Successful carwashes carefully manage their expenses and inventory. Tracking your location’s use and procurement of chemicals, towels, equipment, supplies, food and beverage products and so on is considered a best practice. In case you needed to hear it once more: You can’t manage what you can’t measure.

While knowing the use and misuse of the above utilizing benchmark metrics based on industry averages and history, carwash owners and operators can adjust inventory needs as required and rectify any problems as they occur. Furthermore, careful attention to product technology, conditions of your wash, preventative maintenance and regular checks can really help your carwash in the long run when it comes to the proper use of chemicals, equipment and supplies.

Chances are, as a successful and knowledgeable owner or operator you closely monitor these areas of your business. Now, how are you doing on the water side?

According to most of the carwash and water professionals we spoke with when preparing this issue, the majority of people in the U.S. and business owners, including carwashes, still lack a similar attention to detail for water as described above when it comes to other commodities. In fact, most people, especially those in water-abundant areas of the country where water is still relatively cheap, only think about their water use (and often just briefly) when the bill arrives.

However, water has been a big issue in the news around the globe over these past few years. Research, current statistics and insider forecasts about the future of water availability and the challenges to overcome have been vetted.

In this issue of Professional Carwashing & Detailing magazine, we focus on water usage, conservation and efficiency at carwashes. Carwashes have plenty of opportunities to save water and, in the process, save money as well.

While droughts can remind us of the importance of conserving our planet’s most valuable resource, water efficiency cannot be a temporary initiative. Get serious about water and make it a top priority each and every day. After implementing the best practices outlined in this “water” issue, monitoring, measuring and managing water will flow naturally into your business’ operations.