Yes, I know I've been accused of being a little slow sometimes, but I just don't get this program. From the press release of the ICA you pay a fee so that you can put one of their stickers in your window. All they ask is that you reclaim some water. Could not find in their info if there is a minimum percentage that you must reclaim. My guess is that at least half the washes reclaim some water. This looks like a waste of money. What am I missing?
So just what is it about the "Water Savers" program?
- Thread starter mac
- Start date
Whale of a Wash
5 Washes 36Bays 2Vectors
It sounds like you understand it perfectly!!
DivineSuccess
Member
For me it was a way to be recognized for reclaiming water that we are already doing. Its puts your car wash on a local search and give you a chance for more publicity.
My reasoning for reclaiming water isn't as much environmental as I'm sure most of the guys here. But my customers have approached me and thanked me for being environmentally responsible and said they won't wash anywhere else. Other washes in the area are doing the same things I am. The water savers program has just given me a legit marketing leg to stand on.
Plus my wash was found by a reporter who wrote a story picked up by Forbes magazine.
Totally worth $50 IMO.
My reasoning for reclaiming water isn't as much environmental as I'm sure most of the guys here. But my customers have approached me and thanked me for being environmentally responsible and said they won't wash anywhere else. Other washes in the area are doing the same things I am. The water savers program has just given me a legit marketing leg to stand on.
Plus my wash was found by a reporter who wrote a story picked up by Forbes magazine.
Totally worth $50 IMO.
Divine, could you have achieved the same by putting your own sign up and listing it on some social network site? Please do not misunderstand me with this. I think anytime you can save some water and be appreciated more by the public is a good thing. I just don't see how giving the ICA $50 will do that more than your own efforts. IMO, if the ICA wanted to really make this sticker worth something, they should demand what percentage of water you recycle. Right now there doesn't seem to be any standard. You could dip a 5 gallon bucket in your pits and dump it on the bushes, and you are recycling. Will someone please correct me if I have this wrong.
ICA Certified
Yes, you can put up a sign on your own and seemingly accomplish the same thing, BUT when you have a neutral third party, in this case, the INTERNATIONAL CARWASH ASSOCIATION saying your are a "water-saver" it gives you more creditablity.
As a consumer does it not give you a more secure feeling when you walk into a doctor or dentist's office to see their degrees on the wall and where they went to school. I am sure Stanford medical school carries more weight than the University of Grenada.
Similarly, you feel more secure with a mechanic when you see certificates on the wall of the waiting room indicating the mechanics are GM, BMW, MB certified.
For $50 you cannot buy that kind of creditability nor a nicely designed logo on your own.
Just some well intentioned thoughts.
Bud Abraham
Yes, you can put up a sign on your own and seemingly accomplish the same thing, BUT when you have a neutral third party, in this case, the INTERNATIONAL CARWASH ASSOCIATION saying your are a "water-saver" it gives you more creditablity.
As a consumer does it not give you a more secure feeling when you walk into a doctor or dentist's office to see their degrees on the wall and where they went to school. I am sure Stanford medical school carries more weight than the University of Grenada.
Similarly, you feel more secure with a mechanic when you see certificates on the wall of the waiting room indicating the mechanics are GM, BMW, MB certified.
For $50 you cannot buy that kind of creditability nor a nicely designed logo on your own.
Just some well intentioned thoughts.
Bud Abraham
DivineSuccess
Member
Signage would do for sure. But the attention I got from the forbes reporter came directly from the water savers website. She didn't find my facebook or website but found the water saver's website. I agree about having a higher standard and have voiced that. But this is a great start IMO. they can tweak it as things move on. But there are lots of car washes that don't even meet the basic requirements that they are holding people to.
I still think its slightly humorous that we are THIS concerned about $50. Thats a lunch for my employees or a nice dinner for the wife and I. I know we need to keep an eye on spending but I'm not seeing this as a huge amount.
I still think its slightly humorous that we are THIS concerned about $50. Thats a lunch for my employees or a nice dinner for the wife and I. I know we need to keep an eye on spending but I'm not seeing this as a huge amount.
mattman
New member
Eric from the ICA spoke with everyone at the SECWA road show in Memphis about the program. They are trying to get as many as they can to join WaterSavers so they can use it to show government, state, and city leaders that carwashes are not the water hogs that we are portrayed as. We all know, as operators, that we are the best way to wash a car and save water. Unfortunatley state and city leaders do not understand this and are uneducated about our operations. Their "knee jerk reaciton" when drought and crisis come is to shut down the car washes because of their excessive water use.
In situations like the flood in Nashville all car washes were shut down for 30 days because of water and sewer treatment plant issues. The only other businesses shut down were plant nurseries.
In Georgia, state legislators are targeting car washes specifically because of past drought problems.
In situations like the flood in Nashville all car washes were shut down for 30 days because of water and sewer treatment plant issues. The only other businesses shut down were plant nurseries.
In Georgia, state legislators are targeting car washes specifically because of past drought problems.
mattman
New member
Here are the requirements: Self-serve & In-bay automatics recylcle their spot free waste water into their rinse water.
Tunnels have some form of reclaim system.
Cost is $49 per location(up to 5 locations)
$250 for 6+ locations
Tunnels have some form of reclaim system.
Cost is $49 per location(up to 5 locations)
$250 for 6+ locations
Well thanks again for the info. The flyer that the ICA sent via email just said reclaim some water, pay $50 and get a sticker. I can see some benefit to it now. The idea seems good intentioned, but to me it's the implementation that's weak. Why not have this really mean something. Right now it's mostly fluff. Recalim some water in a tunnell or the RO reject in others. Whopee. I still would like to see some real number crunching on putting in another tank, pump, and controls for RO reject water that actually saves money, not water. How about this idea? Why not have levels to this, say silver, gold, and platinum? Each would REQUIRE a minimum % of water reclaim. Keep the current standards for the silver, make it 20% for the gold, and 50% or more for the top. Then it would have real impact. I'll save the discussion of relating an ICA sign in your office to an AMA diploma in a doctors office for another time.