There are about 250 commercial car washes in Denver Water’s service area. Of these, about 20 are full-service facilities, 130 are gas station in-bay units and 100 are self-serve car washes. Facilities must meet the requirements below to receive a Denver Water Certificate of Efficiency. Use the Certification Checklist (PDF) to determine whether your facility qualifies. Denver Water also offers rebates for car washes that install water-saving equipment.
Self-Serve Car Washes
- Each nozzle cannot exceed a maximum flow of three gallons per minute.
- In reverse-osmosis systems, there must be a way to turn off the spot-free rinse feature or to recycle the reject water.
- There must be a weep-management system.
In-Bay Automatic & Conveyor Systems
- In-bay or conveyor car washes that have a reclaim system with filtration will be certified. Existing car washes may qualify for Denver Water’s Commercial and Industrial Incentive Program to help pay for a new reclaim system with filtration.
- If the car wash doesn’t have a reclaim system, it must reduce water use by 30 percent per vehicle.
- To reduce water use for in-bay systems, reduce nozzle sizes and water pressure, increase the cycle-time speed, use only one soap pass and turn off the spot-free rinse cycle.
- To reduce water use in conveyor systems, reduce nozzle sizes and water pressure, increase the conveyor speed, shorten cycle times, adjust sensor settings, turn off certain wash and rinse arches and discontinue the spot-free rinse cycle.
Certification process
- Use the Certification Checklist (PDF) to determine whether your facility qualifies.
- To arrange an on-site visit, call 303-628-6343 or e-mail conservation@denverwater.org. Leave your contact name and phone number.
- Conservation staff will call to make an appointment for a facility inspection.
- Once all criteria have been met, Denver Water will present the car wash with a Certificate of Efficiency. Mobile washers will receive a certificate for each of their mobile machines.
- All certified sites will be revisited at least annually to ensure compliance.