Saving our Planet one Car Wash at a time!

As a WaterSavers destination, Sam's Xpress Car Wash is always finding ways to better the environment.

Did you know that our car washes recycle 100% of water and reuse 90% of what is recycled?
Ever wonder how it's done?!

Well here's how in 5 simple steps!

Step 1: During the car wash, the water is first collected into a pit underneath the car wash.
Step 2: After collection, the water travels through 7 chambers that removes sediments out of the water.
Step 3: The water then passes through a series of cyclonic filters that cleans the water.
Step 4:The water passes through an ozone treatment that kills all bacteria in the water.
Step 5: And then goes back to Step 1!

I referenced earlier that we were a WaterSavers destination, but most of you have no idea what that means, other than the assumption that we save water! Well that is definitely part of it, but it is an actual program that Sam's Xpress a part of! 

So now the question may be "What is the WaterSavers Program?"  So here it goes...

How WaterSavers® Works

To earn the WaterSavers® designation, a car wash must:

Water Quality Criteria

*Route all water discharge to a treatment facility or leech/septic field.
*Have a backflow prevention device installed and operable on the potable water supply.
*The car wash must meet all local effluent criteria.

Water Conservation Criteria

*For conveyorized or in-bay/roll-over washes, use an average of no more than 40 gallons (151.5 liters) of potable/fresh water per car.
*Use spray nozzles with maximum water efficiency and inspect the nozzles annually.
*For self-serve washes, maintain high-pressure wash nozzles and pump systems that use less than 3 gallons (11.4 liters) per minute.
*Keep water-saving devices at original or improved specifications.
*Re-use spot-free reverse osmosis concentrate ("reject") in the wash process (if such a system is installed).

Each participating car wash must annually reaffirm that it is meeting the above criteria, including inspection by a licensed plumber or distributor member.

Did you know, that it's actually better for the environment when you take your car through an automated wash rather than washing it yourself at home? Check it out!

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
Reasons to Wash Your Car

#1 - Use less water, and "return it" cleanly!
Using a WaterSavers wash ensures that you are using less water than regular driveway or pavement washing, and that all runoff water is returned safely to the environment.

#2 - Protect your investment.
The better the condition of your vehicle, the higher the resale or trade-in value. Depending upon the vehicle, regular cleaning can equate to thousands of dollars in value. Acid rain, road salt, bird droppings and sun damage are just some of the threats to your car's condition that can be addressed by regular car care. Click here to learn more.

#3 - Take pride and feel good.
A clean car looks better and communicates pride. Who doesn't feel better driving a clean car?

#4 - Drive safely.
Washing regularly keeps windshields, mirrors and signal lights clean. You will see more of the road, and others will be better able to see you.

#5 - Improve fuel economy.
Did you know that the cleaner your car, the less wind resistance? That means better fuel economy.Click here to learn more.

#6 - Save time and money.
Your time is valuable, so don't waste it in your driveway or at the store buying supplies. Instead, visit a professional car wash and get a great wash, at the right price, in just a few minutes.

#7 - It's safe for the vehicle.
The world's automobile manufacturers trust professional car washes with their new vehicles and so can you. Today's car wash technology is washing cars more safely and effectively than ever before. And, a recent study of more than 5 million car washes revealed the rate of damage to be less than one-tenth of one percent - and that even included pre-existing damage (i.e. vehicles that come to the car wash that are already damaged)!

 
#8 - Protect yourself from bacteria.
Regular cleaning of your car's interior can help keep away bacteria and other "bugs" that accumulate on steering wheels, gear shifts, radio buttons and other commonly touched places.

Visit http://www.carwash.org/watersavers for more information.

So come on down to Sam's Xpress! Not only are you saving the environment, you also save time! It takes about 3 minutes to go through the wash!

Signing off... Saving the planet one car wash at a time