"We want a reclaim system. It's better for the environment."
We hear this from fleet managers all the time. And we get it—recycling water sounds responsible. But after installing wash systems for decades, here's what we've learned: the operations that benefit from reclaim tend to be the exception, not the rule.
If you have easy sewer access and wash fewer than 50 trucks daily, sewer discharge will cost you less and deliver cleaner trucks. Period. You're not being irresponsible—you're matching the solution to your actual circumstances.
Reclaim systems are brilliant technology, solving specific problems. The question is whether you have those problems.
Why Freshwater Discharge Usually Costs Less and Cleans Better
For most operations, normal sewer discharge isn't just simpler—it's the smarter investment. Here's why it outperforms reclaim when you have three conditions:
You have sewer access. If the city sewer runs near your facility, the connection is straightforward. An oil-water separator handles environmental requirements. You're operational without the complexity.
You wash moderate volumes. Washing 15 to 50 vehicles daily? Recycling water adds operational overhead that doesn't match your scale. The savings don't justify the complications.
Water costs are standard. When water is available and affordable, reclaim doesn't save enough to offset its extra costs and complexity.
Bonus: Your municipality benefits. Discharge to the city sewer sends filtered water into municipal systems, helping flush sewer lines and dilute waste streams at treatment plants. You're contributing to infrastructure, not being wasteful.
When these conditions fit your situation, typical sewer discharge costs less and cleans better.
When Reclaim Systems Make Perfect Sense
Recycling water using reclaim systems solves specific problems that sewer discharge can't handle. If your operation has one of these four conditions, the extra cost and complexity start making sense:
No freshwater discharge access available. Remote operations or rural facilities where running new sewer lines costs more than the reclaim system itself. When connection isn't an option, reclaim might be your only choice.
Extreme water scarcity. Regions with severe water restrictions or credit systems. When water supply is the bottleneck, recycling transforms constraints into operations.
High-volume operations. Washing more than 100 vehicles daily? At this scale, water savings could justify the operational premium.
Brand image requirements. Some companies choose to recycle for environmental positioning. When brand value outweighs the cost premium, reclaim makes strategic sense.
For facilities in these situations, reclaim solves problems worth paying for.
The Complete Evaluation: What Reclaim Actually Costs You
It's easy to get focused on calculating the system cost versus your projected water savings. It's a logical starting point, but it's incomplete.
A realistic analysis needs to account for the operational factors that affect your total cost over the system's lifespan:
Ongoing electrical costs. Reclaim systems run pumps continuously to keep water circulating. You’ve got a built-in daily electrical cost for the life of the system. Because when water stagnates, aerobic microbes switch to anaerobic. These new microbes produce methane and odor problems within days.
Fresh water requirements. Reclaimed water works well for the High-Pressure Rinse Section of the wash, but you'll still want to use fresh water for soap application and the final rinse. Factor these ongoing fresh water costs into your analysis rather than assuming water expenses disappear entirely.
Equipment and maintenance. Reclaim systems need additional equipment. Large underground settling pits are required to filter out the sediment from the water. These pits need to be pumped out and disposed of biannually and typically cost over a thousand dollars per cleaning.
Equipment wear patterns. Particulates in recycled water affect pump longevity and can accelerate nozzle wear. These differences impact your replacement schedules and maintenance frequency compared to freshwater systems.
Labor requirements. Reclaim systems need regular attention — tank pumping, equipment checks, and bay cleaning schedules. A freshwater system operates with minimal ongoing oversight.
Long-term timeline. Calculate costs over 10 to 20 years, not just the payback period. Major maintenance events can significantly impact your total cost of ownership.
Wash quality. Fresh water throughout the process produces cleaner vehicles with less residue. This matters for brand image and makes vehicle inspection and maintenance easier.
When you account for all these factors, the total cost picture becomes clearer. For operations with sewer access and moderate volumes, a freshwater system typically delivers lower total cost and simpler operations. For facilities with the specific constraints we outlined earlier, reclaim's higher operational cost solves problems worth paying for.
Your Facility's Decision Checklist
Use this comparison to determine which system fits your operation:
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Each system works best in specific conditions. Look at your situation to find the best fit.
Your Facility's Decision Is Clearer Than You Think
Before you decide, answer these questions: Do you have access to city sewer? How many vehicles do you wash each day? What does water cost in your area?
For most operations, these answers point clearly to sewer discharge. It provides lower cost, simpler operations, and cleaner trucks.
If you're in one of the specific situations where reclaim makes sense (no sewer access, extreme water scarcity, high volumes, or brand image requirements), that might be obvious too. The right choice becomes apparent when you align your circumstances with the system.
If you're genuinely in the gray area—and some operations are—Hydro-Chem Systems can help you run the numbers.
Automatic wash systems typically run for at least a decade before replacement, often more than two. That's a long time to pay extra for complexity you don't need, or deal with operational problems a different system would have solved. Match the system to your facility's actual needs, not the system that sounds better on paper.
Need help evaluating your facility? Contact us with your site-specific questions.
