Recycling water at car wash

A commercial car wash in Queensland has implemented a water filtration loop to maximise this resource in a region classified as a Level 4 water restriction zone.

Baywash southside car wash in Toowoomba washes up to 100 vehicles through its automatic car wash section each day.

Proprietor, Mr Graeme Schultz, says that when the car wash was constructed the business purchased a SPEL Puraceptor model P002.CI.2CSC because Toowoomba Council stipulates all businesses of this type require a system for oil/water separation.

The results were good and now a second SPEL Puraceptor has been installed to create a consistent water filtration loop 24 hours a day.

During the filtration process, ozone is injected (instead of chlorine) into the water just before it enters the system to kill germs and bacteria and improve the quality of water.

The recycled water comes from the auto wash section of the business. A self-service section is also set to be hooked up to this consistent loop using both Puraceptors.

"It has made an enormous difference. Since we installed the Puraceptors and the continuous loop, we find we have to only clean the filter within each Puraceptor every day - a quick and simple job.

"We are planning three more wash bays, so we are likely to install another SPEL Puraceptor before this calendar year is out.

"The water cleans up to 1000 cars before it is due for disposal, but we are evaluating ways of how we can improve that return.

"Then ultimately we want to create a complete purification system for that water so that we never have to dispose of it at all."

Because it is manufactured as a full retention separator, the system is sized to hold more than the anticipated maximum spillage, so that it will be fully operational at all times.

It features a coalescing unit. They are designed to ensure a maximum hydrocarbon concentrate in the outlet of 5 mg/L.

A sampling point is incorporated into the outlet. A fuel/oil and silt containment ensures optimum performance between maintenance periods.