What is a WaterSavers Car Wash?

When you wash your car on pavement, the rinse water runoff — along with all the chemicals it contains — can go to storm drains that empty directly into rivers and streams. This pollution has been proven to negatively impact aquatic life and ecosystems. WaterSavers® car washes prevent water pollution by routing wash water to treatment prior to its return to the environment. These car washes also use only 40 gallons (151.5 liters) or less of fresh water per car wash — less than the typical home washing machine.

Preventing Water Pollution

Many people don’t know that washing vehicles on pavement causes harm to local waterways. Water entering storm drains, unlike water that enters sanitary sewers, does not undergo treatment before it is discharged. So, when cars are washed on streets, parking lots and driveways, that dirty water eventually winds up in rivers, streams and lakes. Washing one car may not seem to be a problem, but collectively, car-washing activity adds up to big problems for our waterways and aquatic life. A study by the City of Federal Way (Washington) found that residential car washing led to the following being released into their storm sewer system: 190 gallons (719 liters) of gasoline, diesel and motor oil 400 pounds of phosphorus and nitrogen 60 pounds of ammonia 2,200 pounds of surfactants 3,000 pounds of solids This is the total annual release, and only for their community of 62,000 passenger cars and trucks! With more than 300 million registered passenger vehicles in North America, the enormity of the pollution problem becomes obvious.

Conserving Water

According to the Alliance for Water Efficiency, the average home laundry machine can use up to 45 gallons of water per load. WaterSavers® car washes use an average of no more than 40 gallons (151.5 liters) of fresh water per car. All of that water is either recycled or returned to the environment cleanly. Using a garden hose at home, you can use more than 60 gallons (227.1 liters) in as little as five minutes.