or you simply can't justify one, I strongly recommend that you install tanks and plumbing for future installation. Sooner or later, you will be able to justify the system. A good reclaim company will provide you tanking designs on request.

14. What is the Warranty on the equipment?

Length of Warranty? What components does it cover? Is labor covered? Can my warranty be voided? Is the Warranty transferable? Many components on a reclaim system are very expensive. Be sure you are comfortable with the Warranty of the equipment. Often times short warranty's indicate equipment that will not last.

To sum it up-

Your car wash reclaim system is one of the most important pieces of equipment you will invest in. If you "do it right the first time", your system will serve you well for many years to come.

Many owners/operators have used reclaim systems that did not meet their expectations and were basically a total waste of money. It can cost double or even triple by trying to improvise or cut costs the first time around.

If you do your homework and shop around, your investment in water recycling can pay you back many times over and long into the future. Don't wait till the well runs dry to protect your business, recycling water is going to be a way of life in the car wash industry.

By Dean L. Taylor

Dean is the Vice President of CATEC Water Recovery and Ozone Systems out of Sarasota, Florida. CATEC designs and manufactures a complete line of Ozone Generators and Water Treatment Systems. Dean is also the Car Wash Water Reclaim System Specialist for the company.