Clearmake is a leading Australian manufacturer of industrial water treatment and recycling solutions with equipment installed at over 3,000 commercial locations nationwide.
With extensive experience in the car wash market, Clearmake shares concerns on recently aired Channel Nine’s A Current Affair Program - Car Wash Tests, regarding the safety of water produced by inferior water recycling systems.
The program conducted testing of water quality from car wash bays using recycled process water.
They found varying levels of potentially dangerous bacteria and other contaminants present in the recycled water. Some bacteria were found at levels that could potentially put the health of operators and the public at risk.
“When organic or biological contaminants are washed in to a holding tank (such as bird droppings off a vehicle), bacteria will multiply rapidly if the water is not treated effectively.” says Clearmake managing director, David Lumb.
“Many car wash recycling systems use only filtration and/or cyclonic separation. If the water collected is completely free of biological and organic contaminants this MAY be an effective treatment process.”
“However this is impossible to guarantee with vehicle wash down, so these processes are simply unsuitable for reliably producing safe recycled water for the car wash industry.”
“A Clearmake water recycling system is custom engineered and manufactured to ensure the system is capable of producing recycled water that is clear and sterilised, meets all regulatory requirements, and is safe and fit-for-purpose.” says David Lumb.
A Clearmake water recycling system includes:
- pH adjustment – to correct the acid / alkali balance of the water
- Chemical flocculation and clarification to maximise water clarity
- Fine filtration to remove suspended solids
- Aeration to assist with bacteria control as well as carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrogen sulphide reduction
- Sterilisation (including residual disinfection) to eliminate any remaining potentially harmful bacteria
Clearmake is proactively working with Workplace Health & Safety QLD to develop a process that reliably ensures the safety of all who come in contact with industrial recycled water.
Clearmake is also assisting with the development of an industry code of practice, including a set of water testing standards to be met when using recycled water in commercial and industrial wash down applications.