Water reclamation solutions allow commercial vehicle operators to use treated wastewater (e.g. from a wash bay) to be reused to wash more vehicles. Mains water is expensive and resource-intense, so it is vital to recycle and preserve as much process water as possible as part of your company’s sustainability strategy. Here are four key benefits that a water reclamation system can offer to your business, and to society as a whole:
1) Sustainability
Much of Planet Earth is covered by water, but only a small percentage of this can be used for agriculture, bathing, and drinking, etc. The demand for water will grow as the global population increases, however the supply will stay the same in all likelihood.
Water reclamation sustains the supply of freshwater for potable uses by minimising the amount of treated mains water is used for commercial processes. Provided it is treated and filtered properly to be suitable for use, process water can be reclaimed and reused an indefinite number of times for washing vehicles. Typically, reclaimed water is not safe to be released into the public sewer without adequate pre-treatment, however it can be stored in a water treatment plant for a variety of commercial applications, thus reducing water wastage.
2) Prevent Diseases
The catastrophic impact of wastewater, when not properly managed, was evident recently in America with the Tampa Bay disaster. Here, a phosphate plant's industrial wastewater threatened the ecology of an expansive area, along with the local population's safety. Vehicle operators do not carry the same level of operational risk, but nevertheless, water used to wash vehicles may contain high levels of minerals, pathogens, animal droppings, and contaminants that can upset the balance of local eco-systems if released into a public body of water.
Water reclamation and treatment solutions can eliminate waterborne diseases from process water stored in standing tanks, like legionnaires, and increase your usage options considerably. The reclamation process filters out harmful bacteria that live inside water droplets, making the water suitable for public use (including bodily contact).
3) Help The Environment
Many wildlife, plant and fish species cannot survive without freshwater. Sensitive ecosystems require a sufficient flow of freshwater, otherwise the habitats within them will die. As time passes, these ecosystems will deteriorate if the flow is interrupted by industries, urban areas, and agriculture. With water reclamation, fleet operators can reduce the diversion of freshwater from fragile ecosystems. They can recycle their own water, instead of removing it from natural habitats.
4) Energy Preservation
There is an increased demand for freshwater, due to population growth and the new businesses that serve it. This results in more water being extracted from mains sources and reservoirs, moved dozens of miles and treated. This is extremely costly to the public purse because it uses lots of energy from non-renewable, fossil-fuel based electric sources.
Recycling water nearby or onsite preserves the energy required for pumping and long distance transportation – minimising your business’s net impact on the water table and overall carbon footprint. A water reclamation system can be set-up for specific purposes, such as to feed a jet wash system or wash bay, to reduce operational costs further.
Next Steps
Wastewater recycling is an affordable way for fleet operators to fulfil the hygiene demands of your business, while keeping costs and energy expenditure down. For more information about our sustainable wash systems and reclamation solutions, please call 01789400096 today.
