Arizona is a hot and dry place in the summer. This combination of factors means that water conservation is sometimes necessary. In response, Arizona carwash operators are doing their part to save water by recycling it. Modern carwash water recycling equipment can reduce water use by as much as 50%. Although more expensive to install, these systems can pay for themselves in the long run. They also give an environmental marketing edge to commercial carwash operators. Additionally, water reclamation systems in commercial carwashes can actually use less water than hand-washing.

Tom Collins, a general manager with National Carwash Systems, says that local municipalities are increasingly asking carwash builders to install water reclamation systems when they build their carwashes:

Collins advises new car wash owners to, if they don’t install the full water reclamation system, at least install the piping required, because, in his mind, “it’s only a matter of time” before the system is required everywhere.

“There are a lot of local municipalities that are requiring them,” he said.

About 25 percent of new car washes have water reclamation systems, estimates Arizona-based car wash architect John Reddell, who planned Mercado Del Rio. He said more than half have just the initial piping system. [more...]

At the end of the day, carwash operators are finding that water conservation systems make sense for the environment and for the bottom line too.