Don't Wait Till The Well Runs Dry!

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.