Free Water! Free Promotion! Free Appreciation!

[smokun]

Rainwater harvesting is a growing phenomenon in the carwash industry. And it makes good business sense.

Google "rainwater harvesting" and you see extensive methodology of how to tap into Mother nature's free water supply, from the very simple to the complex. Again, it all makes perfect sense!

As a PR opportunity, I wrote about it years ago, in anticipation of governmental scrutiny of carwash operations. Collecting rainwater from rooftops and using it to supplement reclaim systems... or merely using it for landscape maintenance. And, placing signage conspicuously around the carwash in a attempt to show your good citizenship. That was way before the "green" thing, but the spirit still worked by self-identifying the carwash as a good neighbor steward of the environment. Okay, it was a bit self-serving, but some operators who creatively raised that awareness also favorably sensitized many municipalities in advance of water restrictions.

Now that we find ourselves fashionably in the "world of green", more deliberate initiatives are taking place. And the public is listening... and watching.

My question:

WHO is doing WHAT, and WHERE?

What carwashes have found innovative ways to harvest & apply rainwater harvesting?

The WHY should be obvious.

Stand up and be counted... and maybe your story will motivate others to jump on board. And by doing so, our entire industry will be positioned to avert any harsh and costly water restrictions.

Just a thought...

-Steve

 

[RykoPro]

Steve,
This is a great idea! I would love to see major car wash companies offer rain collection and/or distribution as an option.
My wife is an "Advanced Master Gardener Specializing in Diagnostics" through a program offered by the MSU extension office (MANY hours of classes and volunteering). I configured a rain barrel for her a few years ago that we use during the spring, summer and fall. In the spring I simply reroute one of the downspouts into a used 160 gallon plastic holding tank. She has constructed rain gardens on both sides of my pole barn one of which is fed by the drain in front of the garage door. The rain barrel sits atop a small platform and we use gravity to dispense the rain water. To water the one garden she simply put the hose from the barrel in the drain and opens the valve.
Thank you,
Mark

 

[galen]

Your going to need 30 to 40 thousand gal. storage for a medium to large wash. Thats some serious tanks. But you could put smaller tanks in to supplement. It's a great green idea. And I would think great advertising.

 

[bmills]

The current reality that needs to change with the times.

OK! Here's the unfortunate reality of all of this. Here in the Midwest where I reside it is illegal to collect rain water off of your roof, and contain and use it in any fashion. It must go back into the ground.

Secondly we also forbid carwash construction that permits rain water from entering the water treatment sewer. Hence roofs required for all wash bays. God forbid I guess the sewer treatment plant just couldn't handle all of the extra fresh water.

Is this backward thinking or what? It does come from the same municipalities that charge me sewer rates that are commensurate with consumed water, even though I wash down the premisis, drive off, evaporation, wind blow out, etc. I'm thinking that a large underground pit as mentioned in a prior post and tell them it's for reclaim. In fact it is reclaim, just from God in this case.

Once these bureaucrats get into power they become the absolute power that corrupts. I intend to post again soon about a self sufficient wash that a local distributor is promoting. Just don't have all the details yet.

 

[Earl Weiss]

OK! Here's the unfortunate reality of all of this. Here in the Midwest where I reside it is illegal to collect rain water off of your roof, and contain and use it in any fashion. It must go back into the ground.

Secondly we also forbid carwash construction that permits rain water from entering the water treatment sewer. Hence roofs required for all wash bays. God forbid I guess the sewer treatment plant just couldn't handle all of the extra fresh water.

Is this backward thinking or what? .

No, actualy it is correct. Here in Chicago things with waste water treatment were just fine when all municipalities had seperate waste and rain sytems. then some combined them and the plants could not handle it so during havy rains raw sewage was discharged into waterways and sewage backed up int basements. The fixes have been long in coming, costly and work only most of the time.

If groundwate from an aquifer is used to supplu drinking water rainwater needs to replenesh the aquifer. If you and others detain it, then there is a chnace the aquifer will run low. Some may detain it and use it for things that would divert it to treatment plants that utlimately disharge to waterways by passing the aquifer.

 

[smokun]

Finders Keepers!

It would seem to me that capturing rainwater and using it for landscape maintenance that ultimately returns the water back into the soil, you are still conserving water because the drinking water that was saved by not being used to water the landscape... is available for other potable uses.

Plus, I suppose if someone wanted to challenge the legitimacy of any ordinance that prohibited the capture and reuse of rainwater for responsible ecological reasons, it would immediately be a high profile case simply because of its political correctness . And the carwash that waged the litigation, and maybe sought help from the Sierra Club and other resource conservatives, it would provide a million dollar public relations campaign with media coverage unavailable at any price... showing the conscientious carwash seeking to conserve and reuse valuable resources versus the politicians who simply seek to give environmental responsibility political lip-service and prefer to increase the revenues of their "public" utility at the public's expense.


(continued)

 

[smokun]

As well, I'm wondering who really owns rainwater that falls from the sky unto your property. I know that most municipalities mandate that you control groundwater runoff through a swale that enters a property from one place and must exit the property in similar fashion down a swale to the adjacent property. That's stormwater management 101, but surely rainwater that is captured on a rooftop remains the property of the landowner to use as is fit for utility in a positive fashion. Rainwater that is captured on a roof, or in a tub, or in a swimming pool, or on a flower pot... is not regulated. However, I would think that it's management should avoid contamination on its journey back into the life cycle of a raindrop.

The Midwest has a tradition of respecting natural resources in agriculture. Seems to me that most sensible people would support this kind of initiative, even if it was prone to be an underdog ideal.

-Steve

 

[bmills]

I agree with Smokun. Treat something that comes into your possession as if you are only borrowing it. Our water here comes from mountain reservoirs and not aquifers as in other parts of the state. There is some evidence of a depletion of a large aquifer that runs under Nebraska, So. Colorado and Oklahoma because of irrigation farming. Got to grow that corn to make alcohol. We had great snow pack this year and should see substantial increase in reservoir levels. When you guys fly into Las Vegas you should see an increase in Lake Mead. Just wish we could keep more instead of sending it off to Los Angeles. Like they say out here, "Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting".

 

[robert roman]

If you read the Clean Water Act, as amended, the intent of the new regulation is to control and treat surface water runoff at the source before it is discharged to municipal storm water sewers. This requirement applies to developments of regional impact all the way down to a single small business. This means that the water from rooftops and paved areas (not landscape) must be directed to a centrally located area (i.e. catch basin or detention pond) where it passes through a sand trap or oil/water separator before it is discharged to the municipal storm sewer system.

This rule embodies the notion of pollution prevention which means controlling pollution at the source rather than treating it with end-of-pipe technology. The regulation is designed to reduce the pollution loading on municipal storm water treatment systems and to accommodate new development.

Harvesting rain water (collecting, directing, filtering and storing for later productive use) and complying with the Clean Water Act are not mutually exclusive. For example, if you harvest rain water for the purpose of irrigating landscaping or crops, the water goes back into the ground. However, if you harvest for the purposing of washing cars (i.e. professional carwash) and you employ open-loop production, the waste water (minus evaporation and carry-out) will be discharged to the sanitary sewer system. This would defeat the intent of the Act because you are merely transferring the pollution from one medium to another. In order to comply with the Act, the carwash would need to employ closed-loop production which means there would be no discharge to the sanitary sewer system. In this case, the loss of rain water (surface runoff) would be limited to evaporation and carry-out.

Bob Roman
www.carwashplan.com

 

[bmills]

So if I use retained rain water to replenish the drive off, evaporation, blow by, lot wash down, landscaping, etc. that the municipality refuses to recognize and charges me for in direct proportion to water purchased we should be about even, right?

 

[smokun]

Wait A Minute!

No need to question Bob's expertise on this one, since he's devoted years of hands-on governmental work in this area.

Nevertheless, logic would suggest that as long as your use in the carwash preceded the final drain through whatever your normal municipally approved (clarifier, filtration system or grease-trap) device is required, you are still saving drinking water by virtue of your supplementation. The savings get absorbed in your approved system. And if your local water is hard water, the usually softer rain water will actually enhance your washing process.

Will your conspicuous (signage and local PR)actions have a stunning affect on the local water supply? Probably not. However, if the idea of conservation by harvesting rainwater spread throughout the community, and homeowners used it to maintain their gardens and flowers, it may have a significant impact on how the community thinks about conserving water and being friendly to the environment.

And if that community awareness is helped by your business' effort, you are viewed as a very good neighbor... and worthy of more consideration the next time they need a wash or wax.

Might not help very much, but then again... it can't hurt.

-Steve

 

[Earl Weiss]

So if I use retained rain water to replenish the drive off, evaporation, blow by, lot wash down, landscaping, etc. that the municipality refuses to recognize and charges me for in direct proportion to water purchased we should be about even, right?

I do not know who you direct this post to but here is a life lesson for free which is what you may feel it is worth.

In the game of life, you can't win, you can't break even and you can't stop playing until it's over.


You may have some legitimate ideas about what makes good environmental sense. perhaps you should get the ear of your local legislator, armed with info about other programs around the country, and offer to make him a hero by sponsoring such a sound ecological plan.

 

[pitzerwm]

You might consider setting this up quietly, and see how well it works. You might find that it is not going to work. Here is info and pictures of a guy that is doing this in Australia. http://www.autocareforum.com/cw-australia12.html

 

[bmills]

How to make the best use of what we have.

With respect to Mr. Weiss. I know only too well that we all are only here for a short time and what we do with that time is totally up to us. Having only limited funds to be involved in car wash issues I will have to leave this campaign up to others with deeper pockets. It seems a shame that we must be on the defensive to just be treated fair when it come to sewer usage compared to water purchased. In any case IMHO it would seem that a replenishment of water lost due to drive off and other issues named earlier would have a very positive effect with rainwater supplementation. The treatment facility might actually be getting back better than before.

You could use rainwater as R.O. application if it met the standards and by so doing would cut down on softener use and the effluents that come with that and also the R.O. reject would be diminished.

Deciding how to best use the asset would be the question at hand in order to acquire the best R.O.I. For example if the combination of the softener and the R.O. machine produce a 1:1 product vs reject rate then the savings from a 4,000 gal container would be substantial. Problem is that we can't make it rain when we want it to. It would, however, change our attitude about rainy days.

I have had the opportunity to visit with some folks that are modifying a sand trap from a deep contained pit to an open aerated one. This will allow the effluent to evaporate and the solids to be more easily removed. Same as the water treatment plants do it. Will cut down on sump sucking fees also.

When is comes to water pollution, dilution is the solution.

Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting!

 

[smokun]

This Is Not A Crusade. It's A Marketing Opportunity!

I'm perplexed. Why do some of you think this is a rally to launch a rainwater harvesting crusade?

Yes, water conservation is very important to all of us. And I agree that we are all stewards of our environment, charged with the responsibility of doing the right thing.

But the point I was trying to make is to use rainwater harvesting as a tool to promote your business, too!

When business gets tough, innovative marketing can be a valuable resource for distinguishing your business from all the rest in your marketplace. I simply chose to show you a way to enhance your standing in your marketplace, utilize a valuable resource in a very low-cost way, and gain valuable promotional exposure in a very benevolent way... while capturing the attention of your local media.

I suggested one idea that seemed very timely... and easy. Truth be told, you could use a few 55-gallon drums placed under a rain spout, some simple piping, and you're harvesting rainwater for use in irrigating your landscaping. This is not rocket science.

Help the environment. Gain a FREE water supply. Show your community that you care about water conservation. And, if you're smart, glean some FREE promotional recognition for your business.

-Steve

 

[Waxman]

Well put, Steve. I like things basic,simple and inexpensive. I could see myself using the 55 gallon drums under downspouts to wash down my bays or water my landscape areas. Not a bad idea. Cut off a downspout, put in a barrell and take out a BIG newspaper ad. I'm thinking....

 

[smokun]

VERY POWERFUL TOOL... being ignored.

The most powerful tool in anyone's marketing arsenal is...

WORD-OF-MOUTH ADVERTISING!

This recommendation, along with many, many more that you can think of, provide you with an opportunity to harness word-of mouth conversation... which is a tacit endorsement of you and your business!

• Some simply won't get it. Analysis-Paralysis will render them spectators... instead of participants.
• Others will wonder why they should go to all the trouble of doing anything.
• Still others will simply blow it off.
  
  
• And some of you will understand my suggestion, see the bigger picture, embrace the strategy, and benefit from the opportunity.

To those who are engaged by the opportunity, enjoy the challenge and celebrate the fruits of your efforts!

-Steve

 

[Earl Weiss]

Our local municipalities are offering rain collection Barrels for about $50.00. One item of note is that they are basicaly sealed at all openings with fine screening to prevent mosquitos from using them. I suggest that anyone who does this make sure their set up has the same tight seals / screening.

 

[Washmee]

Steve,
This is a hot topic in Ohio right now. http://www.glc.org/about/glbc.html
Some of our legislators are concerned that the language of the compact might take away landowner rights to use groundwater.

Not so in Ohio and Wisconsin, where legislators in both states this year jointly rolled out a revamped version of the Compact to address concerns that the agreement would somehow turn over ownership of all groundwater and surface water to the government.

Ohio State Sen. Tim Grendell, a Chesterland Republican, has argued that serious flaws need to be fixed, even though he acknowledges that an interstate compact is still the best legal protection against any diversion of water outside the Great Lakes basin.

Grendell, considered by some an expert in private property rights, contends that some environmentalists who support the Compact want to make all water in the Great Lakes basin public property.

That would mean, he said, that not only the waters of the Great Lakes and their obvious tributaries -- but underground aquifers, individual water wells and ponds on private property -- would become the "Public Trust" and no longer belong to the landowner.

Noah Hall, a Wayne State University professor and water expert, said Grendell is only partially right.

"It would be unfair to dismiss his fears as unfounded," he said. "There are a few environmental groups who actually want to see the Public Trust Doctrine expanded to include groundwater, but I think Sen. Grendell is the only one coming up with the strange interpretation that the Compact will do that."

Ken Kilbert, an associate law professor at the University of Toledo and assistant director of its Great Lakes Institute, said that under current law property owners don't actually "own" the water beneath their land.

 

[washregal]

Bob..

Do you know of any companies that are installing these for carwash owners.. Or any designs out there on the web for do it yourselfers?

I am getting hammered with sewer costs.. This would suppliment my wash very well...

I am open to anything in terms of conservation and saving some $$$

Especially after last winter.