[mark bowditch]

I know this is a touchy subject
 Just wondering if any of you are reclaiming and reusing your pressure washing water and how
All advice is appreciated thank you

I  think this is the way it will go in years to come
All the best and a happy new year
Mark

[Rob_Mac]

Mark

You are more than welcome to come and say hello and spend some time with us.

I think that reclaiming through vacuumn and then filtering the water is definately the way forward. Been trying to do a search for something I saw a while ago on an american site.

Long trailer with two IBC tanks, 2 pressure washers, 2 vacuumns, and filtration unit. Looked very impressive.

We will be putting one of these together over the next 6 months as we have a 30 foot caravan that we will be using the chassis from - all the other bits we have.

Rob

[trevor perry]

i too have looked at these machines in america but feel that it would be very easy to damage pumps etc on powerwasher, when you look at the mess that is produced powerwashing i cannot see a filter being able to process the water good enough , true it might work but how often would these filters need changing and what is the time involved in doing so, powerwashers can be very temperamental when dirt or grit is trapped in any of its parts and can be expensive to diagnose and fix where the problem is.
   i have already tried using a vac attachment on a whirlaway and to tell you the truth found it a lot of hastle, you have an extra pipe trailing to sort out and i found it kept getting blocked, it would be nice if they do work please keep us informed rob on your efforts i would love to see it working if you get it sorted.

[trevor perry]

i know that the people who wash wheely bins are now supposed to recycle there water and not put it down the drains , the lad who does our street has a machine for this purpose but he carries on using his normal powerwasher as he says the other way is slower he says he hasnt been stopped yet and when he is will claim he didnt know he wasnt allowed to do it as he sees lots of people washing their cars and the water goes down the drain.

[Rob_Mac]

I have been loking at a pond filtration system and from what i can see they are stuffed with plastic filters that are washable. They look like thick brillo pads.

I will be putting this together as soon as I can get the top off the caravan - already spoken to my mate and waved a bit of cash to get rid of it.

Rob

[mark bowditch]

Hi rob
First did you read my reply in the graffiti removal post?

I also read post on the other side of the pond some set up are a bit ott more like articks than p/w set up

My wet vac which I made my self out of an old carpet cleaning machine [I just like playing about with things] like the steam easy 400 cut out middle between dirty water and clean water side put some pond filter bushes between the two compartments this traps all moss etc in the first compartment all that goes in the second compartment is fine silt and sand put a dirty water pond pump on a grid.
Which is pumped into flower beds ect
It works now I've got to try to work out how to filter out the sand.

In the van
I’m thinking of using a vortex which is round and holds 400liters
The water enters at the near top of the chamber and is angled so the water is forced in a circular motion which makes sand fall to the bottom quickly, at the bottom is a draining point
 About 12in from bottom is the exit port which would go to a foam filter and on to pressure washer

Would be interested if your using a FLC with vac port in how your getting on with it.

All the best and many thanks
Mark

[drivewasher]

I don't see the need for the expence and extra work, unless you wan't to baffle customer into useing you on the now well  pushed environment issues.

Thae facts are

Bin cleaners need to recycle the water as they and anyone else including you and I and the genral public are forbiden under the environment act *** (1972 I think off memory) to discharge FOWL WATER down a surface water drain.
The water from a bin is without doubt FOWL so cleaners have to keep it on board and discharge it into a designated fowl drain or sewer manhole. To do this they need a waste water discharge certificate from the environment agency with whome they agree a discharge point to be used by the cleaner, This is to ensure the drain you use is not a surface water drain that goes to a stream, river, pond etc

When we clean a drive without any chemicals the water we wash down a gid isn't really fowl it's just speeding up what the rain does naturally, as we are mobile and drives are cleaned infrequently the it doesn't pose any real environment issues.
Just like cleaning your car at home is ok, but if you opened a car wash on your drive then that would be more damaging to the local environment

I always collect as much sand and moss/weeds etc up into a bin before it gets to the drains

[Rob_Mac]

Drivewasher

My angle is for a couple of reasons.

We use up to 10000 - 15000 litres per day x 6 day period x 4 weeks (average contract)

Some days we are standing in water all day long because there is insufficient drainage. The standing in water is not a problem as we have Goretex Rigger boots, the problem is getting rid of it and bringing the area back to something like it was before we started - but cleaner.

A lot of the time our working area is live and we have people all round us and our safe working area. The run off creates problems because we cannot contain it.

The client would like their customers to be able to shop in the stores without bringing their wellington boots

Rob

[trevor perry]

hi rob
   how many washers are you using and at what flow rate to use that amount of water our machine at full power uses 21 litres a minute but in a full day of use on one site would only use 6000 litres but a lot of the time the flow is turned down so would only use about 4500 litres.
   i do know what you mean about containing the water though we sometimes have to have an extra man constantly squeegying when the drainage is bad.

[Roger Oakley]

As far as reclaiming goes, I'm with Midas on this one it will be the way forward, I think you will have to offer it in say 3-5 years.
I know the american set-up you mentioned, we were looking at importing one, very expensive, just one thing though Midas, (don't want to rain on your parade here) that set-up has worldwide patents, so be careful what you say here.

[drive surgeon]

like roger said this will be forced upon us i think, dont wanna be messing around doing this really.

[George-Reid]

Tell me what you want and I will build it.
We have been filtering and reusing dirty foul water for over a decade.

[Les]

Maybe you can make your million George by supplying all those Supermarket Valet operators who have pressure washers running all day long 

Oh, and if you do, remember it was my idea when you're handing the £50 notes around 

Les

[George-Reid]

Hi Les

If the environmental officers did their job and enforcement was used as it should be I would indeed be happy to hand out the £50 notes.