Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 17th October 2024 Issue no. 1134
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Wash systems water recycling units help reduce costs and improve sustainability
Driving down costs and adopting a green agenda are two of the highest priorities for businesses everywhere. Endless headlines about rising costs and the damage to the planet mean companies are constantly seeking new ways to make savings and to reduce their environmental impact.
Commercial wash equipment specialist Britannia Wash Systems has created a pioneering water recycling system which allows fleet operators to keep their vehicles gleaming while reducing their impact on the planet and helping them to hold on to their pennies.
The company is perhaps best known for its range of Britannia washing systems, which operate at commercial vehicle wash plants.
Its new water recycling systems collect wastewater from different sources on site – for example from a vehicle wash bay - filtering it and enabling it to be safely re-used.
So instead of running clean, unused water directly from the mains, businesses are now able to source and reuse a supply which is already treated and filtered to the required standard, saving energy in the process by avoiding the continual treatment and processing of new supplies of water.
The water is safe for cleaning, heating, cooling and other purposes, reducing the energy and carbon otherwise needed to pump, transport, heat and store process water from alternative sources.
The risk of Legionnaires is also reduced, with the systems able to check, monitor and control specific risks associated with Legionnaires, allowing the operator to run the wash plant with confidence that all water spray particles are within specified requirements before distribution to the wash pad.
This process also incorporates all tanks associated with the water processing including the underground water storage facility associated to all wash plants, again unique to the design.
The end result is a reduced water bill, reduced carbon footprint and a reduced risk of Legionnaires exposure without compromising on the presentation of the fleet.
Further safeguards such as screens for the jet washing bays are also available, offering protection against pollutants and reducing surface-run-off and overspill.
"Drawing water from the mains for non-drinking purposes is extremely wasteful as all mains water is extensively treated to make it safe for human consumption,” argues Dave Barker, managing director of Smith Bros & Webb, which manufactures the Britannia branded equipment. “The standards required for water used simply to wash buses and coaches are far lower, so reclaimed water is extremely adequate in these circumstances and complies fully with the wide-ranging environmental regulations.
"Water reclamation, therefore, reduces your carbon footprint indirectly by avoiding the need for utilities companies to process water used exclusively for commercial purposes."
Dave says fleet operators can save thousands of pounds in energy bills by making the switch to a water recycling system. "Most operators start to see the financial benefits almost immediately after installation and the savings keep adding up over time as there are no added costs in sourcing water from the mains.
"In the long run a good system provides a very high return on investment . . . especially if you own a large fleet of commercial vehicles that require regular cleaning, or operate multiple locations throughout the country."
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