If you are a new or veteran commercial carwash owner and have not yet invested in a wastewater recovery system for your business, then it is important to understand the numerous benefits of these systems.
Whether you operate a friction or touch-less carwash, one or more of these systems can be added to your facility to allow you to use the same water to wash and rinse cars numerous times. This can benefit both your bank account and the environment.
Read on to learn about the benefits of installing a water recovery, also called a water reclaim, system in your commercial carwash and about how these systems work.
The Benefits of Wastewater Recovery Systems for Commercial Carwashes
While there are other water recovery system benefits, these systems are very beneficial to the environment and your business bank account.
Shave Your Water Bill
As a carwash owner, you are likely always looking for ways to lower your water bill. If your carwash is not currently equipped with a water recovery system, then you are missing out on one opportunity to decrease your water bill immensely.
When a carwash is equipped with a water recovery system, the water used to wash one car can then be used to wash another. While some carwash functions, such as the car’s final rinse, should be performed with fresh water, others can be performed with reclaimed water or a mixture of reclaimed water and fresh water.
Depending on the type of carwash you run, you could currently be using anywhere from 35 gallons to 120 gallons of fresh water to wash each vehicle. After you equip your commercial carwash with a water reclaim system, you can begin using as little as 9 to 15 gallons of fresh water to wash the car of each customer. It is estimated that the average commercial carwash owner can save up to 75 percent on their water and sewer expenses after investing in a wastewater recovery system.
Protect the Environment
The Clean Water Act requires that you help protect the environment from groundwater contamination by sending carwash wastewater to a local water treatment facility or state-approved drainage facility. However, you may not realize that there is much more you can do to help reduce the impact on the environment your carwash has.
One way to reduce the environmental impact of your carwash is to equip it with a water reclaim system. Sending more water directly to wastewater treatment facilities than necessary instead of reusing it leads to wasted energy when the facility must treat more water than necessary.
Municipal water filtration is an energy-intensive process, and the creation of the energy used to filter the water relies on the burning of fossil fuels. The burning of these fossil fuels emits pollution into the air that takes a toll on the environment.
How Water Recovery Systems Work
While there are numerous water recovery systems on the market, many rely on both coalescing media and biological filtration to recycle wastewater, such as water that has been used to wash cars.
Coalescing media removes oil from water along with solid particles. A biological filtration system component introduces beneficial bacteria into wastewater that consume remaining contaminants not removed by the coalescing media.
Many of these water recycling systems also add disinfectant chemicals, such as chlorine, as a final step in wastewater purification.
If you own a carwash that is not yet equipped with a wastewater recovery system, then realize that investing in one of these systems can help you save on your water bill and reduce the carbon footprint of your business. Contact Ben’s Cleaner Sales, Inc. to discuss your wastewater recovery system options and purchase or lease one today.