October 2012
5-33
5.5
Vehicle Washing
Table 5-4. Recommended Level of Treatment for Reclaim Systems
Wash Stage
Self-
Service
In-Bay
Conveyor
Friction
Frictionless
Pre-Soak
N/A*
N/A
Filtration, reverse
osmosis or
deionization
Reverse osmosis
or deionization
Wash
N/A
Filtration
Separation,
filtration
N/A
Rocker Panel/
Undercarriage
N/A
Filtration
Separation,
filtration
Separation,
filtration
First Rinse
N/A
Filtration Filtration
Filtration
Wax and
Sealers
Reverse
osmosis
Reverse
osmosis
Reverse osmosis
or deionization
Reverse osmosis
or deionization
Final Rinse
Reverse
osmosis
Reverse
osmosis
Reverse osmosis
or deionization
Reverse osmosis
or deionization
If considering a water reclamation retrofit, be sure to evaluate the feasibility of the in-
stallation. The ability to install additional piping and water treatment equipment will
determine whether a reclamation system retrofit is appropriate. Industry experts rec-
ommend taking the following into account when designing a reclamation system:
83
••
Nature of the contamination to be treated
••
Concentration of the contaminants
••
Volume of water used per day
••
Flow rate per minute of different processes in the professional car wash
••
Chemicals and procedures used in the wash or rinse process
••
Discharge limits (if applicable)
••
Intended use of the reclaimed water and the desired quality for its use
Water reclamation systems require additional maintenance to clean filters and other
system components. Cleaning and finish products should be compatible with the
system operation.
84
Water reclamation systems can be retrofitted with existing conveyor or in-bay vehicle
washing systems, but they are not recommended for retrofit with self-service vehicle
washing.
For additional retrofit options to reduce water use, consider the following retrofit op-
tions for each washing type.
83
Ibid
.
Page 21.
84
Koeller and Company and Chris Brown Consulting. October 2006.
Evaluation of Potential Best Management Practices—Vehicle Wash Systems
.
Prepared for The
California Urban Water Conservation Council. Page 23.
*
N/A: not applicable
