Car wash makes recycling savings

The reed bed system has reduced Pitstop's draw on water

Welsh firms best at staying green

One firm which is benefitting financially from its investment in water efficiency measures is Pitstop, a drive through car wash in Swansea.

A reed bed water recycling system has reduced its water use by 60%.

The resulting savings on both water and electricity bills mean the firm's £14,250 installation costs should be recouped within four years.

Future plans include increasing the efficiency of the reed-bed system so it can handle a greater volume of water.

Pitstop's owners found out about the recycling system after joining the Green Dragon initiative which helps businesses find environmental management systems relevant to its specific needs.

The reed bed cleans the water used by Pitstop by removing suspended solids and was easy to install.

Holding tank

The foul water first enters submerged chambers where natural gravity allows the water to settle.

It then passes into a second chamber through a 9in pipe and is pumped up to a holding tank.

A variable release valve allows the water to travel through the reed-beds which are set at a slight incline.

Now clean, the water is pumped into storage tanks, ready for reuse.

The system has reduced Pitstop's draw on mains water supply from 3,200 to 1,300 cubic metres a year.

There has been a similar decrease in the disposal of waste water, while the total water reused by the company is nearly 2,000 cubic metres a year.

By continual improvement Pitstop aims to be 100% efficient in its use of recycled water.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Environment Agency
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites